I went to Leicester today to attend the first "post-covid" States of Independence. A few people were missing that I hoped to see, but I bought a few books (from Green Bottle Press, Indigo Dreams, and Scratch Books) and went to a worthwhile talk about small presses. It was interesting to hear about how they operated.
- The Republic of Consciousness Prize for Small Presses rewards the best fiction published by publishers with fewer than 5 full-time employees - it's helped with promoting books.
- Epoque Press's long-listed author had previously been rejected 176 times. When choosing what to publish, the author's social media footprint isn't a factor!
- Fitzcarraldo Editions, one of the more successful small presses, will publish an author's 2nd book if the 1st sells more than 500 copies. With big publishers, at least 5,000 copies are needed. The average figure for literary fiction sales is more like 200.