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Small publisher Vs Large publisher

Posted: Mon October 27th, 2008, 8:25 pm
by Divia
So I was doing some research today at work. And I came across this small publisher that is looking for historical fiction during the Civil War. Yay. That's me. :)

But here's my question. Should I submit to a small publisher first cuase maybe I would have a better chance or should I stick with the bigger ones? I did notice that with the smaller publisher it doesnt seem like my books would be any major bookstore, unless it was picked up. I dont want to be some fly by night author. I want to stay around a while.

What is the best course of action?

Posted: Mon October 27th, 2008, 8:32 pm
by boswellbaxter
I'd try to get an agent first, who would then submit to publishers that seemed to be the best fit for your novel. I don't think going with the small publisher first would be the best choice unless you wanted to go it alone without an agent, in which case the small publisher might be more receptive than the larger ones.

Posted: Mon October 27th, 2008, 8:39 pm
by michellemoran
Personally, I would begin by looking for an agent, who would then decide whether to submit it to the bigger houses or the smaller publishers. I would never try to navigate the complexities of publishing contracts alone.

Edited to say: I think Susan and I were posting at the same time. I completely agree with her advice.

Posted: Mon October 27th, 2008, 8:44 pm
by Divia
ah ok. Good advise. I guess I skipped an entire step. :o

Posted: Mon October 27th, 2008, 9:24 pm
by xiaotien
yes, i couldn't recommend an agent more.

they can get your mss into major publishing
houses that are closed to non-agented writers.

agent bill does accept historical fiction, and his
response time is fairly quick. make sure you have
a great one page query first. =)

good luck!!

Posted: Mon October 27th, 2008, 9:50 pm
by michellemoran
Cindy,

Just out of curiosity, who/what is agent bill?

Posted: Mon October 27th, 2008, 9:50 pm
by Barbara Passaris
Okay, listen loud and clear, because I have been there and done this. LOOK FOR AN AGENT. YOU HEARD EVERYONE ELSE. I am looking for an agent.

I was published by a small publishing house who loved my book. I was so eager to be published that I went with it. IT hasn't been an awful experience, but it hasn't been the greatest either.

Every review has come because of my knocking on doors. Every bit of press that I've gotten has been my work.

THere are many issues in the writing business. I am looking for someone who will love my work so much and believe in my writing that I will have that agent banging all the right doors. Agents have connections that we don't have--especially with the motion picture and film industry. Small publishing houses will publsih your work, but won't do much for marketing. All of that is ultimately up to you.

Think long and hard. I had my lawyer look over the contract, which was a standard contract. But if a small publisher goes belly-up, what happens to your book? There are also other issues--so many of them.,

Please don't get me wrong--I got a lot of personal attention, had a giant say-so in the cover of my book, and my publisher worked with me. BUt she has a shoestring of a budget. That's just a fact. The recession is really hurting small presses.

Getting published is great. But take your time. Do it the smart way. YOu and your writing are worth it.

Please try to get an agent. I am.

Barbara Passaris

Posted: Mon October 27th, 2008, 9:53 pm
by xiaotien
[quote=""michellemoran""]Cindy,

Just out of curiosity, who/what is agent bill?[/quote]

haha! whoops!

agent bill is my nickname for my agent, bill contardi.

i put up an interview link for him on this section.

he is actively bulding his client list and does
take historical fiction!! you can read the interview on
my latest blog entry : http://cindypon.blogspot.com

=)

edited to add : thanks for your thoughtful
insight, barb.

Posted: Mon October 27th, 2008, 10:19 pm
by donroc
Okay, this is a long response to Divia's question.

In the mid 1990s, a big name agent had my historical novel, Rocamora for three years and could not interest a publisher. After that I did the query, partial, and full dance with assorted agents.

No other agent had accepted Rocamora by June, 2007, but I did come close to selling it on my own to a respected publisher in San Francisco in 2003. It needed a unanimous green light, and one person said no.

Then, DarkHart Press, the new and small publisher who accepted my unagented horror novel, was curious why I had not been published before and wanted to know if I had anything else.

I sent her Rocamora figuring no way would she want it because she specialized in dark horror. To my surprise, she became so excited she offered to publish it in hard cover under a different imprint.

I was fully aware of the limitations with a small relatively unknown publisher. There are many problems one does not face with a big house, the most significant being distribution, marketing, reviews by the biggies, and placement in stores. And although I can be charming and witty, I am no gregarious salesman marketeer.

Digression. Could the following have happened at a major publisher? Because of a serious problem with an editor, since fired, my release has been delayed probably to the end of November, about three months late, and four other books on the tarmac were moved ahead of me while we did damage control.

The answer to the above is yes, there can be disasters at a major publisher. In 1991, a major publisher had accepted a novel, did not communicate with the author for 18 months, and then released the book with all its unedited errors.

One of the plus sides is that I work directly with my publisher. She also designed the cover and my web site. She is easy to work with and used much of my input for book and cover design for both novels

Back to Divia's question: Why did I go with a small independent? I am 76. In my 20s and 30s, I would definitly would have said no to the small publisher and aimed for the big agent and publishing house as I did over the decades.

Even though I expect to live another 20 years given the actuarials in my family, I decided not to let Rocamora continue to be an unheard falling tree in the forest.

I am delighted to add that I have received permission to use a positive blurb for the cover from Barnaby Conrad, one of my heroes during my Hemingway bullfight phase while in college. He is the author of Matador, which has sold 3,000,000 copies; a bio of Spain's greatest bullfighter, Manolete, and about 30+ other books as well as being the founder of the Santa Barbara Writer's Conference. He also was a matador known as El NiƱo de California, U.S. Counsel in Seville, and Sinclair Lewis' personal secretary.

So, yes, at my age, I believe I have done the right thing going with a publisher who believes I wrote a wonderful book and is risking her money.

Posted: Mon October 27th, 2008, 11:01 pm
by xiaotien
don, thanks for sharing your journey
with us.

for me, i always say, start big, think big,
and work from there. everyone is different,
and small press definitely has a place for
authors and books of this world.