Small Publishing: Fablehaven, Foo, Shadow Mountain Y or N?

Jack_Roberts · Oct 24, 2006

Background:
My plans have always been to find an agent and then, after that miracle happens, go through him or her to get a big name publisher. I want my novel out there in the world to be seen by all.

I live in Utah. Home of Deseret Book. They are a smaller publishing house with a subsidiary label called Shadow Mountain Publishing. That smaller group does Fantasy.

One of the authors spoke in my hometown and some people I know mentioned, “He seems successful with Shadow Mountain. Why don’t you try them?”

I’m afraid if I send a query to them, or try to hook up with them and they do publish me, that my book won’t go very far. It’ll just be around Utah and no one else in the country or the world will see it.

Questions:
1. Can smaller publishers get you out across your nation or is that beyond their reach? Or in other words, is their circulation to small?
2. Can you trust a smaller publisher to look out for your best interests?
3. Do they push your book and advertise well enough? (I read one critic say that Shadow Mountain messed up with one author because they did not give his book the publicity push it needed)
4. Do smaller publishers pay the author less then bigger publishers?

I don’t want my book lost in a smaller circle, but as I research both Brandon Mull (author of Fablehaven) andObert Skye (author of Leven Thumps and the Gateway to Foo) it looks like people outside of Utah know about these books and like them. Maybe I can trust Shadow Mountain?

Thoughts?

rugcat · Oct 24, 2006

Here's a link to a review of Fablelhaven, which discusses this problem.
http://www.i-reports.info/b/B200628.html

Is your book specifically pitched toward an LDS audience? If so, fair or not, it will be very difficult to get national attention.

I think your best bet, as is almost always the case, is to try to find representation with a good, legit agent. It takes patience: many new writers who eventually land an agent have spent at least a year and sometimes much longer, before securing representation.

If you are unsuccessful, (which wouldn't necessarily mean your book is no good) then is the time to start querying small presses.

Jack_Roberts · Oct 24, 2006

Thanks. It's for general viewing and has no affiliation with the LDS market so no worries there.
Maybe I’ll just keep at the agents.

Montage · Jan 29, 2008

updating the thread

With the success of Foo and Fablehaven (NY Times bestsellers), does anyone think this is a concern anymore? I actually have a partial with Shadow Mountain (have since Sept.) I e-queried them and got a request for 3 chapters from their Acquisitions Editor. Anyone else tried them recently?

Soccer Mom · Jan 29, 2008

The same concerns apply. How is their current distribution. Weigh all the factors and decide for yourself. I have not tried Shadow Mountain, so I can't speak for them specifically.

Gillhoughly · Jan 29, 2008

Moderator Cathy Clamp may cover most of your questions in this posting:

http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/showpost.php?p=418800&postcount=6

Small presses can certainly get the word out on your book, and it can be in any store in the country if they have good distribution, send out review copies, get it up on Amazon, etc.

A small press has reprinted some of my titles, and the sales have not been that great, but they are reprints. On the other hand I tribbed to some of their collections, and those paid out, if modestly.

One thing I assumed when I started writing was that small publishers had lower standards, so it would be easy to sell them something. I've found they tend to be pickier! The one I've dealt with has extremely high standards, a first rate editing staff, and the head guy is never too busy to talk with me.

That might not hold true for other operations. You have to look around to find a good one. Reading some of their books is one way to figure things out. Are they well-edited? How are they for typos? Is the cover art good? What's the interior design like? Do they give away the whole plot on the back cover? (This happened to a friend of mine.) What do their authors say about their experience?

I can recommend BenBella Books and Yard Dog Press. They're pros, and you have to be good.

Small Publishing: Fablehaven, Foo, Shadow Mountain Y or N?

Jack_Roberts

Scribe of my muse, Annabelle

rugcat

Lost in the Fog

Jack_Roberts

Scribe of my muse, Annabelle

Montage

Soccer Mom

Crypto-fascist

Gillhoughly

Grumpy writer and editor