Dreamspinner Press discussion

Have a question for Dreamspinner Press's Executive Director? Ask it here!

What made you decide to launch DSP? I heard something about a moment of passion but tell me more.

Elizabeth, I just got a Kindle for my birthday. Can I use it wuth Dreamspinner Books? Which file form?

I must admit I don't know all the things an executive director does, so that is my first question! And I was wondering, when DSP publishes an Anthology, what decides the theme? Is it the genre that is popular at the moment or maybe an interesting idea?

S.A. wrote: "What made you decide to launch DSP? I heard something about a moment of passion but tell me more."

S.A. - the catalyst was a conversation with my brother in law. We were attending his wedding to his partner of 15 years and sitting in beach chairs. He was reading a Harlequin romance, and I made a joke about there being something wrong with traveling across the country to attend a wedding in a state where same same sex marriage was legal and having him reading a m/f romance. He told me that they didn't write happily ever after romances for gay men. That his life was happy and complete, and he didn't want to read angsty coming out stories or struggling with my sexuality stories. That he'd been there and done that and wanted to read stories that fit were he was now - happy, sitting on a beach, about to be married. I had been reading m/m fanfic for years because I had a friend who wrote it, so I knew m/m romance existed (at least in that realm), but there was close to nothing in published fiction when I looked. Shortly after that my friend was offered a contract on a book, and her experience was awful. It seemed stupid to see the need, know the authors that could meet it, have the skills to do it and not do something about it. Initially it was not my intention to start a business on the scale of Dreamspinner. Our first business plan was for four books a year. So much for good intentions.

Sarah wrote: "Elizabeth, I just got a Kindle for my birthday. Can I use it wuth Dreamspinner Books? Which file form?"

Yes, Sarah, all of Dreamspinner's titles are compatible with Kindle. You download the prc or mobi version of the ebook and put it in the documents folder on your Kindle. It will show at the top of your book list as new that next time you turn it on.

Only speaking for myself, but glad your plans went slightly awry... in our favour!

I'd have to agree with Phoenix there. :)

Lucia wrote: "I must admit I don't know all the things an executive director does, so that is my first question! And I was wondering, when DSP publishes an Anthology, what decides the theme? Is it the genre that..."

Lucia, I'm not sure I know everything that an executive director does. My first answer is what no one else wants to... :D I'm sort of the man in the park that holds all the strings to the bright bunch of balloons. There isn't a book that we've published that I haven't touched, starting with the submission and contracting process and ending with the royalty checks that go out.

Anthologies are a fun process. We have a staff week every summer when we congregate someplace remote and make a plan for the next year. Part of that is brainstorming ideas for anthologies and then deciding which ones. The interesting ideas definitely come first and then comes the work of deciding which of them to use.

L.C. wrote: "Phoenix wrote: "Only speaking for myself, but glad your plans went slightly awry... in our favour!"

Yep, another ditto here. :-)"

Double ditto!

Thanks for the answer and double thanks for being here for us!

Elizabeth wrote: "Lucia wrote: "I must admit I don't know all the things an executive director does, so that is my first question! And I was wondering, when DSP publishes an Anthology, what decides the theme? Is it ..."

If you look at all the book DSP publishes, that has to be a busy job indeed!

Where did Dreamspinner's logo come from?

William wrote: "Where did Dreamspinner's logo come from?"

After I came up with the name, our art director, in incomparable Mara McKennen, came up with it.

Elizabeth, I have to commend you for the job you have done with Dreamspinner. Dreamspinner is probably my favorite publisher at this point. I know that I can go to your website, find something new from one of my favorite authors, or find a new author and usually cant go wrong. The authors you have a as rule are all quality authors, and even more important to me, the books themselves are well proofed and well edited. Thank you for all you do...

Kevin

How do you schedule a book's release? Assuming 6 months from date of contract is the norm, why do some books go out earlier or later? What affects a book's release date?

Kevin wrote: "Elizabeth, I have to commend you for the job you have done with Dreamspinner. Dreamspinner is probably my favorite publisher at this point. I know that I can go to your website, find something new ..."

Thank you, Kevin. I passed your comment on to our editing department. Lynn and all our editors work incredibly hard to produce the highest quality book possible. Ultimately the heart of any publisher is their authors, and we have extraordinary ones.

