Hatrack River Writers Workshop   
my profile login | search | faq | forum home

  next oldest topic   next newest topic
» Hatrack River Writers Workshop » Forums » Open Discussions About Writing » What's your favorite publisher?

   
Author Topic: What's your favorite publisher?
Brooke18
Member
Member # 10220

 - posted      Profile for Brooke18   Email Brooke18         Edit/Delete Post 
I'm curious to see what kinds and how many publishers out there have published with the Hatrack community. It can be traditional or self-publishing. Let us know if they are traditional or self-publishing and, if you want, why you chose that publisher. Again, I am merely curious, but maybe this could help our newer or unpublished authors (like myself) decide which way to go. Thanks!
Posts: 114 | Registered: Feb 2014  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
extrinsic
Member
Member # 8019

 - posted      Profile for extrinsic   Email extrinsic         Edit/Delete Post 
I target favorite short story markets, fantastical fiction book publishers, have sights set on two agents, and have self-published and worked for a number of publishers.

In all, I prefer self-publication for higher per copy revenue and the satisfactions of producing projects from beginning to end, but am a realist about conventional publishers' ability to attract more reader-consumers.

For the conventional publishing track, an agent is essential and no more or less competitive an approach than direct publisher solicitation. The larger, more prestigious fantastical fiction publishers do not require agented submissions. Non-fantastical fiction and creative nonfiction book publishers in the upper tiers do.

I set my sights on two agents because the one nearest by doesn't represent fantastical fiction. The other agent does, though lives and works in New York City, too far away for my sensibilities and in too scarey a location for me to want to visit much.

My favorite short story markets are ones with respectable reputations for their respective genres, high circulation numbers, accept online submission, flexibility, and respectable payment rates.

My favorite fantastical novel market at present is Baen Books for its reputation, its imprint distribution link to Simon & Schuster, accepting online submissions, and native U.S. business address. Though Ace, Bantam, Tor, or DAW will serve as alternates.

My favorite non-fantastical fiction novel and creative nonfiction book publisher is Scribner's, a division of Simon & Schuster, which is a division of CBS, which is presently the sole U.S. based transnational media conglomerate. The others are either French, German, or British owned. That matters to me.

My self-publishing projects have succeeded far above normal expectations. One project netted mid-four figures profit. I've produced other projects for acquaintances gratis and non-profit organizations as a civic volunteer: books, chapbooks, calendars, recipe books, year books, audio and video discs.

I've produced six books for publishers that are currently in print and in the general bookselling marketplace as well as libraries and databases. I have one editor listing on WorldCat, the online international library catalog. I've worked in production for newspapers, magazines, digests, and journals and several printer and bookmaker shops.

My strongest guidance for ambitious writers, though, is to recommend due diligence, research into markets, sure, more importantly, publishing culture generally. If nothing else, understanding the culture will make targeting markets and audiences more efficient. In my case, understanding the culture enhances my writing skills. I've come to focus on appeal of late, after grasping discourse, craft, and mechanical style's essentialnesses. What is appeal if not targeting the market, the audience, and the culture, yet evermore my own expression. I am my own ideal audience, and the audience is like-minded readers wanting similar reading experiences. They want to be entertained at least, if not thrilled, informed, and inspired.

Posts: 6037 | Registered: Jun 2008  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Owasm
Member
Member # 8501

 - posted      Profile for Owasm   Email Owasm         Edit/Delete Post 
I ended up self-publishing. I'm an old guy and I just don't have the time it takes to dance with publishers. Two or three years for me is a substantial chunk of the writing career left to me.

I also don't have much of a writing budget, being basically a hobby writer, so I can get a book published for less than twenty bucks, the way I'm doing it now. I do my own covers, interior design, and lean on others to help with the editing. That will change in the near future as I get my own imprint going.

I can't say I've had a lot of success, but I haven't done a smidgen of marketing and that's my fault.

Posts: 1608 | Registered: Feb 2009  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Robert Nowall
Member
Member # 2764

 - posted      Profile for Robert Nowall   Email Robert Nowall         Edit/Delete Post 
I'm so out of touch with what's where that I can't say I have a favorite publisher these days---confined to SF / fantasy, that is. (Otherwise I might go with something like Regnery or Encounter Books.)

Back in my glory days, I suppose I was fond of Ballantine Books and its later incarnation as Del Rey Books. They seemed to have the most interesting stuff at the time.

Also I have a sneaking fondness for, though not much product of, Arkham House.

Posts: 8809 | Registered: Aug 2005  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
History
Member
Member # 9213

 - posted      Profile for History   Email History         Edit/Delete Post 
I'm also a "distiguished" gentleman, and I recall fondly Ballantine Books (esp. their Adult Fantasy series under the Sign of the Unicorn) and Del Rey books, also Ace (and those Ace doubles), DAW (still going strong). Of the specialty presses, there is ye old Arkham (which I have a number) and Gnome Press (which I do not), Owlswick Press, and Underwood Miller who did amazing volumes as did Fedogen-Bremer (still in business). I consider Subterranean Press and PS Publishing their particular successors, and Wildside Press brought back a number of my old favorites.

