Stuart Wheatman describes about his role as the co-founder of Tonto Books
Stuart Wheatman
As the second part of our series of interviews with publishers, EssentialWriters.com chats to Stuart Wheatman, the co-founder and managing director of independent publishing house, Tonto Books. Tonto have four books coming out in autumn 2009, including Sheila Quigley’s The Road to Hell.
How did you come to work for Tonto Books?
Tonto was set up in 2005 as a partnership between me and Paul Brown. We met on a Creative Writing MA and, as we were both published authors, we were both keen to set ’something’ up for writers when the course ended. We weren’t sure what, but we set up Tonto Press and ran a short story competition to test the water. As it evolved, we ditched the ‘press’ tag and became Tonto Books.
What’s your role with the company?
Paul left the company at the end of last year. Up until then, we’d referred to ourselves as Publishing Editors. When you do everything, it’s always difficult to pin it down to one role and one title. Now I just say managing director.
Within the company, my main role is to carry on sourcing titles and to balance all the other jobs until it is a big enough entity to bring more staff in, rather than freelancers every now and then. My immediate role is making the company grow, making it work, spreading the word and managing the production of current titles.
Did you receive any formal training?
No. When Tonto started, we were learning from scratch. Publishing was something I’d always had an interest in since my first book was published in 2001. At first, we had no idea how things worked and there wasn’t anyone around to ask. It was all done with a lot of guess work and intuition - which I think was a great way to learn.
What makes Tonto Books different to other publishing houses?
A running joke now is that Tonto may have been the first publisher ever to be called ‘tiny’ in the Bookseller magazine - so there’s one difference.
I think attitude is a big difference. I approach anything in this business quite informally and am always looking to co-exist with others who are willing to.
For example, acquiring titles such as Sin Cities by Ashley Hames, Tony Hart’s biography, Simon Donald’s biography (co-founder of Viz comic) and Sheila Quigley’s new novel… These were all signed up by selling the idea of what a ballsy independent publisher can achieve.
So maybe the difference is knowing how to spot a good opportunity, rather than being content with sitting around waiting for it to happen.
I’m a big fan of John Blake of John Blake Publishing. He published one of my books a few years ago and I love the way he spots potential in a story and goes for it. I like and admire that maverick approach and he’s definitely a publisher I’d aspire to be like.
What makes Tonto different to others is that Tonto wants to be the next John Blake. I’d be more than happy with that!
What kind of books does Tonto publish?
It’s an eclectic mix, but people are starting to notice a ‘brand Tonto’. From my point of view, I’m always looking for something different, but something I know there’ll be an audience for it.
I think personal taste always creeps in, whether I like to admit it or not. Even if there is a huge potential market for a book, I still need to feel enthused by it. Or be sold the idea by the author.
In fiction, anything a bit edgy, anything that I’d be interested in as a reader, is a pretty safe bet. With non-fiction, I look out for inspiring stories and ones that make me laugh. There are titles coming out all the time where I think: ‘I wish I’d spotted that,’ or ‘I wish I’d thought of that.’
Tonto also tries to run writing competitions as often as possible - both to support and nurture new writing and to offer publishing opportunities to more experienced writers. It’s initiatives like that I hope I’ll always be able to run.
Balancing these projects with the more commercial ones is satisfying; it’s important to me to continue being a publisher that takes notice of new writing and helps build a community.
What happens to a submission once it reaches your office?
As I’m so busy, any submission gets logged with a time frame by which I aim to respond. It’s sometimes tricky situation being known as a ‘friendly local publisher’ because there is a perception that you can respond immediately or read an unsolicited manuscript on the spot.
As the website, www.tontobooks.com, has now been revamped with submission criteria, it should get round a few of those problems.
The basic procedure is that if I’ve asked to see a full manuscript, then I’ve spotted some potential in the writer and their work. The query is the selling point that gets the foot in the door, and from there any submission stands a good chance.
Of course, I couldn’t possibly publish every manuscript I think has potential, but I get round to reading everything that comes in, whether it takes days, weeks or months.
What do you look for in a submission?
