What to ask indie publishers who want your book

So you’ve sent your book out all over the place, including independent publishers and small presses.

For the sake of this article I’m not talking about smaller factions of one of the bigger publishers, I’m talking about presses which are totally their own brand.

I wanted to share my experience of an indie press because they are not all created equally.

Spoiler alert: I declined the publishers offer. It wasn't a good fit for my long term plans, my personality, or my skillset. By asking these questions, I was confident that this was the right choice for me.

It is incredibly exciting to have someone get in touch who loves your book and wants to publish it for you. I get it. I’ve been there.

Your stomach flips; finally someone gets it!

There are some crucial things to consider on entering into any contractual relationship and I want to highlight these factors within the indie press realm. There are four main areas;

  • The Book
  • The Deal
  • Value Added
  • Their Reputation

The book

Your book, the one you’ve worked on for years. Things you need to know are;

  • How much editing does it need?
  • Who is doing the editing?
  • What changes do they want to make?
  • The cover, title and design? Again who is doing it and who has final say?
  • When would they like to publish?


The deal

Things to ask;

  • Is there any cost to you, the writer?
  • How long is the contract? And does it cover edits, covers etc?
  • How many books it it for?
  • How and when will you be paid?
  • Is there an advance?
  • What distribution set up do they use?
  • What rights are they buying?
  • What is the royalty spilt?
  • How do they plan to market the book?

Value

This is crucial and the right it for you will depend on your own situation and experience.
  • What value are they adding? Once you've asked the above questions, this should be clearer.
  • What are they offering that you can't do yourself? (Imagine you were self publishing)

Their reputation and accountability

You need to do due diligence here, this is a big deal. This is your book!
  • Who are they?
  • Can you find the names of the people behind the publishing house?
  • What is their track record like?
  • Can you talk to other authors that have been published by them?

These are broad brushstrokes of the things you should be thinking about before signing your book away to an indie press.

I would also take the time to check out Writer Beware as part of your due diligence.
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