Since I work with writers, many of them novices, I take it pretty personally when I see sales pitches that mislead or prey on their dreams. I always encourage writers to educate themselves (and I try to help them do so) before they buy into any system, course, or service.
The industry that continues to grow around self-publishing is particularly aggressive in pitching would-be authors. Urban legends about famous names who have self-published and made buckets of money persist in some of these pitches. No, John Grisham did not self-publish.
These myth-busting blog posts are worth a read:
Self-Publication Urban Legends
Self-Publishing Success Stories
Self-Publishing: Get Your Facts Straight
MAD about Words
is the brainchild (and heartchild) of
Mary Ann de Stefano
