Seeking Small Publishers

Submitted by gkb on Fri, 11/12/2021 - 17:39
Forums: 
Writer's Resources

If anyone here has had a good experience working with a small publisher of fantasy books and post-industrial anthologies, please list their name and contact information here. Thanks.

Teresa from Hershey

Sat, 11/13/2021 - 13:34

Words of advice for selecting a small publisher: READ THE CONTRACT carefully. Start with the rights section. If you see the words 'in perpetuity' stop right there.

If you do not understand any part of the contract, pay your own lawyer to explain it to you.
If you don't like what you see, don't sign. Walk away.
What happens if the publisher goes bankrupt? I know several writers who had their books tied up in limbo for years because the publisher went bankrupt after the contract was signed and in one case, before the books got printed.

Sadly, there are plenty of small publishers looking to separate you from your money. They're one step away from vanity presses.

In general, if you sign with a publisher, read your royalty statements carefully and match up what they say with what Amazon says.

Research your publisher online and see if there are warning flags. Blushing Books is currently in court over stolen royalties and the like. Dreamspinner has also had it's problems.

When signing with a publisher, remember that money flows FROM the publisher TO the author. Not the other way around. If you are paying to get published, you've got a vanity press.

gkb

Sat, 11/13/2021 - 21:35

Thanks, Teresa. It was reading your book on becoming an indie author tht convinced me I do not have the 'oomph' to do all that work myself and still be able to write. But it is almost equally time-eating to research all the 'possibles' to find a 'probable' worth contracting. That is why I hope to short circuit the process through heuristics such as personal networking, hoping to find a GOOD press or small publisher without having to filter tons of generic info to find a good fit. This may be a pipe dream! We'll see...?

Teresa from Hershey

Sun, 11/14/2021 - 13:58

The contract will tell you if the publisher is a good fit.
If the contract is scary, bad, concerning, confusing or onerous, the publisher will be bad.

I know that John Michael Greer uses Founder's House. You might try them!

Are you part of a writer's group? Ask them for recommendations too, particularly writers who write in your genre.
Most publishers specialize: they don't publish every kind of book. That is, erotica publishers like Blushing Books not only don't publish nonfiction, they don't publish cozy mysteries. They don't even publish sweet Amish romance. They're focused.

Look into Writer's Digest magazine. They often list publishers by niche and genre so you may be able to find a lead there. You can get Writer's Digest at any library. Go through the back issues and you may get lucky!