Indie Press Reports
There’s an old saw tacked up on our bulletin board:
Commercial publishing houses publish books. Independent houses publish authors.
We define an independent house by its editorial freedom; some have corporate business managers. It’s the old market driven vs. art driven argument. But don’t assume that independent presses accept books without a plan to make back their investment. Indie presses know their market and select books that will make them money; the difference is that their threshold for turning a profit is considerably lower than a large corporate imprint like Vintage.
This is not news to many writers, but it has set certain criteria for our student-generated press reports. In choosing a press, the students must limit their search to presses that have a track record, publish at least two to three books annually, and accept unsolicited manuscripts. To meet these criteria, particularly the latter, students settle on independent presses. Each report includes a fact sheet, editor interview and book review. These reports will assist any writers searching for a press to submit their book manuscript.
It goes without saying but we’ll say it anyhow; the views expressed in our market research are those of the student reviewers and do not represent the opinions of the Fiction Writing Department, or Columbia College Chicago.
Coffee House Press - Where good books are brewing
www.coffeehousepress.org
PDF Press Report
Gorsky Press - A true indie that looks for work outside the mainstream
www.gorsky.razorcake.org
PDF Press Report
MacAdam/Cage - Merges the best of the indie and corporate publishing ethos. The interview with author Stephen Graham Jones gives his take.
www.macadamcage.com
PDF Press Report
Soft Skull Press - Check out this amazing interview, where Publisher Richard Nash dishes on the economic intricacies of indie publishing
www.softskull.com
PDF Press Report
Unbridled Books - A small press taking the reins since 2003
www.unbridledbooks.com
PDF Press Report
Commercial publishing houses publish books. Independent houses publish authors.
We define an independent house by its editorial freedom; some have corporate business managers. It’s the old market driven vs. art driven argument. But don’t assume that independent presses accept books without a plan to make back their investment. Indie presses know their market and select books that will make them money; the difference is that their threshold for turning a profit is considerably lower than a large corporate imprint like Vintage.
This is not news to many writers, but it has set certain criteria for our student-generated press reports. In choosing a press, the students must limit their search to presses that have a track record, publish at least two to three books annually, and accept unsolicited manuscripts. To meet these criteria, particularly the latter, students settle on independent presses. Each report includes a fact sheet, editor interview and book review. These reports will assist any writers searching for a press to submit their book manuscript.
It goes without saying but we’ll say it anyhow; the views expressed in our market research are those of the student reviewers and do not represent the opinions of the Fiction Writing Department, or Columbia College Chicago.
Coffee House Press - Where good books are brewing
www.coffeehousepress.org
PDF Press Report
Gorsky Press - A true indie that looks for work outside the mainstream
www.gorsky.razorcake.org
PDF Press Report
MacAdam/Cage - Merges the best of the indie and corporate publishing ethos. The interview with author Stephen Graham Jones gives his take.
www.macadamcage.com
PDF Press Report
Soft Skull Press - Check out this amazing interview, where Publisher Richard Nash dishes on the economic intricacies of indie publishing
www.softskull.com
PDF Press Report
Unbridled Books - A small press taking the reins since 2003
www.unbridledbooks.com
PDF Press Report