Big house, small house: does it matter if you're new?

[novelette]

If you're a brand new author, does it matter (other than financially) whether you're with a big publishing house or a smaller one? I'm asking because I know agents and publishers expect you to do a lot of your own promotion. Since a lot of the big houses spend most of their promotional dollars on the big name authors and the lesser knowns have to either promote themselves or get lost in the shuffle, what's the difference for the new authors who'll probably have to aggressively promote themselves anyway? Just curious because it seems new writers are going to have to work to get their names out there no matter who they're signed with.

[maestrowork]

Distribution.

[willietheshakes]

You're approaching this with a lot of preconceptions that border on misconceptions, primarily the idea that "have to aggressively promote [themselves] anyway". Is it good for a writer to do some of their own promotion? Yes. Is that the only way they're going to get promoted? Not hardly.

Fact is, the big house/small house dichotomy is a false one, as there's no typical treatment or approach that characterizes either one. A big publisher will probably pay more for the book, and have more resources at its disposal promotion-wise. Of course, books fall between the cracks at big houses. A small house, while paying more attention to each title, might lack the vital resources to get the word out.

My advice? Find the best house for your book, work with the promotions people, and pray to whatever deity you believe in. Oh, and take up theraputic drinking.

[Deccydiva]

I think if a legit publisher offered me money to publish my book I wouldn't question it too deeply! :hooray:

[IceCreamEmpress]

Just curious because it seems new writers are going to have to work to get their names out there no matter who they're signed with.


Working to get your name out is a LOT easier than working to get your book onto shelves.

That said, there may be many books for which a small press or university press is a better fit than a great big press.

[Karen Duvall]

Distribution.

Ditto. As far as quality of editing goes, that depends on the publisher. Some of the smaller ebook publishers struggle at this because they don't have the funds to pay full time professionals, so it's not uncommon for the editors to be authors with the company who make a percentage or two in royalties from the books they edit. It's fair compensation, but you get what you pay for.

Promotion is a stickler, too. All authors, no matter who you're published with, have to actively self-promote, but the bigger publishers will kick in an ad now and then, give the author free copies of the printed book, send printed arcs to the bigger, more respected reviewers (Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, etc.). Small publishers can't afford to do these things. The small ebook press might arrange for an ad, probably a co-op with other authors, but the author will have to pay for it. And extra books are on the author's dime. It can be expensive to publish with a small press if you go crazy with self-promo and booksignings (you usually have to buy your own books to bring to these things, but not always). I think you just need to take a hard look at your goals as a writer. Small press is a great way to go to get your feet wet in the industry, but I have my reservations about it as a vehicle for a career as an author. I speak from experience. :)

[James D. Macdonald]

Why do authors self-promote?

It gives them something to do with their hands while they're worrying about something that they have very little real power to change.

They'd be better off spending the same time and energy writing a new book.

[veinglory]

Distribution.

Quoted for truth. Even in the small press agressive self-promotion versus no self-promotion effects sales by a few percentage points. Even in the small press the most important thing you will do is selecting a good small press with effective distribution.

Then you can blog, book sign, send out postcards and do whatever else you wish to do and have some hope that people who want to buy your book will be able to do so.

[IceCreamEmpress]

Why do authors self-promote?

[...]

They'd be better off spending the same time and energy writing a new book.

I don't think this is true for non-fiction writers. Non-fiction writers do well to position themselves as "experts" in their fields through media appearances, workshops and speaking engagements, etc. Those move non-fiction books like crazy.

But since this is in the "Writing Novels" forum, yeah, what you said. People who are writing fiction often try to apply advice for non-fiction authors, even when it doesn't necessarily fit.

[Mumut]

Why do authors self-promote?

It gives them something to do with their hands while they're worrying about something that they have very little real power to change.

They'd be better off spending the same time and energy writing a new book.

Not in Australia. If you have a book published with a small publisher but don't work at getting it into bookstores, nobody will know you to buy the second book. By putting an effort in to pubicise the first book it is a lot easier second time round.

From experience.

[Mumut]

Small press is a great way to go to get your feet wet in the industry, but I have my reservations about it as a vehicle for a career as an author. I speak from experience. :)

I agree. Once you say you are published (as compared with self published) you start getting somewhere. But some small publishers have a strange idea that they can dictate the terms with major booksellers. My publisher in Australia has an on-going disagreement with Dymocks in Brisbane. You know who wins? - (hint) it is not the author.

I only approached two other publishers with my first book but the fact that they took six months each to send a rejection slip really bugged me. I'm an old man. I don't want to be published posthumously! So I looked at smaller publishers and was accepted first time. I don't mind putting time into promoting my book. I enjoy talking to readers. I love going to a Rotary Club meeting attended by thirty people and selling fifteen books. But it is not a career path for speedy advancement into the 'best seller' ranks.