Mainstream today I like Tor and Penguin (e.g. Angry Robot) and Pyr. I do tend to buy more specialty press hardcovers and Kindle (and a few paperback) mainstream press books.

I've purchased very few independent self-published books except those that had already broken out to public acclaim and I wished to see why.

If the book is GRRM huge, I prefer the Kindle--easier to rest upon my chest--though I've been waffling on Sanderson's massive new The Way of Kings tome pushed heavily by Tor since much of its art and special features would be poorly reproduced on my KIndle.

Posts: 1475 | Registered: Aug 2010  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Brooke18
Member
Member # 10220

 - posted      Profile for Brooke18   Email Brooke18         Edit/Delete Post 
Anyone had any experience with Archway Publishing? I read on Preditors and Editors that they aren't recommended but I've also heard someone else talking about them being a good publisher.

They also seem to be rather pricey. Just wondering what the professionals thought! I know there are quite a lot of them on here! [Wink]

Posts: 114 | Registered: Feb 2014  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
extrinsic
Member
Member # 8019

 - posted      Profile for extrinsic   Email extrinsic         Edit/Delete Post 
Archway Publishing is the self-publishing arm of Simon & Schuster. Any commercial firm providing self-publishing services not solely a book manufacturer, like CreateSpace and Lulu--though not Xlibris and Lightning Source, an Ingram Content Group subsidiary*, which are commercial service providers--will cost $$$.

* Ingram Content Group is the largest U.S. book distributor to independent bookstores, libraries, and university booksellers. Ingram chairman John Ingram was pivotal in the creation of Amazon.

This is simply because business models keystone pricing practices: thirty percent materials and consumables cost, thirty percent labor costs, thirty percent overhead and capital costs, ten percent gross profit cost. Note that many self-publishing firms not only charge for services, they also charge a per copy fee, so to speak, for products sold.

CreateSpace and Lulu charge their costs based soley on actual products sold, books: most of the self-publishing services work is done by the self-publisher her or himself or a project editor hired or retained by the self-publishing writer. Other self-publishing firms up-front charge based on services contracted by and provided to self-publishers.

[ April 27, 2014, 02:11 AM: Message edited by: extrinsic ]

Posts: 6037 | Registered: Jun 2008  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
LDWriter2
Member
Member # 9148

 - posted      Profile for LDWriter2   Email LDWriter2         Edit/Delete Post 
Hmmm

For reading my favorite seems to be Baen even though ACE and Lunar have some good ones too.

But since I seem to be close to Dr Bob's age I also remember a lot of good books under Ballantine.


For being published I still would love to be under Baen. Even after Mr. Baen's death they seem to have a good rep with writers and I wouldn't mind being along side some of the ones that they publish.

Posts: 5289 | Registered: Jun 2010  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Denevius
Member
Member # 9682

 - posted      Profile for Denevius   Email Denevius         Edit/Delete Post 
I actually thought that the fact that Baen asks for the entire manuscript was a discouraging sign for unagented writers. Many of the big ones already state long wait times, but I can imagine not hearing back from Baen in a year, whether or not they're interested (and in researching Baen,I've read significantly more than a year from several commenters before finally getting a reply).

I would just think a publisher that asks for the entire manuscript is always swamped with stuff to read.

This is another instance, in my opinion, where publishing is behind technology. The first ten to thirty pages is probably as far as they'll read in a manuscript that they won't like, which is probably the vast, vast majority of everything they get. *But* if they only ask for the first three or four chapters, as most publishers do, and if they like what they see, a quick email will get them the rest of the novel in probably less than 48 hours. And I'm more willing to bet in less than 24 or 12 hours, depending on what time they send the email.

Everyone is so connected now. I, like most everyone else, am constantly updated to emails *unless* you send it when I'm asleep. Then yeah, it might take all of six hours to get back to you.

Posts: 1216 | Registered: Nov 2011  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
extrinsic
Member
Member # 8019

 - posted      Profile for extrinsic   Email extrinsic         Edit/Delete Post 
Baen prefers online submission, the only one of the major fantastical fiction novel publishers so far. Up to date technology-wise. They report they receive tens of thousands of unsolicted submissions per year, many easily passed over for not following basic submission guidelines.

I applaud that Baen wants an entire manuscript. My evaluation process, I request at least first, maybe last, and a middle chapter sample. No synopsis, no query, only contact information otherwise.

Nine out of ten manuscripts, I usually don't get past the first sentence I read before I give the proposal a pass, though I read the entire sample. Usually, there's a germ of an inspired premise, only mostly hackneyed, derivative treatment, and oh so many style issues.

That Baen asks for and takes the time to thoroughly vet a guideline-conforming manuscript I feel is respectable.

[ April 28, 2014, 12:49 PM: Message edited by: extrinsic ]

Posts: 6037 | Registered: Jun 2008  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
   

   Close Topic   Feature Topic   Move Topic   Delete Topic next oldest topic   next newest topic
 - Printer-friendly view of this topic
Hop To:


Contact Us | Hatrack River Home Page

Copyright © 2008 Hatrack River Enterprises Inc. All rights reserved.
Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.


Powered by Infopop Corporation
UBB.classic™ 6.7.2