Read the full text: “Publishing Is Easy” by David Gaughran
Publishing Is Easy
See some of his valuable comments (more on his blog):
There are three primary tasks a writer must undertake to get her work into the hands of readers: writing, publishing, and marketing.
Out of those three, I respectfully submit, publishing is by far the easiest.
Writing a book is hard, and writing a good book is even harder – at least from the perspective of the inexperienced writer. Most people who think about writing a book never start one. Most people who start one never finish it. And most people who finish a book never polish it to the point where it’s ready for prime-time and/or never get it out the door for one reason or another.
To write a good book, you have to put in the time in terms of reading with intent, learning about the craft, gaining mastery of the tools at your disposal, and putting all that into practice with book after book (some of which may never see the light of day). It’s usually a long process and it’s understandable that there’s a high level of attrition.
And:
“The Wrong Kind of Help”
Many newbies get suckered. Because if they think that publishing is hard or that publishing is expensive then they will seek out a third party to handle that part of the process. Which could result in:

1. Signing with a large publisher for a small advance, resulting in no nationwide bookstore distribution, little marketing, poor sales, and little or no royalties.
2. Doing a deal with a small publisher which struggles to get their books into stores, and which doesn’t have the time or money to invest in digital marketing.
3. Handing over rights to an agent-publisher with a poor track record.
4. Spending a lot of money on “publishing consultants” who don’t know what they’re doing.
5. Engaging a “self-publishing service company” – and these run the spectrum of mediocre to awful vanity presses like Author Solutions.

As for me, I fell into trap numero 5…

Tom Clancy, whose complex, adrenaline-fueled military novels spawned a new genre of thrillers and made him one of the world’s best-known and best-selling authors, died on 1 October. He was 66. As reported in the NYT/IHT.
His debut book, “The Hunt for Red October,” was frequently cited as one of the greatest genre novels ever written (publication in 1984). He followed “The Hunt for Red October” with “Red Storm Rising” in 1986, “Patriot Games” in 1987, “The Cardinal of the Kremlin” in 1988 and “Clear and Present Danger” in 1989.
He said none of his success came easily, and he would remind aspiring writers of that when he spoke to them:

 “I tell them you learn to write the same way you learn to play golf. You do it, and keep doing it until you get it right. A lot of people think something mystical happens to you, that maybe the muse kisses you on the ear. But writing isn’t divinely inspired — it’s hard work.”

Now for me as a new author, wise words.

Read the latest about Author Solutions and their tactics:
http://davidgaughran.wordpress.com/2013/08/30/author-solutions-takes-signing-scam-to-miami-book-fair/
 
Authors, be warned!

Read more about the well-known scam by AuthorHouse and their accomplices, all united under the Penguin family (where is Batman to help and fight the bad penguins???).
See what David writes plus the many comments of other deceived authors.
http://davidgaughran.wordpress.com/2013/07/16/penguin-random-house-merger-helps-author-solutions-exploit-writers/
Authorhouse wanted me to buy a ” Google Display Ads at  £1,299.00″. I told them I did not see why I should promote my book as they never give me complete and clear sales reports. Complaining that AuthorHouse had not given me a comprehensive sales report over the past 3 trimesters except for their own website, and that they never detailed sales on Amazon (where friends have bought many copies as I know, printed and e-book), I got this reply from the AuthorHouse “lady”:
“Hi,
Thanks for your email. I appreciate it because in this way I can clarify everything to you because you simply don’t understand the nature of this business. How could you say those things when we were able to produced your book and distribute it to the online market. Your book is out there ready for purchase. It’s just not selling because you are not marketing it. People don’t know you, you are unknown, so how can you expect your book to sell and get royalties? You need to build your credibility first. There are investments involve in our services because we are using other parties resources to provide/give the services that our authors had paid for. We are under Penguin RandomHouse but we still operate as a self publishing company.
I may don’t have the right to question your knowledge and experience but I am confused if you really know what it takes to be a writer and be known.”
So, I am the stupid guy who does not know how to promote myself etc.
So, I now decided not to hold promotion of my book and think about something else. Why should I spend money for promotion if they pocket all proceeds? Royalties, you said? AuthorHouse hides them and then is incompetent enough not being able to make a bank payment.
Toxic Capitalism! Toxic Penguin!

On Saturday 1 June I had a different book talk: no PPT, no projector, just a free talk in a private room of a typical old Beijing style restaurant, hidden in a small alley close to Dongsi and the Art Museum.