vanity press

noun

1. a printing house that specializes in publishing books for which the authors pay all or most of the costs.

Word History and Origins

Origin of vanity press¹

First recorded in 1945–50

Example Sentences

See also Edward Helmore for The Guardian: ‘The final act’: fears US journalism crisis could destabilize 2024 election and Jack Shafer for Slate: The New Vanity Press Moguls.

From Slate

June’s novel, “Pepsi-Cola Addict,” was published by a vanity press that has since gone defunct.

From Los Angeles Times

Dietz returned to Holden’s orbit in person in 1987, collaborating on a scathing anti-religion book called “Creation/Evolution Satiricon: Creationism Bashed,” published through a vanity press Holden operated to sell a tourism guide.

From Seattle Times

Wikipedia is committed to the notion of an encyclopedia, a written compendium of important human information—not a directory, a soapbox, a vanity press, or anything else the site has pledged not to be.

From Slate

Maybe that was for the best, but on the other hand, why not set him up with a ghostwriter and a vanity press and let the yarns rip?

From New York Times