Sarah wrote: "Elizabeth, I just got a Kindle for my birthday. Can I use it wuth Dreamspinner Books? Which file form?"

Sarah, I don't know if anyone answered you or not, but you buy unsecure (non DRM protected) mobi or prc format ebooks for the Kindle.

Ryan wrote: "How do you schedule a book's release? Assuming 6 months from date of contract is the norm, why do some books go out earlier or later? What affects a book's release date?"

Two main factors can influence publication date.

One-although we accept unsolicited submissions, we hold slots open in the calendar for our existing authors. If an author has published with us before, the time between acceptance and publication will be shorter than for a first time author.

Two-Balance. We schedule stories to create a balance in genre, author, and length. If we accept a great number of manuscripts in a single genre, we will start scheduling them farther out in the calendar so they don't all release on top of each other. The same is sometimes true in reverse. If we have a month that doesn't have any paranormal titles, we may hold a slot open, and a new submission might end up with a quick publication date.

If I may expand a little on Kevin's compliments... I think your web site is one of the best among publishers. The front page is really weird, the way it shows DSP's logo all over instead of covers from books--



--but beyond that, it is terribly easy to find favorite authors, discover new books, and spend, spend, spend!

I typically buy from ARe or DSP, period. The other publishers' sites are just so hard to use and so much less friendly in comparison.

Elizabeth wrote: "Kevin wrote: "Elizabeth, I have to commend you for the job you have done with Dreamspinner. Dreamspinner is probably my favorite publisher at this point. I know that I can go to your website, find ..."

Thanks Elizabeth, as I said all of you and your fellow employees' hard work certainly shows in the product you put out....and yes you are right. It all starts with the wonderful authors you have writing for you...

Charles wrote: "If I may expand a little on Kevin's compliments... I think your web site is one of the best among publishers. The front page is really weird, the way it shows DSP's logo all over instead of covers ..."

I second this, your website is by far the easiest to navigate of any publisher websites I have seen...

Charles wrote: "If I may expand a little on Kevin's compliments... I think your web site is one of the best among publishers..."

Thanks, Charles. We used to use covers from within a genre to represent the genre, but customers were confused by the single image representing a full genre. I'm glad you find the rest of the website easy to navigate. We are working on some alteration to the home page. You'll have to let me know what you think when it goes live.

I agree with Charles that although I find the home page odd, the actual site is very easy to use.

Also, the process of publishing with you is organised and simple.

Hi! I had a quick question. What is DSP’s rate of acceptance for submissions (manuscripts submitted vs. books published)?

Thanks!

Harper wrote: "Hi! I had a quick question. What is DSP’s rate of acceptance for submissions (manuscripts submitted vs. books published)...

Harper,
I'm going to give you three figures. For existing Dreamspinner authors (authors that have already published with us at least once), the acceptance percentage is 87%. For submissions to open calls that we've posted for anthologies and sets, the acceptance percentage is 38%. For unsolicited stand alone submissions from new (or new to us) authors, the acceptance percentage is 8%.

Thank you, Elizabeth!

Elizabeth wrote: S.A. - the catalyst was a conversation with my brother in law. We were attending his..." Hey Elizabeth!

I just wanted to say how much I loved reading this backstory about the company's founding. It's inspiring on a bunch of levels. I wish this was posted somewhere on the DSP website!

Damon wrote: I just wanted to say how much I loved reading this backstory about the company's founding. It's inspiring on a bunch of levels. I wish this was posted somewhere on the DSP website!"

Thanks, Damon. Every time I consider adding something like an About Us section, twenty other priorities seem to spring up, and it gets pushed down the list. I'll get around to is someday. I'm glad you enjoyed the story.

For existing Dreamspinner authors (authors that have already published with us at least once), the acceptance percentage is 87%. For submissions to open calls that we've posted for anthologies and sets, the acceptance percentage is 38%. For unsolicited stand alone submissions from new (or new to us) authors, the acceptance percentage is 8%.

Wow, I had no idea the rate was so low for unsolicited submissions from new authors. Suddenly I feel a lot better about myself, LOL! :)

Shae wrote: "For existing Dreamspinner authors (authors that have already published with us at least once), the acceptance percentage is 87%. For submissions to open calls that we've posted for anthologies and ..."

