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Merge Publishing
- Thread starter mrsmig
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Please don't leave because of my dour outlook, Dhewco! I actually agree with you, on many points. A well-run, properly financed small press can be a joy to work with. They can build careers just as well as one of the Big Five imprints. But it's up to authors to learn enough the market before they leap. Stable publishers show obvious signs. So do unstable ones. Maybe Merge will become the former, and we'll cheer on some success stories.
I've been mistaken in a bad way by several soon-to-founder galleries and publishers, but never so badly I lost precious work. Heck, for a while I regretted getting a rejection letter from Musa, a few years back. Now, that's a 'whew!' moment, and I believe I owe the rejecting editor a drink.
For newbies still dazzled by the first few publishers to say 'yes', some caution is a worthwhile investment.
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Okay, I will say this. I also agree with you, Filigree. However, my posts aren't about those who jump at the first few publications to say yes. It's about those who went through the first few hundred agents and publishers to say no and then decided to go with a new one like Merge. After two or three years of attempts to get their beloved first book published, it's not so bad to go for the new kid on the block...even if it's just Mama Cass and her daughter (who also tried that many sources previously and decided to do it themselves).
Yes, it's not a 'real' credit to do this and it will tie up the work for the foreseeable future. That's not much of a risk when you've already exhausted every other option and want to fool yourself into believing a new company like Merge will actually promote you.
I would never suggest someone do this as a first, second, or fifteenth option. It might be a route to go if you have exhausted 95 percent of the other routes and all that's left is a group of new publishers and PA.
My two cents,
David
PS. As for myself, I have a couple of older manuscripts that I'm seriously considering self-publishing. There's a simple reason. I've already tried to attract agents to them and failed. (Although one I've barely tried...I think I posted about that one somewhere) I feel those two books still should be published and that someone out there might want to read the story, even if the agents feel that it's 'not right for them'.
One more edit: I'm also wondering if I'm pulling the convo too far from Merge itself. Am I?
Yes, it's not a 'real' credit to do this and it will tie up the work for the foreseeable future. That's not much of a risk when you've already exhausted every other option and want to fool yourself into believing a new company like Merge will actually promote you.
I would never suggest someone do this as a first, second, or fifteenth option. It might be a route to go if you have exhausted 95 percent of the other routes and all that's left is a group of new publishers and PA.
My two cents,
David
PS. As for myself, I have a couple of older manuscripts that I'm seriously considering self-publishing. There's a simple reason. I've already tried to attract agents to them and failed. (Although one I've barely tried...I think I posted about that one somewhere) I feel those two books still should be published and that someone out there might want to read the story, even if the agents feel that it's 'not right for them'.
One more edit: I'm also wondering if I'm pulling the convo too far from Merge itself. Am I?
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Not at all. It's a fair question for anyone who has already exhausted the agent/publisher route. I have a couple of mms like that, too.
Relevant to the Merge situation: marketing, pay, and rights. With the latter probably being the most important longterm aspect. I can forgive a press for never quite hitting target on marketing, and thus sales. But not if they tie up rights in a bankruptcy or legal battle.
I only lend new galleries and publishers work I can afford to lose.
Relevant to the Merge situation: marketing, pay, and rights. With the latter probably being the most important longterm aspect. I can forgive a press for never quite hitting target on marketing, and thus sales. But not if they tie up rights in a bankruptcy or legal battle.
I only lend new galleries and publishers work I can afford to lose.