tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296041276140635168.post6806144758795797147..comments2024-01-28T08:25:40.723-07:00Comments on Write Like a Pro! A Free Online Writing Workshop: Namelos Guest Authors: A Different Kind of PublisherKris Bockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16217265282250089583noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296041276140635168.post-32932624171008084762012-06-17T13:07:10.889-06:002012-06-17T13:07:10.889-06:00a PS from Nancy Bo Flood I decided to simply ask...a PS from Nancy Bo Flood I decided to simply ask Stephen Roxburgh what the submission policy is for namelos. The following is his reply (the next morning): <br />"Our evaluation service is the channel we have established for submissions. Most people object to the fact that there is a fee, and I understand that. They should understand that they get a detailed editorial response (usually 1000-1500 words), more often than not written by me, in two weeks. Their book is considered for publication, and if we go on to offer a contract, the evaluation fee is refunded."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296041276140635168.post-356723936554499502012-06-17T00:56:19.573-06:002012-06-17T00:56:19.573-06:00Hello from another namelos author, Nancy Bo Flood....Hello from another namelos author, Nancy Bo Flood. Two of my books are "namelos" books, Warriors in the Crossfire was published by Frontstreet-BoydsMills Press when Frontstreet was part of BoydsMills and Stephen Roxburgh was the senior editor. The submission - acquisition process was the same as it is at any traditional publishing house. <br /><br />My second novel, No-Name Baby, was acquired by namelos but the submssion- acquisition -revision - design - publication process was similar. Important differences are the ones described in this series of interviews with namelos authors: personal contact with one of the namelos staff (Joy Neaves, Carolyn Coman, Karen Klockner, etc); personal communication that gets the revision process rolling; full design of book and covers; marketing which includes submission to major review sources; electronic publication with POD Print on demand availability of hard copy books; distribution via internet. Thus the manuscript - to - book process is streamlined and electronic which decreases costs. It's a new publishing model but it is not a vanity press model which basically is paying for publication - no editing, no design, no marketing, no distribution. I hope this helps. I agree, it is confusing to understand the many changes happening today. Nancy Bo FloodAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296041276140635168.post-87987468150263353632012-06-15T15:19:18.551-06:002012-06-15T15:19:18.551-06:00namelos sounds extremely interesting. I'll kee...namelos sounds extremely interesting. I'll keep it in my bookmark bar for future reference, just in case.chihuahuazerohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15677672177353350936noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296041276140635168.post-82074159915828687042012-06-14T09:58:03.002-06:002012-06-14T09:58:03.002-06:00In my opinion, namelos is a work-in-progress. But ...In my opinion, namelos is a work-in-progress. But it is not, nor ever has been, a vanity press. At one point, when SCBWI was still uncertain about granting namelos their stamp of approval, Stephen Roxburgh made a comment to me that was something like, "The only vanity involved is my own." In other words, he has a lot of self confidence in his ability to choose what he considers "a few good books."Sheilahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02891797060944709216noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296041276140635168.post-58397958206324622922012-06-14T09:48:03.819-06:002012-06-14T09:48:03.819-06:00Beth, thank you so much! I'm so glad you enjoy...Beth, thank you so much! I'm so glad you enjoyed Eddie's War.<br /><br />Stephen Roxburgh is only interested in good fiction. He has a huge reputation to protect--this is a man who edited Roald Dahl and Madeleine L'Engle in his days at FSG. His books have won nine National Book Award nominations and every other honor in children's books. He is in no way, shape, or form a vanity publisher.<br /><br />Vanity presses can't get their books reviewed in Horn Book, or get nominated for major awards. namelos books are winning lots of honors and appearing in all the review journals that librarians and teachers use to buy books. <br /><br />Stephen's passion is to edit and publish quiet, literary books that would probably not be commercial enough to be published by a conventional publisher.<br /><br />Chris, your comment is exactly right. Stephen Roxburgh would say that namelos IS Front Street (his previous company, which did conventional publishing of children's literary fiction) but in an entirely new form. It's very unusual that a non-vanity publisher would follow this model, but we're all hoping that more and more "respectable" publishers will follow it, because it makes sense for books like ours that would probably not sell enough copies to remain in print conventionally. <br /><br />It's a comfort to me that Eddie's War will never go out of print.Carol Sallerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10418583796440779288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296041276140635168.post-66055770810209942622012-06-14T08:35:47.152-06:002012-06-14T08:35:47.152-06:00Carol and Alina, thanks for clarifying. Even from ...Carol and Alina, thanks for clarifying. Even from the website it was hard to tell exactly how things work. I would say this is definitely not a "vanity press" -- those accept every work submitted to them, so long as the author pays for publication. Hybrid suggests a mix of two things, and I'm not sure namelos is that either. More like it's a brand-new thing. It's not the only one of its kind, as some other small presses seem to have that kind of financial deal with writers (though the specific numbers vary). Most of those others are e-book first or e-book only, though, and largely targeted at adult genre fiction.