You've heard stories/rumors that small publishers really don't take the time like the big publishers to make sure and offer a thoroughly edited or fleshed out story, so you opt out buying from them to go and spend a few extra bucks to purchase from the 'biggies.'
You begin reading and some things jump out at you:
change of point of view from one character to another from one paragraph to the next
foreshadows you were waiting to happen but never materialized
typos - which are excusable in any sized house unless each paragraph contains typos
a storyline that's captivated you only to finish rushed, with no real finale
new characters introduced at a late stage to come save the day for the hero/heroine
So whose fault is this? The editors? The big named authors? The publisher's? All of them? Are they more laid back because they believe readers will forgive them because it's a popular author?
I'm ranting because although there are small houses that really don't care about their final products or rather don't take as much effort as another small house to perfect and offer as clean a book as possible, there are still these myths that the smaller house does not take the same time and effort in their books. That's not so.
Then you have agents who ask a prospective author if they are published and when the author excitedly replies, "Yes, with XYZ Publishing.", the agent says "Well, don't mention that because it won't weigh in your favor." Come again?
I'm not sure but didn't the biggies start off small?
Although big houses do get you on the bookshelves, the lifespan to remain on the bookshelf unless you sell tons is not all that great. The marketing aspect still remains with an author regardless where they are published. The big houses do offer advances which is great. Small houses for the most part don't have the budget for advances. So yes, there are advantages and disadvantages to consider. But the most important part is to find a good match for your book and one that matches your mentality as to what a house should be like before you sign a contract.
I follow a few famous authors because their books have consistently been as clean as can be, with a thoroughly fleshed out story, no jarring point of views switches, or obvious boo boos because to me, and you may not agree which is fine, tells me that they take pride in their final product and don't risk the chance of offering a book to their readers if it's not a proper finished product.
Most of my ebooks and print books come from smaller publishers because I like what I read and fully satisfied as a buying customer.
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8 comments:
Great post, Lea, and I hope one that will make folk sit up and take note. I am so tired of reading big name authors' novels that, quite honestly, cause me to cringe. As an e pubbed author, I know how hard my epub colleagues and editors work to produce works that will entice and, more importantly, not insult the reader. Readers take note - big publishers does not always mean 'big' quality.
Anyone who knows me knows I have a beef with a certain romance publishing giant (who will remain nameless). As a young writer (experience wise not age lol) I got up the courage to send my first ever MS to them. I got back a generic letter with my name filled in a blank slot that said sorry not interested. This gave no no idea why my writing was rejected. I managed to find a well published author and showed her the MS and my query letter and asked her if I should quit writing, if I was really that bad. She took one look at my query and laughed. In the spot where it asked for 'author bio' I put 'mother of five etc...LOL! She was kind enough to send me examples of some of her query letters and a list of don'ts. I heard about how caring and helpful Museitup publishing house was and was told a smaller house would help guide a new writer so I fixed my query and sent to Muse and two other small houses. I got an acceptance from all three and chose Lea because of the good buzz I had heard.
You know I'm a book addict. I get quite grumpy if I don't have a book and have brushed over the 'big' publishing goofs. However, I've stopped reading some past favourites...Koontz, King, Patterson, Cornwell...to name a few. Their stories became old and tired, to me. Plus the cost was stupid, specially when their stories kept getting smaller while the printing and books got bigger.
I fell into reviewing, mostly small publishing houses, and boy did I discover some fantastic new and interesting reads. Different views and styles.
Yes, some could have been edited better, produced better, all around polished better.
Others...better than the 'big' guys.
The 'biggies' and agents are missing out on new creative talent.
As a writer, my first publishing choice is with the 'small' online publishing homes...better a large mind, large heart, large creativity, than a big name.
Thank you 'small' houses
For years, I've fought the stigma that small publishers contract only authors who can't make it "big." I've also steered clear of self-pubbing for the same reason. Although the houses I've contracted with have a serious editing staff who really work hand-and-hand with me to polish my work to it's best.
Although there has been a rapid swing in ebook interest, I still think that small press authors get the short end of the stick. I haven't found the welcome on the Amazon loops that I've found on Yahoo. I wonder if the romance readers who treated me so badly for trying to promote my own work on their "thread" would treat Nora Roberts the same. I'm thinking they wouldn't. *smile*
Years ago I read a Harlequin, yes gasp Harlequin and there were TONS of errors. The hero was a pro hockey player in Seattle or someother wierd city. The author wrote about 4 quarters of play (duh! not football!) and how at the start of a game the players all skated around and then gave a red rose to some ladies in the crowd by leaning over the boards. (duh-all big arenas had glass to protect spectators even back then) their description of the many fights which occured were fantastical in the extreme. I have never forgotten it and worse still because Harlequin's head office in in Toronto. Have no idea what the editor was thinking, there were also numerous typos etc. So big does not always mean better for sure.
I've been reading two particular authors faithfully for years. I looked forward to their books. I say looked because one of them I stopped reading all together. The last book I read lacked emotion. The idea and story line were terrific, but the whole story lacked editing for starters and the author neglected to show the emotion that should have been in the story. I think she missed a big opportunity and I was disappointed in the book. So disappointed, I emailed the author, who took the time to answer - her answer - she just changed editors. Well, duh, didn't she get the galleys? Didn't she read them and see for herself what was wrong? Apparently not. I know we miss things in our own writing that a good editor picks up and notices. I happen to have a good editor at Muse (I was lucky enough to draw Lea as my editor). The other author, I'm still reading, but not sure for how long. The last book I read head hopped all over the place (something I used to be guilty of until someone set me straight). I wasn't sure whose POV I was in from one paragraph and sometimes one sentence to another. So you can keep the big houses. They leave a lot to be desired.
Great post. Often it's the small houses that have the most carefully honed prose--it's been round so many times before being accepted that the author has cleaned every possible problem away.
I agree. There is no excuse for poor or non existent editing at any level. There are many small presses whose books are always reliably finished. There are also self published books that are properly edited (and some that aren't, unfortunately). The biggies are less likely to take risks. I've found a lot of formula stuff from them. The extra expense of their books means they should all be reliably good and they aren't.
I do believe however that changes in POV can be done from paragraph to paragraph without jarring, so long as it's only between 2 characters (as in romances) and isn't switching back and forth all the time. It's a matter of handing the batton over so the change is smooth and it's obvious whose POV is. I think that as writers we're more sensitve to changes of POV than non writers.
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