Publishing Cooperative Formed To Boost Quality, Offset the Costs of Self-Publishing and Marketing

PRLog (Press Release) - Jun. 9, 2011 - A host of money-squeezing factors experienced by publishers over the past several years have adversely affected the ability of emerging authors to get their work selected and published by traditional publishers.  These factors include the recession, diminished bookshelf space as book stores close, and discount selling.  Motivated authors, willing to go a step further in their writing aspirations, are beginning to form publishing cooperatives in order to side-step vanity, or for-fee publishers; such as Lulu.com, Tafford Publishing, and Outskirts Press.

One such cooperative was recently formed in Edmonds, Washington, The Edmonds Literary Group.

Authors Emily Hill and David Gross, both members of the Edmonds Literary Group, discussed trends in self-publishing, and the need for cooperatives to assist writers in their publishing ambitions on BlogTalk Radio, Monday, June 6, 2011.  A podcast of their discussion is available for download. Visit http://www.emilyhillwriter.com/projects.html  for details.  

Dr. Gross is quite active in Edmonds' literary circles; primarily as a member of the Steering Committee for Writers on the Sound, Edmonds’ annual October writers conference.  Dr. Gross is the author of ‘You Can Nail It!' and 'Animals Don’t Blush'. Both titles are available on Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble Nook.

According to Gross, the groups’ facilitator, all members of the publishing cooperative have agreed to read and offer general comments on each others completed manuscripts.  In addition, one member will be responsible for a line-by-line edit, with everyone sharing the editing responsibilities equally. Manuscripts will be chosen in blind-selection for promotion by The Edmonds Literary Group.  The group's members will  then prepare each manuscript for publishing according to the standards of the Small Publisher’s Association of North America.  These publication preparations will include graphics and design support, editing, marketing and promotion by the members, according to the professional skills of the respective members.  

“The concept of this cooperative is based upon the premise that self-published manuscripts that do not undergo third-party, professional-level editing have a greater propensity for being substandard and commercially unsuccessful,” explains Dr. Gross.  “By pooling the skills of other writers, artists, editors, and marketing experts the cooperative expects to publish quality books at a fraction of what it would cost an individual to contract for these services.”

Charter members of The Edmonds Literary Group include Dr. Gross, and Emily Hill, publisher and author of All Smart Cookies Can Self-Publish. Visit http://www.amazon.com/Smart-Cookies-Self-Publish-One-Step... for details.  Other group members include Dee Guierre, author of Old Maid Hazel; and James Blakeway, who recently published When The Leaves Fall Early.  The group is joined by Maria Meneses, writer, photographer and oils artist, and Kathi Humphries, a cover design artist.

The Edmonds Literary Group is looking forward to being joined by interested individuals who are willing to bring their expertise for the common benefit.  For further information contact info@avharrison-publishing.com.

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A.V. Harrison Publishing features ground-breaking topics from emerging authors. Its books are distributed by Ingram, available on Amazon.com and B&N Nook. Owner, Emily Hill, invites submissions and can be contacted at info@avharrison-publishing.com.

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