The Ups and Downs of a Small Press

I'm not even going to call Strange a "small press". It's a hobby press, pure and simple. But we've published some good stories. Sand has had a fun run (and will continue, this isn't another "we're shutting down" post). Tainted is a darn good book and Fifty-Two Stitches is always entertaining.

I don't write much, but Aaron does, and we both keep our eyes on Duotrope/Ralan listings. Small/hobby presses are dropping like flies. (Pardon the cliches. I said I didn't write much.)

Small/hobby press folks need to have realistic expectations. Most of those long-running college lit rags are supported through grant money. The biggest names in genre fiction are having fits right now with subscribers. Aaron and I never plan a project without knowing how we are going to pay for it first. Most of the time, this means we pool our cash to make it a go. The authors for all our publications have been paid out of our pockets. No Strange Publications project will get the green light before we know we can front the cash before be post the guidelines. It's that simple.

We can be better publicists and bring in a trickle of advertising revenue, sure, but nobody is making much money on short fiction right now, save for a few of the big names. And I think some of them are hurting, too.

Stephen Theaker (Theaker's Quarterly Fiction and editor for the British Fantasy Society) writes on one of his sites "keep it free and keep it going". Good strategy. We're going to say "keep it affordable and keep it going". Sand has developed into a pretty good magazine, and I want to see many more issues. We want to offer some more anthologies in the future. I'll do my best to make that happen.

Where the Heck Have I Been...

Well, that'll teach me to try and put a 'zine together at the end of the school year. Sand #4 is just about finished. Aaron has the issues compiled and is putting the final touches on the covers.

We are changing format with issue #6. To save what's left of our collective sanity, Sand will only come out once a year. But each issue will have the same amount of fiction as the three we (will) put out in '09.

Contributors will be paid more (not much, but $5 plus a copy). Issues will be available in print (contributors get a copy) and various digital/ebook formats.

Why?

1. Writers like to see their work in print. That's what they tell me, anyway.

2. Electronic formats can provide more exposure for writers.

Aaron and I think this is a win-win. I hope so. He wants Sand to be around for a while, and I guess I'm along for the ride.

Cheers. Oh--submissions won't open until January 2010. Seems like a long time until then, but time has a way of flying.

Slushing Away...

I've pared the Sand inbox down to 25 candidates out of close to 100 subs last month.

Whew.

I should start narrowing the list in the next few days.

Sunday Slushday

Slushing today for Sand.

I've put quite a few pieces in the "Maybe" folder, and sent some rejections.

I have an important announcement to make after issue #5 is all lined up. Stay tuned.

Whew.

We just finished a great Sand submission period.

The line-up for #3 (in no particular order):

"Vermilion Birdcalls" by Justin Sherman
"She" by Diane Height
"Jimmy Greenteeth" by Gregg Winkler
"Fireflies" by Naoko Awa (Translated by Toshiya Kamei)
"Crazy Lori and the Fish" by Barry Pomeroy
"Crib Death" by J.C. Tabler
"The Porcelain Boy" by Sarah Geselowitz
"In Darkness" by Nathalie Boisard-Beudin

Sand #3 should be (fingers crossed) ready to ship in mid-February.

#4 (May) is starting to shape up as well, with fiction from Catherine J. Gardner, Louise Morgan, Barry Napier, and Allison J. Littlewood already plugged in.

Slogging Through Sand Subs

Well, I managed some alliteration in the title. Aren't I proud?

Sand had seventy-five subs in December, a record for us. Since we can only fit 6-8 per issue, it's been tough making some picks.

I've accepted three and narrowed the rest of the field to twelve potentials. Now the real challenge begins.

Fifty-Two Stitches launched today with "I'm Keeping it Light" by Mercedes M. Yardley. Aaron set the schedule, and I must say nice pick for first story.

School starts again tomorrow, so yeah, I'm excited. (groans)