Why should I publish with your house instead of just self-publishing my own book?

 

This is a great question and really, in all honesty, it boils down to preference. In a simplified answer, to publish with our house can give you several advantages over self-publishing:

1. REPUTATION & PRESTIGE - You would be published under a press’ name, which often is recognized to have more clout since your submission needs to be accepted and vetted through a company of professionals in the business. Anyone can self-publish, so to publish with a house distinguishes your work as a piece that has gone through a more traditional procedure of publishing and has been acknowledged as a piece worthy of a company’s time, energy, and money.

2. MARKETING & PUBLICITY - We have resources and contacts to help publicize your work, whether it is a budget for advertising or contacts and networks to set up blog tours and book reviews. Sure, you can make these contacts on your own, but it saves you time and energy (time and energy you could be spending writing your next work) if you allow us to use the channels we’ve already established in order to get your work out to the public.

3. EDITORS!! - This is often a crucial step that many self-published authors neglect. (And there is only one chance to make a good impression. Once you publish a work that is sub-par, it could besmirch your name forever.) Our editors are not only editing for errors and formatting mistakes, but more importantly for content! We specialize in popular genre fiction, so we can help you strengthen your book to make it as marketable as possible according to genre tropes, conventions, and expectations. Furthermore, we can identify inconsistencies in plot, character, and theme. These corrections can go a long way in pushing your book from one that is good to one that is great! 

4. CONVENIENCE - Basically, there are a lot of cogs in the machine that is, not only publishing, but building your brand and marketing your book for success. Of course, you can do it on your own, but publishing with a press takes some of that burden off of you and places it in the deserving hands of people who do this for a living. It allows for you to spend more time on your craft and more time getting another book ready for publication.

 

Why doesn’t FHP offer an advance for publications?

 

Though this strays from the traditional print publishing model, this is quickly becoming a trending model for indie presses. The reason for this is that a small press functions on a smaller operating budget. Instead of offering an author an advance (which is the press gambling on the success of a publication and anticipating that an author will earn the advance back), small presses make the gamble through using those funds to buy a project’s cover art, edit the manuscript, and advertise your project through different venues. Instead of handing the author the money upfront, those funds go to setting the book up for success so that the payout and number of copies sold, ideally, will be greater. 

 

You indicated in your that book lengths are genre dependent. What does that mean? How long are the standard requirements for a “novel-length” book in each genre?

 

Book length is generally genre dependent, meaning that the standard length or expected length depends on the genre in which you write. Readers often become accustomed to these standards, which is why publishing houses use them as a guideline. In addition, it is understood that (generally speaking) a story in a given genre should be able to be told in its full scope in the given length.

 

Check out this Writer’s Digest piece for more specifics. Chuck Sambuchino does a great job of outlining industry standards for genre word count in the article. http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/guide-to-literary-agents/word-count-for-novels-and-childrens-books-the-definitive-post

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What is the anticipated timeline of when a book will get published after it is picked up by your press?

We aim for a goal of fully publishing a work and establishing a release date within a year of your contract being signed. Of course, there are always exceptions and reasons why a book can get published sooner or may take a bit longer, but on average, this is the goal of our press and it is in line with the industry standard timeline.

 

What if I want a printed copy of a book for myself or to get as a gift? Is it possible to order one?

Though our titles are primarily offered and promoted as electronic/digital files that are easily downloaded on your applicable device, we offer a “print-on-demand’ option for all you purists out there! (Don’t fret, you’re not alone. I mean, who doesn’t love to hold a crisp new book in their hands? Or take a copy to the beach?) Print-on-demand allows you to visit your local Barnes and Noble and order as many copies as you’d like. You need to prepay for the copies, but they will order them for you, and then alert you when they are ready for pick up. The books come with full color front and back covers and are formatted perfectly to offer you a beautifully printed/store quality book. (Give it a good sniff for me, would’ja? – Ahhh, nothing like the smell of a new book!)

 

How can I find out about new releases?

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