Curiosity Question re small Publisher(s)

Well, you see, its because it is a small house. Everything is smaller. The doors. Windows. Filing cabinets. Hard drive space. Even the desks and their drawers are smaller.

They have nowhere to keep special notices that say, "Our space is filled, please wait until next year." That space is filled by the "Congratulations, You're one of the 7." notices.

In other words, I don't know.

Exactly. You must be small in stature to fit into these small houses.

By the way, who do you think Randy Newman was really singing about?

Harvest said:

(Not sure if this is the best place to post this, but didn't know where else to take it).

I was listening to a local publisher talk recently about how they only have seven slots a year to fill. So, if even if they get a GREAT manuscript after those slots are filled, they'll send out a "sorry, you aren't right for us at this time, but we hope you find publishing success soon" letter.

My question: Why wouldn't a small house hold that book to be first in line for publishing the following year (or at least write a letter asking of the author would like to be in line for next year's printing schedule)? I understand releasing someone to find bigger and better things, but if someone isn't finding publication with a larger house, wouldn't being in line for next year be better than nothing? Or is it the belief that if a small house finds you good enough to pick up, you should be able to pique the interest of a larger publisher?

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Most of the small publishers I've dealt with will hold a great manuscript for a fair while, if the writer allows it. And I don't know of any editor who will send out a form rejection on a great manuscript. That wouldn't make any sense at all.

Don't judge all small publishers by one small local publisher.

And, honestly, there aren't all that many great manuscripts out there, and most of them are snatched up by large and mid-size publishers before the small ones ever see them.

Harvest said:

My question: Why wouldn't a small house hold that book to be first in line for publishing the following year (or at least write a letter asking of the author would like to be in line for next year's printing schedule)? I understand releasing someone to find bigger and better things, but if someone isn't finding publication with a larger house, wouldn't being in line for next year be better than nothing? Or is it the belief that if a small house finds you good enough to pick up, you should be able to pique the interest of a larger publisher?

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I can't say for all small publishers but my understanding is that they run on very tight budget/time/resources. Ideally they would probably want to offer you a contract but hold the release date until the next available slot -- and considering each book takes about 18 months (average), they may have to hold the book for another year or so (depending on the queue) that would push it down to over 2 or even 3 years. It's kind of unfair, I think, to ask the author for such a long time frame.

And who knows what will happen in 3 years -- some small publishers may fold. It won't be fair for the authors to take that risk either.

Of course, they can always ask and let the author make the decision.

Many publishers would probably close their submission until they free up their quotas.

but if someone isn't finding publication with a larger house, wouldn't being in line for next year be better than nothing?

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First, it's not the publisher's problem. Second, don't you think if something is good for one publisher, it will be good for another? I find it hard to believe that a honest to goodness "excellent" ms. would not be picked up by someone else except for this one house eventually.

Besides, this doesn't limit to small publishers. Large houses have the same problem, but obviously their queues are larger, with more slots to fill, and they can afford larger advances to hold a book for a longer schedule, but basically they all have constraints. Agents, too. Many agents can only take so many new clients a year, and they have to let the others go.

But again, if the ms. is good for one, it should be good for others.