...and you are in the 87% group now. :D

...and you are in the 87% group now. :D

And since 87% of the 8% are accepted for subsequent submissions... uh-oh, clearly the day job is infiltrating my thought patterns again! :D

Elizabeth,

How many people work for Dreamspinner?

Sue wrote: "How many people work for Dreamspinner?"

We have two full time and two part time office staff. Lynn, Anne, Julianne and Gin head up our editing department with 18 freelance editors and proofreaders. Mara is our art director with 8 cover artists. And me.

*snicker* and me.

How could anyone forget you?!

Ariel wrote: "*snicker* and me."

*grins* ...and you.

Shae wrote: "Wow, I had no idea the rate was so low for unsolicited submissions from new authors. Suddenly I feel a lot better about myself, LOL! :)"

Me too, Shae!

Meredith wrote: "Shae wrote: "Wow, I had no idea the rate was so low for unsolicited submissions from new authors. Suddenly I feel a lot better about myself, LOL! :)"

And me. It just makes me realise how lucky I've been.

Why are Dreamspinner's editors anonymous? DSP is the only publisher I've seen where authors have no idea who is editing their piece.

William wrote: "Why are Dreamspinner's editors anonymous? DSP is the only publisher I've seen where authors have no idea who is editing their piece."

Elizabeth and Lynn are both traveling over the weekend, William, so it might be a few days before they can answer you. They aren't ignoring the question. They're just out of touch.

Ariel

William wrote: "Why are Dreamspinner's editors anonymous? DSP is the only publisher I've seen where authors have no idea who is editing their piece."

The first freelance editors we hired didn't want to use their legal names for a variety of reasons, so instead of using editing pseudonyms, which is the more common practice, we set up a system with a lead editor - Lynn, Anne, Julianne, and Gin - and they utilize multiple editors and proofreaders on each manuscript and review edits for consistency. On average four sets of eyes see every manuscript in an effort to catch errors that even an editor begins to read over when they have been through a manuscript multiple times. Having an author communicate with four different editors would be cumbersome and confusing.

Edward wrote: "I'm wondering about how Dreamspinner collects, keeps, uses reviews. I know y'all send ou..."

Hi, Edward. We employ Ariel Tachna as our social media and review coordinator. She handles distribution of titles for review, is the contact person for review notifications (from reviewers and authors), regularly checks the sites we submit to for new reviews, adds quotes from reviews and links to our website under the reviews section on every item page, and pulls and uses quotes from reviews to promote titles through Facebook and Twitter.

The only reviews we use for promotion are from actual review sites. We don't use reader reviews posted on Amazon, Goodreads or similar sites. You are right - it is a very labor intensive process, and if you have received some good reviews, it is always best to assume that she wasn't notified by the reviewer and send her the link to ariel@dreamspinnerpress.com.

Elizabeth, will Dreamspinner have any book covers with full frontal nudity, or is that still considered off limits?

Sarah wrote: "Elizabeth, will Dreamspinner have any book covers with full frontal nudity, or is that still considered off limits?"

Hi, Sarah. I don't consider it off limits, but I do consider it impractical. Since all of our novels are published in paperback, we have to consider what they will look like on a shelf in a bookstore and how people would feel reading it on a subway.

Hello Elizabeth,

Thank your for the site and the chance to read about m/m romance. But I am curious why there does not seem to be any authors that write about Scottish Warrior. I see so many in m/f genere and yet now in m/m romance.

Hunter wrote: "Hello Elizabeth,

Thank your for the site and the chance to read about m/m romance. But I am curious why there does not seem to be any authors that write about Scottish Warrior. I see so many in ..."

You are right. There aren't as many in m/m romance as m/f. You might enjoy by Serena Yates or Ariel Tachna has a short story called Highland Lover coming out in May.

Wow, that will be good to look for and thank you for your quick response

Hi Elizabeth. I'm curious about the DSP editorial process. Do you do content or substantive editing at all? I've slowly realized that I'm commenting about story structure issues a lot on DSP reviews lately, and it makes me sad.

Thanks.

Is the Goodreads link up yet for the 2011 Advent Calendar anthology - I'll Be Home For Christmas? I see it's for sale but can't find the link here.