Small Press Publishing Alive and Well

by Janine Armin

The 21st annual Toronto Small Press Book Fair was held on June 7, 2008.

Eighty-five publishing houses and literary publications participated, a 30 per cent increase from 2007. Publishing houses included Porcupines Quill, Carousel and Anik Press. 

In addition, about 800 attendees enjoyed a myriad of readings featuring authors like four-time Governor General’s Award nominee Christopher Dewdney and Anna Camilleri. 

Organizers Myna Wallin and Halli Villegas, the poetry and fiction editor for Tightrope Press respectively, were very excited to embark on their third time hosting. Wallin attributed an increase in attendance in part to a $900-dollar hike for marketing. 'We've just been papering the city.' 

Sales topped last year's numbers, where publishers on average sold in the range of $200 dollars. 

Spencer Gordon, editor for Ottawa-based fiction magazine, the Puritan, said the Fair was twice as big as the equivalent 'really community oriented' event that takes place in the nation's capital. 

The Fair has gone through many cycles. Over the past five years, the fair has had a greater focus on micropresses. 'Who knew we'd be drawing so much talent from the zine world,’ mused Villegas, adding, 'They're much more savvy.' 

ECW, selling books by Jacob Scheier and Trillium Award Book Award for Poetry nominee Emily Schultz, was probably the biggest press at the event. One small press was reluctant to come due to the difficulty in selling trade books. The other key roadblock was staff just weren't available. 

Kitty Lewis, managing director for London, Ontario-based Brick Books was also unable to attend for lack of resources, but said book fairs ‘provide a venue where we can display a good selection of our titles with our covers front and centre.’ 

This is crucial, she stressed, as 'bookstores in Canada and the United States order our books but can then return any unsold ones for credit up to one year after ordering them. So only our most recent titles might be on a bookstore shelf - and often spine out.'  

Though spirits were high at the Fair, small presses and the literary magazines that showcase their texts feel the financial burn. 

Jane Hope, managing editor for Montreal-based poetry magazine Vallum revealed, 'we have a big problem with subscriptions,’ adding optimistically, 'our newsstand sales are surprisingly high.' 

And it’s not just Canada that seeing a spike in sales, she said, ‘Our US distributor just upped our distribution to 800. 

’Whatever difficulties presses face,' Lewis assured, ‘I can report that small press publishing is alive and well in Canada and flourishing.’