Small Presses - Your Top 5?

MightyScribbler · Aug 13, 2009

Hi all. Sourcebooks, Inc. was my first choice as a small press, but they're only accepting agented fiction.

If you had to rank the top 5 small presses out there (that don't require you to have an agent), which would they be? Thanks.

escritora · Aug 13, 2009

Sourcebooks, Inc. was my first choice as a small press, but they're only accepting agented fiction.

Did an editor at Source confirm this?

Alan Yee · Aug 13, 2009

First of all, what genre is your book? This would help significantly in getting appropriate responses.

MightyScribbler · Aug 13, 2009

My book is a thriller, a sort of dark suspence thriller. It says on their website (submission guidelines) that they're currently only accepting agented fiction, except Romance fiction.

MightyScribbler · Aug 13, 2009

Here's where I found it. http://www.sourcebooks.com/our-authors/submissions-guidelines.html

I have heard the horror stories of publishamerica.

MsGneiss · Aug 13, 2009

You have to make a distinction between small presses and independent presses. I don't think Sourcebooks is small. I researched them, and they are huge!

My book is currently being reviewed by a Sourcebooks editor, so they are on my fav list at the moment. Same goes for Kensington - they are independent, but not small.

MightyScribbler · Aug 14, 2009

I guess I mean small or independent. Basically anywhere that doesn't require an agent (I never got past the query letter with the agents).

Emily Winslow · Aug 14, 2009

MightyScribbler said:
(I never got past the query letter with the agents).

If by "never got past the query letter" you mean "no one even requested a partial" then I suggest you refine your pitch.

It sounds like you feel you've already burned through every possible agent. Don't burn through the publishers until you've got a better pitch!!

MightyScribbler · Aug 31, 2009

I've reworked my pitch a hundred times, read maybe 5 different books and followed each one of their instructions (some books conflicted with the others though) and it feels that without a short story published or a contest won, I have no chance and getting them to request a partial.

*RomanceWriter* · Aug 31, 2009

I wanted to sub my romance to Sourcebooks but they are only interested in work over 90K and mine is 80K.

allenparker · Sep 1, 2009

SYW

You might try posting you query in the SYW-Query section. Many people find that going through that wringer will improve your chances in getting requests for partials and fulls.

You might also visit Learn Writing with Uncle Jim. It is amazing how much better all of my writing is after reading through that thread.

just a thought...

job · Sep 1, 2009

MightyScribbler said:
I've reworked my pitch a hundred times, read maybe 5 different books and followed each one of their instructions (some books conflicted with the others though) and it feels that without a short story published or a contest won, I have no chance and getting them to request a partial.

Short stories written and contests won will have little or no effect on whether an agent requests a partial of your work.

Are you including a small writing sample in your query package?

Charlie Horse · Sep 1, 2009

So what? No one is going to post a list?

MightyScribbler · Sep 3, 2009

job said:
Short stories written and contests won will have little or no effect on whether an agent requests a partial of your work.

Are you including a small writing sample in your query package?

I've heard both sides of the argument about including a writing sample. Some say do, even if they don't ask, other's say include only what the potential agent asks for.

Small Presses - Your Top 5?

MightyScribbler

escritora

.

Alan Yee

Still Here!

MightyScribbler

MightyScribbler

MsGneiss

MightyScribbler

Emily Winslow

Do Not Walk on the Grass

MightyScribbler

RomanceWriter

New kid, be gentle!

allenparker

Naked Futon Guy

job

In the end, it's just you and the manuscript

Charlie Horse

Speaking in metaphors

MightyScribbler