Has anyone ever has success with self publishing book companies?

I've seen some like AuthorHouse but I can't seem to find any reviews of them...any ideas or thoughts.



Have you had had any good or bad experiences with them?Has anyone ever has success with self publishing book companies?
There are many successful self-published book authors. Take a look at this list that made it to the NY #1 bestseller list:

''Life 101'' (Prelude Press), a self-published book by John Roger and Peter McWilliams

''What Color Is Your Parachute?'' by Richard N. Bolles, a guide for job seekers

''Leadership Secrets of Attila the Hun'' by Wess Roberts

''The Book of Questions'' by Gregory Stock

''The One Minute Manager'' by Kenneth Blanchard and Spencer Johnson, was self-published before the authors sold it to William Morrow %26amp; Company

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.ht鈥?/a>



You may also check this site that promotes several self-published book authors:

http://xlibrian.multiply.com/

http://publishingthechildinme.blogspot.c鈥?/a>Has anyone ever has success with self publishing book companies?
Mmm ...



I've done both. Self publishing is really only worthwhile if you have a very specific market in mind, or are not intending to sell those books to the mass public. Self publishing is useful for things like family histories, school yearbooks, or something like a family cookbook. Or if you just want a single copy of a fiction book to keep on your bookshelf. Self publishing is far cheaper than it was ten years ago, thanks to print on demand companies like lulu.com or Digital Print Australia. However, the quality is never quite as good as a book that is published by a "real" publishing house like Penguin or Hatchette.



Self publishing is not a good idea when you want to publish a large number of books, which you then want to sell to the public. Apart from listing the book for sale on Amazon.com and on their website, the publisher will not do anything to market your novel. It is up to you to sell it directly to a bookstore such as Borders. The chances of a store like Borders distributing a self published novel are relatively low. The chances of getting your book into a department store like Kmart are even lower.



Also before you can sell your book anywhere, it must have an ISBN or International Standard Book Number. Some self-publishers will charge you for an ISBN, others like lulu.com will give it to you for "free" provided that you allow them to take charge of the bulk of the distribution. They will not distribute the book anywhere other than their own site or on Amazon. You also earn a "cut" of the royalties instead of all royalties.



I would advise you to proceed with caution. Unless you are publishing that family history or cookbook, or you know that your book will only ever sell one or two copies (and you're happy about that), self publishing is not for you.



I hope this helped.Has anyone ever has success with self publishing book companies?
There have been a few authors like Mur Lafferty, Mathew Wayne Selznick, and PG Holyfield who have done well starting as self published. From what little I understand Jebbers answer would have been right in past years but not so much now. I guess he never heard of Eragon.

Episodes 73 and 66 of the Dead Robots' Society might be helpful to you.

Most of the ones I know of also podcasted but most of the books I currently buy are because I liked the podcast
Look, the only successfull authors are the ones who are sought after BY the publishing house.

Nobody's is going to read a book that the author paid to have published.