Is this typical for a small press?

Rechan

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I write this because I'm not sure if this behavior should be expected from a small press, if I'm being unreasonable, or if it is a bad sign and I should get out.

I've put together a roster for an anthology - a dozen authors, some middle-tier in this genre, to agree to write stories for the anthology. The idea is reasonable and I've received enthusiasm. For the next step I need a publisher, and I contacted a small press.

The publishers expressed interest, and after two rescheduled attempts, we sat down on March 18th and hashed out all the details. My deadlines, authors, my credentials, etc. On the issue of if they would print the book and help with author pay, they asked for some time to talk it over, and said, "When would you like us to get back to you?"
"Is two weeks good enough?"
"Oh we'll have an answer by much less than that, maybe 5 days? We've got this meeting...

Five days passed, and all I got was "Oh, we had to reschedule that meeting. Our next is [day]'. That meeting was also rescheduled. I'd sent more emails, and every email I have sent the response is "Oh, we have a meeting scheduled [in two days] and you'll hear back to us after that." From what I could piece together, they say they're having about two meetings a week, and yet they haven't had the time to discuss my project to the point of giving me a yes or no.

Finally I gave them a week to get back to me, or I'd seek elsewhere. The immediate response was "Oh, we have a BIG meeting [the day I sent the email]." It's been five days since then and I've heard nothing.

Bare in mind, this is not a very busy press. They have an anthology currently sitting with an editor, and I don't know how many novels with authors in production, but as it stands they only have two books sitting on the proverbial shelf. So it's not like my business has been lost in the shuffle in a hectic work environment among a slew of other projects.

So, is this typical? Am I being unreasonable expecting a "yes we will/no we will support the anthology" after a conference and a month's time to consider? This isn't like I submitted a manuscript and am waiting for someone to read it - there's no text yet, it's merely a matter of the two guys in charge talking it over between themselves based on the information in front of them.

Because I really want to ask them what is going on here. From where I stand this would take 30 minutes at most to discern between them, and yet they can't manage that? I can't help but think this is what working with them will be like even if they do eventually say yes: regular reschedules and delays instead of keeping to deadlines.

If the world of small press is like this, with a conveyer belt of disruptions to the work calender, please tell me, so that I can expect this type of behavior.
 

Old Hack

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I write this because I'm not sure if this behavior should be expected from a small press, if I'm being unreasonable, or if it is a bad sign and I should get out.

I've put together a roster for an anthology - a dozen authors, some middle-tier in this genre, to agree to write stories for the anthology. The idea is reasonable and I've received enthusiasm. For the next step I need a publisher, and I contacted a small press.

The publishers expressed interest, and after two rescheduled attempts, we sat down on March 18th and hashed out all the details. My deadlines, authors, my credentials, etc. On the issue of if they would print the book and help with author pay,

Hang on.

If they're not going to print the book and pay the authors, what exactly are they going to do?

Producing copies for sale, and paying appropriate royalties, are the very minimum that they should do.

I'm already wary of them.

From what I could piece together, they say they're having about two meetings a week, and yet they haven't had the time to discuss my project to the point of giving me a yes or no.

I can't help thinking that if they were properly interested in publishing this anthology they'd have sorted this out by now.

It sounds to me as though they'll be frustrating to work with if they do publish this anthology. Be careful.

Bare in mind, this is not a very busy press. They have an anthology currently sitting with an editor, and I don't know how many novels with authors in production, but as it stands they only have two books sitting on the proverbial shelf. So it's not like my business has been lost in the shuffle in a hectic work environment among a slew of other projects.

If they've only published two books so far then I wouldn't try to work with them yet. Wait until they've been in business for a couple of years, and have several books out. Until then, you can't tell if they're going to be effective as publishers or not.

I would withdraw my submission and find a more established press to submit it to.

I recognise that it might not be possible to find anyone else to take the anthology on, so this tactic is not without risk: but I'd sooner not publish, or self-publish, than be published poorly.
 

shaldna

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There are a few things there that would make me a bit wary, but I would also say that you don't know what is going on behind the scenes. You say they aren't busy, but you don't know what's doing on in the office, and while I can understand your frustration, there are several things here - firstly, you are assuming that your book is top of their list of priorities and while I know how frustrating it is when you are waiting for an answer, it's not been that long really. Secondly, it can be more complicated that it seems - you are asking them to invest time and money in a book that hasn't even been written yet, and that can be a real gamble.

If you haven't already, try looking them up in the background check board. Do you know anyone else who has had dealings with them?
 

Rechan

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Hang on.

If they're not going to print the book and pay the authors, what exactly are they going to do?
No, that's what I'm seeing a publisher about. I need someone to print/sell the books, and to help cover the author cost.

That's what I'm waiting for, the yes or no of whether they will do this.

I recognise that it might not be possible to find anyone else to take the anthology on, so this tactic is not without risk: but I'd sooner not publish, or self-publish, than be published poorly.
This is part of my frustration because almost everywhere I looked, the response was "We don't work with outside editors". I'm trying to break into this genre, from a niche market where I've done all of my anthology editing work. I feel up against a wall, in that if I Don't go with these guys, I won't get it printed, but on the other hand I have the feeling they aren't acting professional.

While I could walk away and put the book in a drawer, the main problem with that is I have authors who've said "yes", authors who are good and known in this genre. If I just shelve the project, then they likely won't be there when I go back. Also if I ask them to sign on to a project, then fail to even get the project in motion, it does not build confidence for when I ask them the second time.

There are a few things there that would make me a bit wary, but I would also say that you don't know what is going on behind the scenes. You say they aren't busy, but you don't know what's doing on in the office, and while I can understand your frustration, there are several things here - firstly, you are assuming that your book is top of their list of priorities and while I know how frustrating it is when you are waiting for an answer, it's not been that long really. Secondly, it can be more complicated that it seems - you are asking them to invest time and money in a book that hasn't even been written yet, and that can be a real gamble.
I do know that I'm not their top priority. Yet something doesn't have to be on the top of the agenda to get any discussion. That's what I don't get. What else could they be doing in the last month that has consumed them so much they can't deliberate about this at all?

A small sticking point with me is the "month" timeline because I don't understand what is keeping them. But my main complaint is the constant "Oh, we'll get to it tomorrow". If they could've been real with me and said "We'll get back to you in a month" when we first decided on the matter, I'd have accepted that. Instead it's a steady stream of broken deadlines. I feel like I'm not being taken seriously.

Still, you are right that I don't know what's going on. Is it too rude to ask why it hasn't been addressed in their many meetings? I want to send a polite version of 'What is wrong with you people' email to get an explanation, but the reason I started this thread is I don't know if I'm out of line with that.
 
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shaldna

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Still, you are right that I don't know what's going on. Is it too rude to ask why it hasn't been addressed in their many meetings? I want to send a polite version of 'What is wrong with you people' email to get an explanation, but the reason I started this thread is I don't know if I'm out of line with that.

Personally I wouldn't. If you really feel that they aren't right for you then I would just leave it. Find another publisher or publish it yourself - there are plenty of options.

I do get what they are saying about working with outside editors, after all, they have editors of their own who's job it is, and they need to be certain of the quality of the work because its;s going to reflect on them - for good or bad.

Now, I may be wrong - some of the other short story and publishing folk can correct me if I'm not - but I was always under the impression that anthologies were commissioned by the publisher rather than bought in the same way as a novel. If so, that could be part of the issue too.
 

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In my experience, publishers do usually commission anthologies from their editors, rather than sign them once they're complete.