NF Publishing - Writers Forum

Nickie · 11-14-2005, 10:05 AM

It's official now: NF Publishing will start as a new publishing house next January.

I'm in the process of making all the arrangements. A website is being created and all the legal formalities are taken care off. When all goes well, we should be able to receive submissions in the course of January.

We are a Belgian publishing house, but we'll publish books in both Dutch and English.

Be sure to watch out for the offical start, and by then I'll post the link to the publisher's website.

If you already have questions now, you can always PM me.

Nickie

BookLover · 11-15-2005, 03:42 AM

Congratulations Nickie! All the best for the same!

Drzava · 11-16-2005, 09:53 AM

Is NF your initials, or what does it stand for?

Brasstwister · 11-16-2005, 10:18 AM

Woot gratz, you see had work does pay off, I better get back to work myself... before I get layed off

Nickie · 11-17-2005, 10:05 AM

Hi Drzava!

NF stands for my initials indeed: N is for Nickie and F is for Fleming.

Put aside that Nickie Fleming is not my real name...

Nickie

Jimmy_James · 11-18-2005, 11:34 PM

Hmmm I do like dutch people, maybe i'll look into submitting some work, I haven't yet decided on a publishing house, random house is doing negotiations with my agent but I wonder..

Nickie · 11-26-2005, 07:56 AM

What kind of fiction do you write, James?

Nickie

Nickie · 12-10-2005, 04:17 PM

NF Publishing is especially looking for novels in these genres:

- thriller/ police story
- adventure
- romance

These are the genres the European market prefers, although good children's book and young adult also have a public.

Nickie

Nickie · 12-18-2005, 10:23 AM

Authors who'd like to see their work in print, can always query NF Publihsing, by sending an email. Some personal information is appreciated, along with your views on writing and your intentions. Present your project by making a short summary of the plot and including the first three chapters (or first 50 pages) in attachment.

Please send your mail to: n.moens@skynet.be

This is my personal mail, as I am the owner of the company.

We are a genuine publisher. We don't ask any money from you, the author! Instead we'll pay you royalties, as stipulated in our contract. We also like to offer a chance to new authors. I've always wanted to do just that, and I don't need to earn lots of money. Of course, I have to be honest and say that I hope to find some beauties of books, that WILL SELL nicely... But the reward will be more in having found such a jewel, than in the money itself.

Nickie

Nickie · 12-31-2005, 11:00 AM

Although not quite offficial (we only start tomorrow) NF Publishing already has received a fair number of admissions.

Right now, we are hoping to get some sizzling romance novels (historical or contemporary, doesn't matter) and good detective stories. Anyone who writes these, can send a query!

Nickie

Mike C · 12-31-2005, 05:48 PM

What actual publishing experience do you have, Nickie? I know you self published your own books; how many copies have you sold, so potential authors can see what they are aspiring to? Will your books be printed, or POD? Will you pay advances?

Ilan Bouchard · 12-31-2005, 07:40 PM

Is NF Publishing a vanity/self publishing company?

In either case, 'grats.

Nickie · 01-01-2006, 03:12 AM

Hi fellas!

Mike: As I'm only starting off as a publisher as of today, I'm obviously not yet very experienced in this actual job. But having seen a lot about the publishing business I know what to do and how to take care of it. Right now, I'm over 500 copies sold of "De Medici diamanten". The chief editor of Manteau (our biggest publisher) once told me that historical fiction only sells appr. 200 copies in Belgium - so I presume I'm doing real fine there and creating a new market. Belgium is a small country, and books rarely sell in the thousands. A bestseller is a book that sells 1000-3000 copies. And only two or three authors here reach that status.
But I'm not only aiming at the Belgian market; I also want to publish books in English and for those there is a much bigger market.
I hope to make my company a respected one - one that treats authors with respect and gets them good deals.
And no, at this moment I can't pay advances. The submissions I get are from unknown authors, and although I may think that their story will sell, I really can't be sure. I take a risk (and spend money) getting this story into bookform and I pay royalties that are better than most. Should a published author prove to be very good (in sales figures, I mean) than of course it's another story. If he/she should decide to present us with a second book, then we can talk about advances.

Ilan: NF Publishing is no vanity/self publishing company. We don't ask money from the author. If they submit a novel, and we think it has chances, we'll publish it at our costs and the author is paid royalties on the sales.

Nickie

Mike C · 01-01-2006, 04:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nickie

The chief editor of Manteau (our biggest publisher) once told me that historical fiction only sells appr. 200 copies in Belgium - so I presume I'm doing real fine there and creating a new market. Belgium is a small country, and books rarely sell in the thousands. A bestseller is a book that sells 1000-3000 copies. And only two or three authors here reach that status.

How much research of your market have you done, nickie, because in 2003 25 million fiction books sold in belgium. The market was worth 1.1 billion Euros in Belgium in 2002, and is forcast to top 1.2 billion by 2007.

If historical fiction accounts for just 200 of those 25 million books sold, that's pretty poor. and if a bestseller is a book that sells 1-3k copies, and only 2 or 3 authors reach that, then either there are 50,000-100,000 writers in belgium all getting published but selling badly, or you don't really know what you're talking about. Which is it, Nickie?

Nickie · 01-01-2006, 05:09 AM

Indeed, Mike, lots of authors in Belgium (Flemish ones) get published - but don't sell a lot. There are only a couple of 'big' names here, and they write detectives/thrillers or cooking books (especially by famous people). One of my friends is Luc Deflo, and he is one of those who sell a few thousand copies per title. The only author selling over one million (but with 16 titles already) is Pieter Aspe. And no, Mike, there are no 50.OOO-100.000 Belgian authors being published!

It is true that books do sell in Belgium - but then books by foreign authors, like J.K. Rowling and Dan Brown (both million sellers), Jeffery Deaver, Clive Cussler, just name them. Flemish people like to read, and gladly pay some 20 euro per book. Each year, more books are sold in Belgium.

That is why I like to publish in two languages. If I get a really great book in English, and the author has signed the contract, I can translate his/her work into Dutch.

I have done my homework, Mike, and I know I have a chance of succeeding. I know it will be very difficult to equal Manteau, but hey, they did not build Rome in one day either! When I start something, I do my utmost best to reach my goal. And this has been my dream for many, many years. Finally it's getting true!

Nickie