Small-Medium Sized Publishers

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AppleTree76

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I've queried agents, and will con't to, but who are some of the small to medium sized publishing houses out there?
 

Moon Daughter

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There are TONS of them. The one that immediately comes to mind though is Samhain (but they've recently become strictly romance).
 

Hobbes

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Go to P&E and look at their list of book publishers. You'll find plenty.
 

Kendra

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Check Writer's Market and don't ignore your library and bookstore. The publishers you find there have proven they can get books on shelves.


Most books are not sold in stores anymore. Those which are have to compete on the shelf with well-known authors -- and that's who the publisher throws the publicity machine behind. A couple of copies are displayed for about three weeks, then the covers are torn off and they're sent back to the publisher for pulping.
 

Soccer Mom

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I buy tons of books, many from small publishers, at brick and mortar stores. Whenever I go in, there are lots of people there.
 

IceCreamEmpress

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What Kendra just wrote is completely inaccurate.

This is the truth. Bookstore sales have, in fact, been up for the past several months in the US.

I don't know whether Kendra is misinformed or purposely spreading misinformation, nor do I care to speculate.

When you look at Canada, you see strong bookstore sales as well.
 
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Danger Jane

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Most books are not sold in stores anymore. Those which are have to compete on the shelf with well-known authors -- and that's who the publisher throws the publicity machine behind. A couple of copies are displayed for about three weeks, then the covers are torn off and they're sent back to the publisher for pulping.

Loads of books are sold in stores...sure, most aren't, but no way is every shelf at B&N or Borders just full of bestsellers like Stephen King and James Patterson and Dan Brown.

(Not a statement of quality, but those are definitely household names.)

If you write something that has potential to make money, major chains will stock it. With the advent of e-publishing, yea, a lot more books are published....but most of those e-published books never find wide readership. Something well-written and compelling will find its way onto the shelves, too...I mean, where do you think today's bestsellers came from?
 

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Most books are not sold in stores anymore.
Kendra, could you please clarify? Are you saying "most titles that get published do not get bookstore placement at the major chains", or "most books that are purchased by consumers are bought someplace other than physical stores"?
 

Kendra

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Kendra, could you please clarify? Are you saying "most titles that get published do not get bookstore placement at the major chains", or "most books that are purchased by consumers are bought someplace other than physical stores"?

Both actually. A bookstore would have to be the size of a football field to stock every title published. And with fewer bookstores, readers are turning to Amazon, Fiction Wise and other online booksellers. Also book clubs, of course. I was in Edinburgh recently, desperately searching for a book store. They still have a few used book stores, but according to some of the locals, no place to buy *new* books. "What do you do then?" I asked in dismay. They told me they sent away for them. It's all good! ;)
 

Kendra

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If you write something that has potential to make money, major chains will stock it. With the advent of e-publishing, yea, a lot more books are published....but most of those e-published books never find wide readership. Something well-written and compelling will find its way onto the shelves, too...I mean, where do you think today's bestsellers came from?

It's not so much that the bestsellers were the best books. They were simply the ones given the best publicity. It doesn't matter a jot how *well-written* or *compelling* a story is, if it isn't promoted properly, who is going to know about it? It can't find its way onto the shelves based on merit alone. It's all about marketing, advertising and lots of flim flam.
 

veinglory

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Actually I think most fiction books by quanitity are sold in stores--correct me if I'm wrong but that's how I remember it from PW. Most, by title aren't, but then about a third of fiction books are self-published and a lot of the rest don't have distribution.

But as mentioned there are a lot of small and medium presses, most are specialists. What genre are we talking? What is bigger for you, prestige or sales?
 
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Kendra

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I don't know whether Kendra is misinformed or purposely spreading misinformation, nor do I care to speculate.


Hi there, Empress. We seem to meet on every thread. And I really don't give a fig whether bookstores all fold tomorrow or pop up on every corner, flogging their product like hot cakes. So to insinuate I have some sinister motive is a tad paranoid. :D Maybe you need to get out more? Buy an Ice Cream cone. Enjoy!

Cheers
 
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IceCreamEmpress

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Both actually. A bookstore would have to be the size of a football field to stock every title published. And with fewer bookstores, readers are turning to Amazon, Fiction Wise and other online booksellers.

Again, this is not true for the US or Canada.

I was in Edinburgh recently, desperately searching for a book store. They still have a few used book stores, but according to some of the locals, no place to buy *new* books.

I think the locals were pulling your leg. There are 5 Waterstone's bookstores in Edinburgh, the Blackwells store, and a couple of other independent bookshops I can't remember offhand. Edited to add: Apparently there's a Borders Books in Edinburgh now, too! I had also forgotten the 3 W. H. Smith's bookstores.

Why do you spread this kind of misinformation? Seriously, what do you get out of it?
 
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veinglory

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Well you can't take *prestige* to the bank, so pee on that one.

Kendra, I was directing that to AppleTree in the vain hope of having this thread be about them and their question. Thank you. Some authors have strong artistic/literary motives, and that affects which presses I would suggest.
 

veinglory

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I think the locals were pulling your leg. There are 5 Waterstones bookstores in Edinburgh, the Blackwells store, and a couple of other independent bookshops I can't remember offhand.

Quite. There are three just on the main street downtown, within four blocks. And that doesn't count stores that are multi-purpose.
 

Kendra

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This is exactly the argument PublishAmerica uses.

Odd how misinformation and distortions spread.

(LOL) So a bookstore could stock every title published and NOT be the size of a football field? Ah, I get it. You mean it would have to be the size of *two* football fields. Gotcha!

Cheers
 

IceCreamEmpress

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I've queried agents, and will con't to, but who are some of the small to medium sized publishing houses out there?

If you're looking at US publishers, a good place to start is by looking at the folks who are represented by the Independent Publishers Group. Most of the publishers they distribute are pretty well-established as small publishers go, though a few are pretty tiny niche operations.

IPG does a good job with distribution, overall, in my opinion, and that's one of the challenges of publishing with a smaller press. Searching from the IPG list for potential publishers takes one of the difficult variables out of the equation! ;)
 

Kendra

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Quite. There are three just on the main street downtown, within four blocks. And that doesn't count stores that are multi-purpose.

Oh gee, you've missed some. There are actually 50 bookstores right on Princes Street. One hundred on George Street, and at least 75 on George the Fourth Bridge! And they all sell so many books, they're out of stock before the business day has ended. See, I just wanna make folks happy. So puleaze, believe whatever you want to believe, and smile. :)
 
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veinglory

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Both actually. A bookstore would have to be the size of a football field to stock every title published.

I suggest that you make that statement clearer. i.e. bookstores don't accept most titles made available in print (for which I am truly thankful)--they do sell most of the copies purchased (which is why I want my book in there).
 

veinglory

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Oh gee, you've missed some. There are actually 50 bookstores right on Princes Street. One hundred on George Street, and at least 75 on George the Fourth Bridge! And they all sell so many books, they're out of stock before the business day has ended. See, I just wanna make folks happy. So puleaze, believe whatever you want to believe, and smile. :)

You said something that wasn't true. As a person who lived in Edinburgh until recently I corrected your statement. Feel free to be offended but I did shop in those stores and they are still there.
 

Kendra

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Kendra, I was directing that to AppleTree in the vain hope of having this thread be about them and their question. Thank you. Some authors have strong artistic/literary motives, and that affects which presses I would suggest.

Well pardon me. I didn't realise your question was an exclusive one. Peace :)
 
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