STOP THE PRESSES! Wait, which ones?: A brief look into independent, small, and micro-presses

By: Kimberly Davis, Blog/Web Editor & Copywriter for The Teaching Press during Spring 2021

In the big wide world of publishing presses, it can be overwhelming for the most savvy of clients (and the most eager of interns) to not only narrow down their options from a professional perspective, but to pinpoint what exactly each and every press does from an organizational one. Although publishing presses can certainly offer their clients and staff with an extremely individualized experience—due to their wide range of services/capabilities, community/literary focus, and even the unique personalities they have on staff—there are undoubtedly similarities that can be detected across the board. So, let’s go on and ahead and get down to business. (The publishing business, that is!)

THE INDEPENDENT/SMALL PRESS AND THE MICRO-PRESS:

The independent (or small/indie) publishing press may be one of the most diverse publishing types out there when it comes to comparing all their individual characteristics down to the nail. Although these presses run their operations similarly to your standard, traditional trade book publishers, they do so on a much more condensed scale. Independent publishing presses may hold rights to their projects, while also curating submission quality. For the independent press, success is key! Notably, these presses also do not charge their clients due to their selectivity.

Many times, these presses will strive to provide their clients with a full publishing team experience (including editors, designers, and the like) when it comes to their projects; however, they are also all about providing a more involved, considerate approach than some larger publishers. In other words, they work to supply clients with the best of both worlds by connecting with their clients in both a professional and personal manner. It is possible for these types of presses to rely on out-of-house resources as well though, especially when it comes to marketing and specified printing services.

Similar in nature, the micro-press produces primarily smaller works, such as chapbooks and short stories, on an even smaller quantity scale. They also may not take on quite as many projects as other presses will throughout the year (with many of them only taking on one project within those twelve months!). Due to their limited services and financial output, these presses are considered to be more of a hobby or side-gig for many of those who work them. It is not entirely unknown for these presses to be run by a single individual either. Unlike the small press, however, the micro-press tends to keep all of its services in-house—taking on copy-editing, binding, printing, and sometimes marketing responsibilities for their clients.