In Search of the Maverick Publisher

Well, while we wait for Ellen and Gayle to contact us, we are going to try our hand at finding those rare but brave publishers who will open their doors to first-time authors like us.

We checked out friendship and relationship books at the bookstores and libraries and copied down the publishers of those books.  I researched each publisher, noting if they would accept unsolicited manuscripts or if we needed a literary agent or a recommendation from an established author. 

Sad to say, my long list of publishers quickly dwindled to a handful.  I keep reminding myself that this is much like playing the lottery.  We only need one to come through for us… just one!

This handful of publishers consists of the maverick breed of proud independent publishers.  They are small publishing companies who state that they are free from the corporate noose their competitors wear around their literary necks. 

This type of freedom gives the independent publishers the ability to pursue quality material and niche market their books.

I admire their spirit but cringe at their submission requirements — i.e., their restrictions and requirements of recommendations, academic credentials in the field, prior publishing history, etc.   Their tone is as uninviting and discouraging as the larger publishers.

Quite frankly, if you bypass their Home webpage and skip to their submission webpage, they sound very much like the big New York fellas they purport not to be. 

But we’re determined to follow through and contact these publishers, if only to report back to you, Ellen, and Gayle of our progress.

After all, we only need one to come through for us…just one!