First of all, it feels important to say that The Stand is an ethical collective, and not a traditional publisher. As such, it won’t suit everyone. In fact, if you think your book has the kind of mainstream appeal that will see it grace every bookstore, we’re confident enough in our own place to say that we’re probably not the publisher you’re looking for.
Our aim, primarily, is to help authors get books to market under a brand that can help promote those books, without impeding on what might be modest profits. Just to be clear, we’re not a vanity publishing project. We won’t be taking every book we’re offered, and we won’t take payment from you to write a book for you, or to include you in our roster. We have to feel what you’re producing fits. When we do take a book on, it will be as a supportive network of authors, cross promoting our work and providing useful assistance in getting the book to market. All we ask in exchange is that you get involved, and that our books carry our publishing brand.
As part of the process, we will assist in getting you to market, and work with you to use our contacts in the media and book shops to help you sell copies. Generally speaking, as part of that process, we don’t intend to take any of your money, either as an up front or as a commission (with one optional exception, see below). In line with that, generally, we don’t intend to pay for the printing of your book, either, though if we’re really enthused by something we might consider a small loan against future sales.
Here’s a quick overview , then, of how we typically work:
What we offer:
- An increasingly established brand under which to launch books, which makes you more appealing to stockists and connects you with experienced authors. Part of the appeal of this, over self publishing, is the support, but another part is the cross promotion: all our authors are expected to engage with us. Ideally, our links to each of you might help to sell other people’s books, as well as your own.
- Assistance in reaching publication, taking in cover design, ISBN advice (and provision at less than the cost rate to buy ISBNs individually, and at no profit to us), feedback on the text, assistance with press, assistance with getting into bookshops, a network of contacts, and the benefit of our experience selling niche books.
- The use of our branding, and promo space on this website, including links to sales locations, detailed information on what your book is, and press information hosting.
- Editing (due to the time involved, this is the only aspect of what we do for which we will charge, as it is unsustainable not to do so. This will be at a fair price, and is entirely optional, you are free to go elsewhere).
- Experienced writers who have published their own books willing to answer your questions and give advice, without payment. In exchange, we hope you’ll do the same down the line.
What we don’t offer:
- Up front payment for a scipt in the form of an ‘advance’. In fact, we don’t get involved in the financials of your book at all. You will sell your book yourself, but with our assistance, either directly or through an on-demand print company. To put us in the middle introduces tax complications and costs money, so goes entirely against the ethos of our whole concept.
- We don’t offer to do all of the above for you – think of it this way, it’s your book, you’ll be getting the glory. In football terminology, we’ll be providing the assist, you’ll be hammering the ball home, and we won’t be charging you for our role in it.
- Perhaps most importantly – we don’t take any of your money. You pay your costs, you control your set up in terms of book production (you may take or leave our advice, providing you’re not sullying our brand), you keep your profits. If you don’t have funds to put into print runs, we have plenty of experience dealing with print on demand publishers that will significantly reduce your up front costs.
Who we might suit:
- Somebody who will write, or has written, a book, and will follow through on publishing once they have done so regardless of whether they obtain a traditional publishing deal. We’re happy to guide you in a great deal of different ways, but ultimately, you will be the driving force in bringing the book to market.
- Someone prepared to be self-starting to at least some degree. We sit somewhere between a traditional publisher and self-publishing, and while that means you get to keep all your profits, it definitely means more work on the writer’s end, too. We will help you as much as we can, but most of the time, you’ll be pulling the trigger.
- Experienced writers operating in a niche that they know doesn’t suit traditional publication.
- Someone who values ethics behind publishing, and feels that as the writer, or co-writers, they should be entitled to the full profits of their work, rather than the paltry percentages often offered by traditional publishers.
- Our project was set up primarily to carry sports books, but plans are already stretching well outside of that area. Give us a shout on any area you might want to cover.
How to contact us:
Drop James an email by clicking here.