[KatG]

Well, the difference between indie and studio is pretty slim. But I do think we're seeing the beginnings of a small press revolution going on in the genres, and that will be a very good thing for the whole shebang, IMO.

[Gary Wassner]

I agree, as long as companies like Barnes and Noble do more than lip service to them. It seems from what I hear from my publisher and publicist and the grapevine in general, that B & N is really reaching out to some of the indies now, in order to freshen up their stock and add some new titles and authors to their shelves. But even if they only buy in limited amounts, it's a real start. Genre bookstores will hopefully always remain strong since they are so focused and targeted. And they are in many ways similar to the indie presses, so the alliances should be successful if they form them correctly.

Ingram is still a problem, and the entire distribution system poses significant threats to the independent presses, so many of whom publish fantasy it seems. Every publisher I speak with has something to say about Ingram these days. The work involved in just maintaining their titles is enormous. Yet, Amazon will not sell the book if Ingram doesn't stock it. So there is no real alternative there.

Without the constraints placed upon the authors by the big presses, whethere motivated by bottom line concerns or just a big business mentality, we will all hopefully benefit from a real creative burst. I look to the independent presses as the real hotbed of energy.

[KatG]

On that front, if you have found a lot of independent small presses are doing fantasy, could you manage to put together a list of some sort, here, or in the Fantasy or Writing Forums? Because one big problem the small presses have is that folk outside the publishing industry don't know about them, haven't heard of them. Mentioning those you've encountered will help get the word out about those publishers and their wares, and maybe help them grow further. I was bopping around yesterday to some sites, like SFFWA, and the links they have are mainly, though not entirely, to the larger houses. If it's going to be a revolution, that will have to change.

[Gary Wassner]

I don't think you will ever get much support for that change from the SFFWA. They don't even accept authors who publish with small and independent presses, including ones as reputable as Wildside, because often they don't pay their authors advances when they sign contracts, and amazingly enough, that is one of SFFWA's criteria for membership!

A list would be brilliant. I will start a thread in the main forum in fact asking the membership to help compile a list. Great idea!

[Gary Wassner]

The thread's up and running.

[JRMurdock]

and the link is?

[Gary Wassner]

You want everything, don't you?


http://www.sffworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9680

[JRMurdock]

"Gimme gimmie, I neeeed I neeeeeeed." Bob Wylie. What About Bob.