12-11-2009, 09:41 AM
Hi Steven
While tying in with the 500th anniversary of the first book published on the Roman army, I respectfully suggest that you might be shooting yourself in the foot if you let this dictate your decisions regarding publishers for two reasons:
1) It's not an anniversary that will get any mention except perhaps in the most specialist publications such as Ancient Warfare(where you already have a captive audience) so any effect on sales will be negligible. Certainly it won't mean anything to the stock buyer for Waterstone's, Borders etc.
2)You've probably already left it too late for a 2010 publication if a decent editing, typesetting, proofing, marketing, distribution job is to be done on it. By the time the publisher of your choice has seen and considered it, negotiated and signed contracts and you've got the finished typescript to them, you are going to be into 2010 already. I can only speak for Pen & Sword but we usually allow at least 9 months from delivery by the author to finished copies reaching the warehouse. If you delivered a near-perfect typescript right now, it could be shoe-horned into the programme for that period if the publisher saw a pressing need but see 1) above. We would do that for something that was time-sensitive or topical in terms of tying in with media coverage (as for the 70th anniversary of Dunkirk, Battle of Britain etc next year). Of course you may find another publisher who will promise to turn it round quicker for you. Personally, I would be flexible on the publication date and get it done right. You've spent years working on this, do you want it to be rushed at the end for the sake of an arbitrary date?
Good luck!
Phil Sidnell
While tying in with the 500th anniversary of the first book published on the Roman army, I respectfully suggest that you might be shooting yourself in the foot if you let this dictate your decisions regarding publishers for two reasons:
1) It's not an anniversary that will get any mention except perhaps in the most specialist publications such as Ancient Warfare(where you already have a captive audience) so any effect on sales will be negligible. Certainly it won't mean anything to the stock buyer for Waterstone's, Borders etc.
2)You've probably already left it too late for a 2010 publication if a decent editing, typesetting, proofing, marketing, distribution job is to be done on it. By the time the publisher of your choice has seen and considered it, negotiated and signed contracts and you've got the finished typescript to them, you are going to be into 2010 already. I can only speak for Pen & Sword but we usually allow at least 9 months from delivery by the author to finished copies reaching the warehouse. If you delivered a near-perfect typescript right now, it could be shoe-horned into the programme for that period if the publisher saw a pressing need but see 1) above. We would do that for something that was time-sensitive or topical in terms of tying in with media coverage (as for the 70th anniversary of Dunkirk, Battle of Britain etc next year). Of course you may find another publisher who will promise to turn it round quicker for you. Personally, I would be flexible on the publication date and get it done right. You've spent years working on this, do you want it to be rushed at the end for the sake of an arbitrary date?
Good luck!
Phil Sidnell
