I have three publishers
for one of my pen names.
One is a big name publisher.
I send them all of my mainstream, “normal” stories.
They need to turn a profit
and their definition of profit is a lot of money.
One is a smaller, indie publisher.
I send them all of my edgier, could-be-breakout stories.
They also need to turn a profit
but their definition of profit isn’t much money.
Francis Ford Coppola
in an interview with Harvard Business Review
said
“I think the smaller the budget,
the bigger the ideas can be;
the bigger the budget,
the smaller the ideas,
and the exploration,
and the adventure,
and the challenge.
If there’s less money at stake,
you can slip in between the cracks
and look at the material
with a more honest, direct view.
You don’t have to worry about
what would preserve the investment better.”
“Everyone has this conservative streak in them,
especially when money and success
are at stake,
and everyone tends not to
want to be experimental.”
The same thinking is true with start ups.
The less money
(especially other people’s money)
on the line,
the more innovative and breakout
you can be.
You can take risks.
Think about how creative you want to be
when considering financing options.