<br /><br />My opinion would be, if you want a good critique from a professional, consider arranging a critique, but don't expect it to lead to publication. Pay for the feedback, not for access, to avoid disappointment. If you think namelos is a perfect fit for your book and your book is ready to go, see if you can meet Stephen at a conference, which may be more cost effective than getting a critique (depending on travel costs), and you may get other benefits from a conference as well.Kris Bockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16217265282250089583noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296041276140635168.post-61564882958566281652012-06-14T08:22:50.788-06:002012-06-14T08:22:50.788-06:00I've been wondering just what namelos is. Vani...I've been wondering just what namelos is. Vanity press? Hybrid traditional publisher? What? I'm still not really sure, but what I found when I read 'Eddie's War' this week is that the quality is way above anything you'd find with a simple vanity press. It was very good, and reminded me a lot of Richard Peck's works. Great book. It raised my opinion of namelos at the same time.Beth MacKinneyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14510201092365855223noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296041276140635168.post-86989923475678233512012-06-14T07:30:05.216-06:002012-06-14T07:30:05.216-06:00Sorry my comment above was a little disjointed and...Sorry my comment above was a little disjointed and I neglected to say hello. I'm posting from my phone and couldn't go back to re-read. *waves at everyone* :)<br /><br />To reiterate Carol's comment, we don't pay any money. We just don't start earning royalties until the shared costs have been covered.Alina Kleinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07499769990637055382noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296041276140635168.post-47078584137114274772012-06-14T07:00:40.894-06:002012-06-14T07:00:40.894-06:00Hi, everyone--
Something else we haven't even...Hi, everyone--<br /><br />Something else we haven't even touched on is the publishing model that namelos uses, in which the writers are full partners financially. The royalties are 50% from the first book, and for all subrights sales, but we also share some costs. (Not overhead--just the initial production costs.) I want to stress that the writers NEVER owe or pay anything. If our book doesn't sell, we lose nothing. Namelos takes all the risk. But once the book earns out its costs, the 50% royalty kicks in.<br /><br />Also, if Stephen learns of your book from a paid critique and offers to buy it, he refunds the critique fee.Carol Sallerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10418583796440779288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296041276140635168.post-85429670682582257872012-06-14T05:49:18.890-06:002012-06-14T05:49:18.890-06:00A reading fee would be a fee to read and then acce...A reading fee would be a fee to read and then accept or reject a manuscript. Yes namelos is a closed house. Just like most houses are these days, and not open to general submission. Stephen's critique services are a separate thing, similar to what Emma Dryden (drydenbks.com) and other respected editors offer. The fact that he offers those services and is also a publisher, seems to confuse people. What you would be paying for from him, if you chose to use that paid service, would be detailed editorial feedback from a longtime publisher of award-winning books.<br /><br />Stephen finds most of his books at conferences and events and via referral which means he's actively looking for them when he travels to speak. You and I both know from our SCBWI work, Chris, that the open invitation editors offer at conferences are usually met with a big, fat silence to all submissions or blanket, non-personalized form letters afterward. Closed houses are pretty much closed. Yes, there are success stories, but most are of the signing-with-an-agent variety. I'm not sure any editors are going into events looking for good books as much as Stephen does. <br /><br />So, I guess I'm saying, if you get the chance to meet him at an event, grab it. The same way you would for any other editor you admire, who isn't open to unsolicited manuscripts.Alina Kleinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07499769990637055382noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296041276140635168.post-37900223495590398092012-06-13T22:58:18.902-06:002012-06-13T22:58:18.902-06:00Hi Nancy. Hi Shannon. Great to see so many talente...Hi Nancy. Hi Shannon. Great to see so many talented writers here. Great interview, Chris. Thanks for posting this.Rosihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01294774973863802821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296041276140635168.post-90063739277269089172012-06-13T15:46:36.846-06:002012-06-13T15:46:36.846-06:00Jodi, that's my impression -- to "submit&...Jodi, that's my impression -- to "submit" to the publisher, you have to pay for a critique (or meet an editor at a conference). Generally that's a warning sign and authors are advised not to submit to publishers that charge reading fees. But Stephen is a well-respected name in the industry, and apparently you do get a valuable critique, whether or not they decide to take on your book. I'm not sure it's the right path for everyone, or for me, but it's an option and has obviously worked out for some of these writers.Kris Bockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16217265282250089583noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296041276140635168.post-86438608264737615872012-06-13T15:05:07.127-06:002012-06-13T15:05:07.127-06:00Just from reading the above, it seems the major cr...Just from reading the above, it seems the major criterion for signing with this publisher is meeting Stephen! A little confusing as to whether they are even looking for other authors, and what that author must do to connect. Do they connect simply from having a manuscript critiqued?Jodi Lea Stewarthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02914512243708096367noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296041276140635168.post-6788395424328333642012-06-13T14:08:00.288-06:002012-06-13T14:08:00.288-06:00Another soon-to-be namelos author here. I echo all...Another soon-to-be namelos author here. I echo all of the sentiments expressed, and I too met Stephen at a Whole Novel Workshop through the Highlights Foundation.Shannon Hitchcock ~ Children's Writerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17700790987811297412noreply@blogger.com