The Most Important Site On The Web (for readers of the little-known and weird)

Whatever the causes and conditions giving rise to the fact, the wider SF&F community does not have the time or interest in the output of small press publishers.  

Certainly, there are exceptions, but these serve to prove the rule.  Small press gets less and less publicity these days.  Major SF & Fantasy review sites have recently stated updated charters that specifically exclude reviewing publishers that do not meet professional criteria such as the SFWA or other organizations define.  That is their prerogative, and this is not a post intended to berate these decisions.

In fact, with the proliferation of self-published work clogging Amazon and other booksellers (and often hard to differentiate from legit small press publications), and as someone working in the small press space, I see it as a good thing.  Say what you will about gate-keeping, given enough content, it is perhaps the only option that works at this point.

I'm also not interested in engaging in debate about the quality of self-published work.  There's some good stuff out there and some savvy folks making some money that route.  Good for them.  And good for the readers that find the good stuff in the self-published world.  Most self-published work is not very good.  Instead of your typical 80/20 rule, I'd suggest it is more of a 99/1 rule.

What about small press?  There's a fair amount of crap out there, 'typical rules' in full effect, but beyond that there is this effect that comes with independent labels: specialization, niche, and genre-affiliation taken to extremes not expressed by the categories in your local big-box bookseller.  That's the good and bad of small press/ indie publishers.  The stuff you would class in the 80% isn't just bad, it's work that is not of interest to you even if it were well done.  On the other hand, the good stuff isn't just good, but it scratches that particular genre itch like no Stephanie Meyers or Alice Munroe story ever will.  (sorry, I get a TON of Alice Munroe hits on the blog, in particular about a story called 'Dimensions' that I commented on, so though that might seem an odd name to plug in, it _is_ good SEO)  (former statement intended as wry, parenthetical aside, only.)

But how do you find out about what is good in the SpecFic indie scene?  And how do you narrow down from there to the good stuff that is interesting to YOU?

Most important site on the web, at least in this conversation, dear reader?

Rise Reviews.  

This is the only site that I know of dedicated to reviews of 'sub-pro-pay' fiction publications.  Everything from anthologies to magazines (electronic and print) to books and more.  This site was started by Bart Lieb, of Crossed Genres, and it a legit effort to offer readers a go-to reference for what is worthwhile in the small press scene.  What Rise Reviews is NOT, is a 'you pat my back, I'll pat yours' love fest.  Please check out the review of M-Brane Press' Things We Are Not, in which my own story is said to be one of the weakest of the lot.  That's not pulling punches: and thank goodness.  Some day I'll get a good review, and in a forum like this it will mean something.  I enjoy the time put into most of these reviews, addressing the strengths and weaknesses of the various stories, while (usually) steering clear of spoilers.  Even better?  You can contribute reviews of qualifying work too.  Can't get more objective than that.

So, in closing, keeping reading all that great, grand professional SF&F, because that's the stuff that keeps us all going: the cream of the crop, the blockbusters, the definer-of-genres.  And, check out Rise Reviews, to find the next literary equivalent of Sub Pop, the indie stuff just a little too left of center to be safe for the masses.