Small presses are independently owned and run publishing houses that typically employ minimal staff with various titles available to their readers. Aside from specialization in genre or subject area, smaller publishers take risks on new and experimental writers or projects that might otherwise require more significant investment for greater profitability with larger publishers.
Small presses are often run by passionate individuals who support underrepresented works and voices that might otherwise go unsung. Digital printing and distribution technologies have made operating small presses much simpler and more cost-effective in recent years, helping out competition between larger publishers and smaller press owners.
Consumers seek books published by small presses for various reasons. Some do it to support independent businesses and discover books outside the mainstream; for others, it provides a more intimate reading experience focused on quality over quantity; working with such publishers also affords writers more creative control and builds closer bonds between themselves and their publisher.
Small presses play an indispensable role in publishing’s landscape, offering their diverse voices and stories directly to readers worldwide.
Small presses serve the vital function of publishing books that typically fall outside large corporations’ reach, emphasizing quality rather than quantity and sometimes taking risks with books outside the mainstream. Their presence diversifies the publishing industry while giving voice to underrepresented communities.
Lastly, small presses charge higher fees than their larger publishing house counterparts but provide greater personalized service and attention to detail, often working closely with their authors to produce optimal-quality works.