It’s difficult to pin it down. The obvious one would be whether there is an audience for it and whether I can sell it. I think the writer has to know the piece inside out and I have to see their confidence shining through it.
How can a new author get past the slush pile?
Firstly by not sending unsolicited work. That gets a bit annoying. It sounds bad to say it, but there literally isn’t time to devote to this kind of approach.
If you are serious about and believe in your work, you need to go about submitting it the right way. Your query letter is crucial. You need to get that as good as the work you are submitting.
I met up with a writer just yesterday who emailed me with a non-fiction humour idea. The approach was spot on, to the point, and asked if I’d like to see a one-page outline. We arranged a meeting and I’m sure he’s a writer I’ll be working with in the future.
The best advice is don’t be rude… and have a manuscript that’s impossible to put down. And if you ever get feedback on your work, take it on board because it doesn’t happen that often.
Once you have accepted a manuscript, how do you prepare it for publication?
No differently to anywhere else, but I suppose being ‘tiny’ means the chain has slightly less links. A lot of work is done in-house and with a trusted team of freelancers. As a dyslexic, I’d be a fool to think I could edit and proofread a manuscript without the help of a qualified editor.
I’m publishing four titles this year, one in September, one in October and two in November. There’s a lot to do not only in production, but in all the behind-the-scenes work, promo, publicity, advertising, events, signings, and so on.
Even if I didn’t sleep throughout this process, there wouldn’t be enough time. This is when it pays to have a good team behind you.
What is your favourite part of this process?
My favourite part is either sourcing a title or discovering it in a submission. In ‘The Apprentice’ terms, it’s the part of going out there and closing the deal.
I love the buzz of spotting an idea and seeing it go from an idea to a published book. There’s nothing better.
What is the most challenging part of it?
The biggest challenge, up until now, had always been selling. Getting buyers to respond, to look at your AIs, to respond to an email. I used to wonder how they could call themselves ‘book buyers’.
It is a big let down for an indie to get all excited about their new title, to start sending info out … and then get no response. I imagine it is a massive challenge for others in a similar position. It always brings any optimism or momentum to a grinding halt.
I’ve just taken on a sales and distribution team on, ABS Sales and Vine House Distribution, to get over this hurdle and am glad to have that challenge going elsewhere.
Whose writing has excited you recently?
The three books I’m about to publish! There’s a coincidence!
Seriously though, I hadn’t read Sheila Quigley’s work until the opportunity to publish her came about, so I read her back catalogue in preparation. She’s a great writer - I’m very impressed with her new novel. She knows her subject completely and can answer anything on the work, but can also go into back stories of minor characters and describe every aspect of her work.
It’s not only her writing, but all these extras, and the fact that she’s great to work with, that makes her stand out even more. This new novel I’m sure will reach even bigger audiences.
Outside of work, I don’t get the opportunity to read half as much as I used to, but I’ve just started Kill Your Friends by John Niven and am starting to read Danny King - two amazing writers. Irvine Welsh never ceases to amaze me. He’d be my dream signing!
What would you say the main challenges are for an aspiring author?
As usual, getting publishers or agents to read their work. It seems there are a lot more people turning to self-publishing these days, but then I dare say there are all the distribution challenges that would go with such a move.
In such bad economic times, I think there are less opportunities for new writers as indies keep their belts tightly fastened. Bigger publishers are less likely to take risks also, and it proves difficult for everyone in the industry to sustain a living.
What advice would you offer an aspiring writer?
The thing I always say is don’t give up. Everyone who ‘makes it’ will tell you it didn’t happen overnight. You have to have a thick skin and take any constructive criticism offered. Of course, you don’t have to believe in the criticism, but you have to believe in yourself and your work.
Get on mailing lists, get to know bloggers, use social networking tools, find out about competitions, get networking by going to book launches and signings - use anything you can to get your foot on the ladder.
For further details, please visit www.tontobooks.com
Other publishing houses interviewed for this series include Parthian Books, Dedalus Books, Alcemi Books, Gomer Press, Trapdoor Books and Seren Books, The Friday Project, Chicken House and Wild Wolf Publishing
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Great interview, gorgeous!