I have been reading fantasy books for as long as I can remember. When I was a kid, I really liked the science fantasy publishers. 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.

The older I have gotten since those days has lead me to think of fantasy publishers in a slightly different way. I have just completed my own original fantasy novel and am in the process of finding a fantasy publisher of my own. It has been no easy task. 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. The publishing world is all about selling and often trends overshadow the work.

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. Learning who to talk to about your latest work can save you a lot of aggravation when it comes to finding publishers.