Starting an indie publishing company was never going to be easy.
In fact, one of the queries I've received most since SNP came into being is, 'Why?'
My response has always been one that kinda brushes off the real question - 'I had too much spare time and money. It had to go.' - but there've been times in the last 24 months when the call is coming from inside the house; I've found myself wondering, 'Why did I start this company?'
The truth is, there's no straightforward answer. The publishing landscape was already rocky when we took our first baby steps and brought our anthology into the world, but now it's even worse with the prevalence of AI. We're constantly fighting off proposed attacks on our copyright, eyeing popular works with suspicion, and taking a magnifying glass to any submission or artwork that comes across our desks.
So, what is it like to publish indie in Australia?
Terrifying. Freeing. Thrilling.
Bringing together a team of talented, creative professionals and watching them produce cool art? Brainstorming in a team meeting to come up with some unhinged marketing ideas that we can actually do because we have no corporate oversight? Making the most niche memes that three people in the world will understand during the editing process?
The vibes are unmatched.
Submissions are my favourite. It's like a Sims 3 positive moodlet when I see a subs packet come in, knowing my next project could already be in my inbox. The next book I get to bring to life with my incredible team of editors and artists. Wondering if, in 18 months, I'll be signing off on the print proof and preparing to launch it to the world. It's fascinating to me, assessing how another author's mind works, how they brought their idea to fruition, how their prose dresses the scene and their characters develop and all the good tasty stuff that makes me kick my feet while reading and send 50 individual messages in Slack as I go.
The excitement of finding our next book is off the charts. It's a huge driver of why we do what we do. Seeing the enthusiasm from our readers and content creators when we announce a new acquisition gets us so hyped to persist down this path, to raise the metaphorical and literal finger to GenAI in publishing, to continue searching for our next project, and I'm really not sure I could ever put this down... if I could ever step away (this sentiment makes my mortgage broker nervous).
If I can be cheesy for a moment - when am I not - I never believed in a life's purpose. I bounced around jobs my entire adult life, struggling to stick in a career where my 'but why?'s were met with 'just because' and that didn't ever really satisfy my brain.
I believe I found my purpose the moment I held a copy of Tales of Ale and Chainmail in my hands.
This little book, brought into the world because I sat down every day with a 'how do we make this happen?' mindset until it happened. It was difficult, and stressful, and tough but the whys had answers that made sense and I could pursue them to an ending, or change my approach. Our processes have been refined since then, but we're constantly asking 'why?' and adjusting accordingly if we can't answer in a satisfactory manner.
I'm grateful to be at the helm of this company. I'm honoured that people feel comfortable sending us their books. I'm stoked to be able to look at our collection and see the commitment and passion from every single person involved in their publication.
I can't promise this is the case for publishing indie in Australia. But it is the case for publishing with us.
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