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FAQ & What Is This All About? - Updated 10/9/2024

The small press ecosystem is extremely valuable, both for readers and for writers. Every day, small presses are offering opportunities for authors, publishing books that have been ignored by The Big 5 and their imprints, taking chances on writers and titles that otherwise would struggle to find space on the shelves. 

Some small presses are truly a labor of love, treat their authors with respect, and do their level best to make the books successful. 

And some small presses take advantage of the hope writers have for their books and their words.

How are writers supposed to know the difference?

Who is this for?

Small Press Report Card is a survey for traditionally published small press authors. It asks them to share their experiences with the small press (or presses) they have published with. 

How will the data be used?

The data will be compiled into a report, available freely to anyone who wants it.

Can I stay anonymous?

Yep! You are also not asked to share your name nor your book titles; your answers will, however, be associated with the specific press you are sharing your experience with.

What is the point?

For those of us who have been in the small press ecosystem or who have strong connections with other writers, the whisper network has been a primary source of information. However, closed networks are also exclusionary. In particular, debut writers are often the least connected, but also could benefit from receiving information about a particular press the most. 

This is why the data is aggregated by press, not by topic. Topically aggregated information provides insight into the state of the industry, but does not help authors make decisions about which presses they will submit to or choose to engage with.

How can a writer use this information?

Sites like Writer Beware have done a great service in surfacing scams, but when dealing with legitimate presses, there are other questions that need to be answered. 

Writers should know, for example, if a press has a history of not paying royalties, of failing to get books to events, or just generally acting like a jerk. At the same time, there are also some absolutely amazing small presses out there. Writers need to know about these, too!

Who is Small Press Report Card?

Hi! It's me. Wendy J. Fox. This is a project I cooked up partly inspired by The Review Review (no affiliation) and partly frustrated that publishing remains such a black box.