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I have been reading fantasy books since my early childhood. Science fantasy publishers have always captivated me since I was a child. I read books like The Giver and A Wrinkle in Time voraciously. I just could not get enough. It was so thrilling to read about galactic struggles between good and evil, post-apocalyptic societies living in a world of enforced conformity, and all that other stuff. For developing young minds, it was a wonderful adventure every time.
I think of fantasy publishers in a different way now that I am older. I have recently completed my first fantasy novel, and started looking for a fantasy publisher of my own. This is not an easy task to perform. Nowadays, fantasy publishers, like the rest of the publishing industry, are really market-driven. A lot of them are not so much looking for a good novel as one that they think will sell. They study recent sales trends instead of classics, trying to find the next big thing.
Experienced writers know how to use this to their advantage. You see, fantasy is sort of a niche market, and the various fantasy publishers occupy their own niches within that market. One fantasy publisher might focus for the most part on Gothic fantasy, while another might go in for sword and sorcery. Still another might cater to a Steampunk audience with that quirky aesthetic. Shopping your book around is easiest once you learn who to talk to and sidestep some of the politics involved with the industry.
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