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Saving Salt Publishing

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Saving Salt Publishing: Just One Book

Salt Publishing is a tiny poetry publisher with a big output, both in the UK and the US. They’ve just come to the end of their Arts Council project funding and the sales downturn caused by the recession means that they were about to go bust. And then publisher Chris Hamilton-Emery had a brilliant idea, for a viral campaign which would enlist everyone’s help with buying Just One Book.


Here’s what Chris has to say:


‘As many of you will know, Jen 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 ($6,477) 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 ($89,065). 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.


2. Share this note on your Facebook or MySpace 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.’


Salt website


Chris Hamilton-Emery’s blog on the crisis


To buy his book 101 Ways to Make Poems Sell



Our review of 101 Ways to Make Poems Sell 'If you’re serious about selling your poems, this book is a must.'


 


© Chris HolifieldManaging director of WritersServices; spent working life in publishing,employed by everything from global corporations to start-ups; track record includes: editorial director of Sphere Books, publishing director of The Bodley Head, publishing director for start-up of upmarket book club, The Softback Preview, editorial director of Britain’s biggest book club group, BCA, and, most recently, deputy MD and publisher of Cassell & Co. She is also currently the Director of the Poetry Book Society; During all of this time aware of problems faced by writers, as publishing changed from idiosyncratic cottage industry, 'occupation for gentlemen', into corporate business of today. Writers encountered increasing difficulty in getting books edited or published. Authors create the books which are the raw material for the whole business. She believes it is time to bring them back to centre stage. 2009

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