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Small Publishers: The Good, the Bad and the Fine Print
By Christine Cristiano
Every writer dreams of being published by a major publisher;
however, most will find their way to a small publisher
instead. In the past, small publishers have received bad
publicity – unpredictable or in constant need of financial
rescuing but they've remained competitive by specializing
in niche markets and producing works of merit and quality.
The Good
Most inexperienced authors will seek publishers that accept
unsolicited manuscripts. Most small publishers encourage
submissions from writers sans an agent. A small publisher is
more willing to take a chance on a new author or an unusual
topic and generate a small print run of new work. With careful
manuscript selection, they can attract a targeted audience
wanting similar topical books thus creating a lucrative
'following' for all.
An author's vision and input in the creative process is
encouraged and essential to a small publisher with limited
resources and financial capital. Likewise, most authors are
eager to participate to ensure that their manuscript remains
true to its form and the initial content remains intact.
A small publisher is likely to participate in inexpensive book
fairs, readings and events and be eager to involve their authors.
If you hook up with a local small publisher, you can attend
these local events without incurring any travel expenses or
organize your own events and invite the publisher to
participate.
Ironically, many small publishers have produced some literary
award winning books that had been ignored by the big
publishers. Although most won't make the bestsellers list
-a literary award bestowed on an author and publisher is
pretty impressive.
The Bad
Unfortunately, there's a negative stigma attached to the
term 'small' with the biggest threat being financial instability
to continue production and pay their authors and many close
unexpectedly without any notice. This factor affects their
distribution to the book retailers because the booksellers
are wary that the publisher won't be around in 6 months to
honor any product returns if the titles don't sell.
Lack of sales and appropriate distribution channels are major
obstacles for small publishers although online bookstores
like amazon.com are becoming a viable selling outlet. For
the small publisher who's successful in stocking the
independent bookseller, the small quantities don't hold much
of a physical presence on the bookshelf. The major publishers,
via the book distributor, create the illusion that a title is
noteworthy and increases sales by stocking the shelves with
multiple copies; unfortunately the small publisher lacks
the funds to compete.
Choosing a Small Publisher
To begin, research various publishers, their guidelines,
titles and release dates. Does the publisher cater to a
niche audience and is their growth stagnant or increasing
steadily? Beware, a sudden expansion can cause a publisher
financial strain if production costs outweigh book sales.
Obtain, contact and verify a list of booksellers who carry
the publisher's titles. Consider it a warning sign if the
publisher is hesitant to provide you with one. Finally,
obtain copies of the publisher's titles so you can see the
quality of their product.
The Fine Details
Most small publishers don't offer an author's advance upon
acceptance. The contract terms should outline who owns the
rights and the royalty paid per book rate. Never sign over
the full rights to your manuscript enabling the publisher to
legally own your work including any clauses regarding
merchandising, TV production or movie rights. The contract
should also specify who owns any images that were not
provided by you if the publisher ceases operation. Be sure
to hire a literary lawyer to examine any publishing contract
that you receive.
A small publisher can be an author's dream come true or their
worst nightmare so be smart and do your research first.
BIO
Christine Cristiano hangs her hat in Ontario, Canada. Her
work has appeared in hundreds of print and online publications
throughout Canada and the US. Please visit her website at:
www.freewebs.com/christinecristiano
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