Okay guys, just a quick one today, because I'm a moron and forgot to do a post for today. (*Face/palm*). Anyway, I've had this come up lately from a friend of my husband's. Basically he's written a children's PB (which is really cute. ALthough I'm deathly afraid of clowns. :S) and he didn't do any research on publishing. He ended up publishing through a vanity press because he didn't realize it wasn't a commercial publisher.
Please, please, PLEASE if you're submitting, just starting to submit, or thinking of submitting, DO. YOUR. HOMEWORK. THere is NEVER a reason to spend money to be published. Yog's Law states that money flows TO the author. I've said it before, folks, and I'm sure you think I'm a broken record, but it's SO important. You won't be taken in by scams, if you remember that one rule.
So, in honor, of research, I'm pimping absolutewrite.com. They are chock-full of great information from writers to writers. And the best thing is their bewares and background checks board. They will let you know if the agent/publisher you're thinking of querying is a scam or legit. They don't pull punches and tell you exactly how they feel, but they're a wonderful group of writers who actually care about helping you succeed.
It's where I'm at most days, not to mention it's how I found my agent.