• Guest please check The Index before starting a thread.

Iota Publishing

victoriastrauss

Writer Beware Goddess
Kind Benefactor
Absolute Sage
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 11, 2005
Messages
6,704
Reaction score
1,314
Location
Far from the madding crowd
Website
www.victoriastrauss.com
Here's the response I sent to someone who recently wrote me to ask about Iota Publishing:

I've never before heard anything about this publisher, either good or bad. I'm a bit concerned, however, because the person behind the publisher, Terry R. Cooper of Bijou Research, doesn't seem to have any professional background in publishing or publishing-related activities. The submissions process is odd, with authors required to obtain registration numbers. Also, Iota hasn't yet published anything. They've announced a couple of books, but that's not the same as actually putting them on the market.

Unless you are absolutely sure that the staff of a new publisher have genuine publishing industry experience, it's a good idea to wait to hook up with a new publisher until it has actually published some books. Not only does this assure you that the publisher is able to take books all the way through the production process, it allows you to assess things like physical quality, whether or not the publisher is getting review coverage, and how it's marketing its books. New publishers often get into financial trouble (especially if they start up without a business plan), or overcommit their resources, and go out of business abruptly, sometimes without ever publishing a single book. This can be a problem for writers, leaving rights in limbo. It's really much better to hold off on considering a publisher until it has demonstrated some staying power.

- Victoria

P.S. "Traditional," as has often been discussed here, means only that you won't have to pay an upfront fee. It tells you nothing about how the publisher actually operates--for instance, whether it provides competent editing or has any means of distribution.
 

IotaEd

I agree with Victoria -- good advice. And I'm the owner/editor at Iota. I hope you'll give us another 3-6 months and take a second look. We're not literary geniuses or publishing wizards, but we do know how to run a company. This is not rocket science, though (but I have done some of that). It seems there's a lot of folklore and booga-booga (technical term for scary stories that warn you away) about publishing, much of which we've found to be just that. The proof will be whether or not we can successfully market our books. Stay tuned.

And here's my question - does anyone actually think you can get a debut author's novel on the shelves at a chain without doing a book signing there?
 

Unimportant

No COVID yet. Still masking.
Staff member
Moderator
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
May 8, 2005
Messages
19,519
Reaction score
22,754
Location
Aotearoa
My partner recently published her first novel with a small press, and plenty of people have said they bought her book at their local Barnes and Nobles or Borders. Since these readers were shopping in the USA, and we live on the other side of the planet, obviously no book signings were involved.

So yes, I actually think the publisher got her debut novel onto the shelves of chain bookstores.
 

Popeyesays

Now departed. Rest in peace, Scott, from all of us
Requiescat In Pace
Registered
Joined
Apr 20, 2006
Messages
1,461
Reaction score
163
I agree with Victoria -- good advice. And I'm the owner/editor at Iota. I hope you'll give us another 3-6 months and take a second look. We're not literary geniuses or publishing wizards, but we do know how to run a company. This is not rocket science, though (but I have done some of that). It seems there's a lot of folklore and booga-booga (technical term for scary stories that warn you away) about publishing, much of which we've found to be just that. The proof will be whether or not we can successfully market our books. Stay tuned.

And here's my question - does anyone actually think you can get a debut author's novel on the shelves at a chain without doing a book signing there?

Debut novels get stocked on shelves every day. It's a function of the publisher, not the author.

If the publisher is small and unknown a signing or two might help get the ways lubricated for getting books on to store shelves. The trick is for them to sell once they are on those shelves.

Regards,
Scott
 

herdon

What's up?
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Sep 9, 2006
Messages
1,129
Reaction score
78
Website
ipad.about.com
And here's my question - does anyone actually think you can get a debut author's novel on the shelves at a chain without doing a book signing there?

I'd stay away based on that statement alone.
 

LloydBrown

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jun 3, 2005
Messages
1,749
Reaction score
196
Location
Jacksonville, Florida
Website
www.lloydwrites.com
And here's my question - does anyone actually think you can get a debut author's novel on the shelves at a chain without doing a book signing there?

It's been done hundreds of times by the collective talent here at AW, by publishers of all sizes.

