Big v. small publishers
I’ve been looking for new markets for my work and paying attention to smaller publishers while I”m at it. With so many imprints consolidated under one umbrella, it’s harder than ever to find appropriate markets.
Take Penguin Young Readers Group, for example: it’s imprints include Philomel, Viking, G.P. Putnam, Dutton, Dial, Grossett & Dunlap/PSS, Puffin, and Razorbill. If you sell to one of these imprints, then you “belong” to that imprint and can’t sell to any of the others. From a corporate standpoint, this makes sense; the marketing & publicity staff is the same for all imprints, only the editorial staff operate independently as an imprint. There may be some marketing person who mainly does Dutton books, but they don’t identify themselves as working for Dutton, but for Penguin Young Readers Group.
From an author’s point-of-view, though, when you sell to Dutton, in effect, you’ve cut out seven potential markets. You better really like dealing with Dutton!
So, the smaller publishers look inviting in some ways. No, they don’t get quite the publicity and the market share. But you may get more personal attention because editors/marketing handle fewer books; you may stay in print longer because they need your book in their backlist more than a big publisher does; you may get more editorial development because they want to keep you and not let you stray.
There are advantages and disadvantages to both big and small publishers. When you’re looking through the new Children’s Writer’s and Illustrator’s Market 2010, be sure to give each and every listing a careful look. Find the company website, read a few representative titles, be open – you may find a home easier and be much happier at a smaller publisher.
Related posts:
Discussion
No comments for “big v. small”