Small Publishers & Magazines Need Your Support Now More than Ever

From the director of Salt Publishing, Jen Hamilton-Emery:

As many of you will know, Chris and I have been struggling to keep Salt moving since June last year when the economic downturn began to affect our press. Our three year funding ends this year: we've £4,000 due from Arts Council England in a final payment, but cannot apply through Grants for the Arts for further funding for Salt's operations. Spring sales were down nearly 80% on the previous year, and despite April's much improved trading, the past twelve months has left us with a budget deficit of over £55,000. It's proving to be a very big hole and we're having to take some drastic measures to save our business.

Here's how you can help us to save Salt and all our work with hundreds of authors around the world.

JUST ONE BOOK

1. Please buy just one book, right now. We don't mind from where, you can buy it from us or from Amazon, your local shop or megastore, online or offline. If you buy just one book now, you'll help to save Salt. Timing is absolutely everything here. We need cash now to stay afloat. If you love literature, help keep it alive. All it takes is just one book sale. Go to our online store and help us keep going.

2. Share this note on your profile. Tell your friends. If we can spread the word about our cash crisis, we can hopefully find more sales and save our literary publishing. Remember it's just one book, that's all it takes to save us. Please do it now.

With my best wishes to you
Jen
Director
Salt Publishing
http://www.saltpublishing.com

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Middlebury College has stated New England Review must eliminate its operating deficit (an admittedly nebulous term considering the way literary magazines are funded) by 2011 or funding for the magazine will be eliminated altogether.

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I would be remiss not to mention that sales have been down for No Tell Books, as well. If the press sold a single book for each manuscript inquiry, it would be in pretty good shape. Sadly, that has never been the case.

Poetry will not be receiving a bailout. So be sure to support the publications and presses you care about. Many will likely not survive these next few years.

Signed,
Reb Livingston

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