I answered that one, so it's my turn: does anyone actually want a publisher who *can't* get your book on a shelf without a book signing?
 

victoriastrauss

Writer Beware Goddess
Kind Benefactor
Absolute Sage
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 11, 2005
Messages
6,704
Reaction score
1,314
Location
Far from the madding crowd
Website
www.victoriastrauss.com
And here's my question - does anyone actually think you can get a debut author's novel on the shelves at a chain without doing a book signing there?
No offense, but this tells me that you've got a steep learning curve ahead of you. I don't doubt you know how to run a company, but if you knew how to run a publisher, you wouldn't have to ask this question.

The answer, as others have pointed out, is "yes." And you don't have to be Random House to manage it.

- Victoria
 

Birol

Around and About
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 11, 2005
Messages
14,759
Reaction score
2,998
Location
That's a good question right now.
And here's my question - does anyone actually think you can get a debut author's novel on the shelves at a chain without doing a book signing there?

Yes.

Without repeating what Jim and Victoria have said, and based on your assertions that you have business management experience and assuming that your claims of a science background are not hyperbole, what led you to publishing?
 

JeanneTGC

I *am* Catwoman...and Gini Koch
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Oct 23, 2006
Messages
7,676
Reaction score
5,784
Location
A Little South of Sanity
Website
www.ginikoch.com
The website hasn't been updated since June (I know because I looked at it over the summer and nothing's changed) -- I don't know if that's indicative of anything, but printed books sitting in the warehouse for nine months has to be disheartening for all involved.
 

Hobbes

Sneaky. In a good way.
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jun 20, 2007
Messages
164
Reaction score
569
Location
PNW region of USA
Agreed, but from their blog it sounds like it is the distributors fault, not Iota's. At least they have a distributor though, compared to most other small presses. Right?
 

veinglory

volitare nequeo
Self-Ban
Registered
Joined
Feb 12, 2005
Messages
28,750
Reaction score
2,933
Location
right here
Website
www.veinglory.com
It seems to me that if they can't pick a good distributor and avail themselves of their services smoothly, that is the publishers fault. Other small presses manage.
 

herdon

What's up?
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Sep 9, 2006
Messages
1,129
Reaction score
78
Website
ipad.about.com
From the sound of the blog entry, it sounds like they went with Independent Publisher's Group. I don't know much about the distribution side of things, but I think they have a pretty good reputation. I could be wrong, but I think its much better off for their authors to have the books wait in a warehouse a few months and be distributed by IPG than for the publisher to just sign with Ingrams and have the books available earlier.
 

Hobbes

Sneaky. In a good way.
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jun 20, 2007
Messages
164
Reaction score
569
Location
PNW region of USA
Has anyone had any actual experience with them? Are any of their authors here?
 

Jennifer Robins

paranormal interest
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Apr 9, 2006
Messages
340
Reaction score
33
Location
Ohio
Website
www.jenniferrobins.com
Iota

I submitted my MS to them back in Aug and today I got a rejection from them. I am not disappointed because the announcement on their website talks about the problems they had with distribution that held up releases of books they now have in print and they also said they are looking for new releases in 2009. They are still small and will only publish a few books a year.

Jennifer Robins
 

kullervo

minion
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Mar 29, 2008
Messages
941
Reaction score
124
Location
Princeville, Kauai
Website
www.loreleiarmstrong.com
Greetings!

I am one of Iota's authors. My book will be released on October 1. I just spent all of Saturday at the Book Expo America with Terry Cooper, his wife (and business partner), and Iota's publicist. There I saw my book on the shelf for the first time and was handed a galley copy. A good moment, I can tell you!

I have nothing but positive things to say about my experience with Iota and staff. I had a terrific experience with their editor. We worked on the book all summer. They then paid for a professional copyeditor, a cover artist (I'm thrilled with the result). The book will be printed in Michigan, warehoused in Chicago, and distributed by IPG. It is on page twelve of IPG's small press fall catalogue. I will be going on a book tour as well, organized by Iota's publicist, whom I share with only three other writers. And in the fall, Terry, my editor, and I will be on a panel at the SCWC. Iota's publicist set that one up, too.

I can only emphasize the scale of the risk they are taking on me, a previously-unpublished writer. I feel I've hit the jackpot-- a small press that wants to produce hardback fiction. Not POD, not e-books. Hardback.

Want to visit the book:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/0979372054/?tag=absolutewritedm-20

Or me:

http://www.loreleiarmstrong.com

I am happy to answer any and all questions!