[Packager] In This Together Media

Did your friend contact the publishers first, or have they just contacted her out of the blue? I would advise being pretty wary of any publisher who does the latter - reputable publishers don't have to go looking for authors, they're overflowing with submissions as it is.

The website itself leaves, uh, a little to be desired, to say the least. If I didn't know they were interested in signing your friend (for a novel she's written, I'm assuming?), I would have no idea they were even a publishing company (are they?). I'm not sure what they're supposed to be beyond the vague description on their website:

In This Together media creates, develops and distributes female-driven stories for children and young adults using innovative digital technologies.

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So, is that E-books? Audio books? Movies or TV shows? Video games? Some kind of weird transmedia combination?

There's little to no information about what kind of work they're looking for (beyond vague talk of wanting strong female characters), no information about what work is currently available or in production, and I would criticize it for being marketed towards writers instead of readers if it wouldn't for the fact that it isn't really marketed towards writers either. Its so sparse I'm not sure who its meant to be targeted towards. There isn't even a discernible way to send submissions.

To their credit, the staff bios are pretty detailed, showing a fair bit of experience in various fields, which could or could not be relevant to what In This Together media does depending on what In This Together media actually does. Only one seems to have actual publishing experience, however - looks reasonably substantial to a layman like me at least, though people here who are more knowledgeable about the publishing industry would be far better judges than I am.

I would advise to stay away at the moment.

LisaAnn said:

1. She's unpublished, unagented, and her current project isn't even finished yet. She's only written the first act--and although it really is bad-ass, it's still only the first act.

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They contacted her and want to sign her for something that's incomplete? I can't see any legit publisher or agent doing that unless the author was established or a celebrity.

2. They are interested in signing a contract with her today, and they're already telling her they will release her book as an e-book in August. But I just can't comprehend how they would be willing to take such a big risk with an unfinished project... How do they know she's even capable of finishing it?

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They don't. Then again, publishers who sign up unknown, unpublished writers with incomplete books are usually banking on something other than the books.

And they want to release it in August? Even if your friend finishes the book immediately, that leaves them only four months to arrange editing, copyediting, cover art, ARCs, marketing and distribution.

It sounds like a no-brainer, right? My gut is telling me it's a no-brainer, but I don't want to burst her bubble if these people really are legit. I can't find ANYTHING about them anywhere...

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I'm afraid not finding anything anywhere isn't a good sign either.

Did anyone else see this and hope that a press using David Cameron's much-mocked catchphrase would publish political satires? I can't see anything being called 'In This Together' being taken seriously in the UK any more.

Not to be cycnical but "between the self-pub category and the traditional pub category" normal ends up meaning either "vanity press" or "waste of time small epublisher with no sales".

Tell your friend to:

1) Finish her book
2) Submit it to agents and/or publishers with established track records
3) Write another book.

In a couple of years, maybe these guys will have an established track record and it'll be worth her time to submit to them.

Originally Posted by LisaAnn
1. She's unpublished, unagented, and her current project isn't even finished yet. She's only written the first act--and although it really is bad-ass, it's still only the first act.

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So it was a play? How many publishing houses handle plays?