I published my first poetry book through "assisted publishing" - and while I thought it was the best route for me at the time (I had just had to leave a job I loved through medical disability and was wading through two years of hell trying to qualify for Federal disability benefits), it's not something I will repeat. Ever. I never expected to make a lot of money (which is a good thing, because I haven't, lol); but I was far out of my depths and without practical knowledge - for me, going that route was a compromise that I believed gave me at least some control over the process. I'm not far along enough with my other projects to know where or when - or how - they will be published. But I can guarantee I'll be doing it differently next time.