Emma Howard is publishing executive at Legend Press, a young, fresh independent company publishing mainstream, contemporary fiction. Over the last year Legend Press has risen rapidly from being unknown to being recognised nationally and internationally as one of the top upcoming independent publishers in the competitive trade fiction market. Titles range from commercial to more literary and in addition to the diverse list of novels, Legend Press publishes
an annual short story series. The company is quickly growing and plans to double its list year-on-year until 2009.

Legend Press was founded in 2005 by Tom Chalmers (who is still, at 27, the youngest MD of a UK mainstream publishing company). Emma joined in late 2006. She is first port of call for submissions, reviews, media-coverage, publicity and events but also gets involved across all other areas of the business. Currently Emma is Tom’s only full-time employee but Emma finds a small team appealing - the advantages of being in a publishing company is the ability to be quickmoving and innovative.

Emma graduated from the University of Liverpool with a first in English but she didn’t actually enter the publishing industry straight away. Following university she worked for three years as
UK communications and fundraising manager for African development organisation Riders for Health. There she honed many of the skills she now puts to use in publishing, proving that taking the most obvious route into the book-world isn’t always necessary!

Emma Howard, WWN Talk

LEGEND PRESS - A PLATFORM FOR NEW WRITERS
Report by Nicci Talbot

May speaker Emma Howard, publishing executive at Legend Press, an independent publisher of quality mainstream fiction, explains why they are different and how you can write for them. Legend Press is a new independent publisher with big ambitions. It is the youngest-run mainstream publisher in the UK with a focus on contemporary, high quality mainstream fiction. “We are willing to take chances on material and we offer a platform for new writers,’ says Emma. ‘Our aim is to entertain, provoke thought and to provide readers with original ideas and access to different kinds of material.’

They are publishing 5 titles this year, 10 in 2008 and 20 in 2009. Current titles on the list include Candi Miller’s novel Salt & Honey, which explores Apartheid in South Africa and is currently on 3 for 2 in Waterstones. Heading South by Luke Bitmead and Catherine Richards, a guy/girl comedy with darker moments, and Seven Days – a gritty collection of short stories by seven different writers, aimed at the busy commuter.

“We are committed to working with authors on a long-term basis,” explains Emma. “As an independent publisher we can do this. The so-called ‘slush pile’ is our lifeblood. We are always looking for new work and we don’t favour agented writers. So far, none of our books have come via agents. We have a strong, varied list of authors and we offer material with a mixed cultural feel and different viewpoints. We don’t cater for one specific type of reader – we cater for everyone.”

Traditionally, the publishing industry can be quite slow in getting things done and Legend Press are looking at new initiatives and ways of working to keep things dynamic.

Content wanted:
• Adult fiction for the mainstream market.
• No sci-fi, historical, romance or thriller-heavy material – we aren’t genre-based.
• Our reader age range is 18-45 and leans towards the female market.
• Original, individual and contemporary material with an ‘edge.’
• Easy to read and not too literary.
• Emotion is more important than plot – we want material to provoke thought and offer a
• different insight into ways of life. Characters that make the reader think.
• A strong, individual voice is very important.

Approaching the editor – do’s and don’ts:
• Do your research before you send in material and get a feel for the type of work they are publishing.
• Send 3-4 sample chapters, a 1-page synopsis and a dated covering letter telling us something about yourself as an author. Send an SAE for return of the mss. They aim to reply within 6-8 weeks.
• Make sure your work is easy to read and well presented.
• Send hard copies of work rather than email, double-spaced.
• Think about your USP – what can you offer? Did you write the book under unusual circumstances? How can we market you?
• Proofread your work before sending in.
• Don’t send in work that is unfinished.
• Don’t categorise yourself as the ‘next Harry Potter’ or a ‘cross between x and y.’
• Don’t overwrite – 70-80,000 words are fine. 120,000 words are too long.

Payment:
• The average advance is £2,000 and royalty payments are good.
• Grants are available in 2008 for fledgling writers. See www.lukebitmead.com for details.
• Short stories are also wanted for their 2008 collection – see their website for details.

Emma can be contacted at: emmahoward@legendpress.co.uk www.myspace.com/legendpress