publishing a book in finland by a non finn

[psammy]

Hello all,can anybody give me some useful advice on the finnish writing business,do finnish authors have a second job or they solely depend on thier work..i just finnish writing a book and want to publish it, but dont know if there is any future in the writing business here...

[maryanneloop]

Hi!
First I have to tell you I am not a Finn, I am a student working and studying in Helsinki, and, a writer.
I just recently came across your subject in google while searching for publishing houses in Helsinki
i just finished a poetry/essay book in English which i'd like to publish in both Finnish and English.
I called the biggest publishing house here, Otava and also sent an email with my manuscript but they brutally rejected me because of their policy: they won't publish nothing in English, they only translate books in English. Of course it was another way to tell me, sorry, but you are not a Finn.
If you want to share your experience in publishing with me and if you personally know some publishing houses that accept English writers, please email me.
marl20056@yahoo.com

If you just want to print the book and go yourself in the bookstores and deliver it, without any promotion or benefits, go to Kirja Kerrallaan, is in Lasi Palatsi, into the small bookstore with postcards.
Good luck and don't give up hope!

[EP]

Of course it was another way to tell me, sorry, but you are not a Finn.

That is not true. I have worked in Otava and the only books in English they published at least in those days were books that targeted foreign markets. Right now I have my eyes on my bookselves and I can see ALVAR AALTO, The Early Years by Göran Schildt. The Golden Age of Finnish Art by John Boulton Smith, PIETILÄ by Malcolm Quantrill – that kind of books, art and architecture. Two of those writers are foreign, only Schildt is Finnish. Neil Hardwick (a Brit) and Roman Schatz (German) also have had books published, but they write in Finnish.

[EP]

You could try http://www.johnnykniga.fi/kniga/index.jsp

[Cloudberry]

hello all,can anybody give me some useful advice on the finnish writing business,do finnish authors have a second job or they solely depends on thier work..i just finnish writing a book and want to publish but dont know if there is a future in the writing business here...

I think most authors the world over have other sources of income to keep them going. The UK would be a logical option if your book is in English.

[Mook]

but they brutally rejected me because of their policy: they won't publish nothing in English, they only translate books in English.

anything?

[interleukin]

It is not so strange that they would only publish in Finnish/Swedish as 99% of the people buying books in Finland are native readers of those languages and prefer (especially the older generations) to read in Finnish/Swedish. Publishing a book that has been translated from another language (e.g. English) into Finnish/Swedish is a different thing, as that book has already gone through some selection. A book that is liked enough in e.g. English for someone to translate it already has a pretty good chance of getting sold when translated to Finnish. Someone coming from the street with a book in English and no prior record of writing great books... of course it is too much of a gamble. Trying to blame this on some kind of xenophobia or taking it personally is just stupid and overestimating your own importance.

[Mölkky-Fan]

hello all,can anybody give me some useful advice on the finnish writing business,do finnish authors have a second job or they solely depends on thier work..i just finnish writing a book and want to publish but dont know if there is a future in the writing business here...

You will need a good editor if you are writing your books in English... even in your short message you have spelling mistakes and grammar mistakes galore!

[psammy]

if i were in your position,i will simply dont leave a coment, if i dont have anything reasonable to contribute...my post wasnt an attack on anybody or even vulgar in nature,i only ask for information from the general public, which i dont think deserve your stupid and outrageous coment about right spellings or not...most season writers work were turned down by many publishers at first attempt,maybe different story in finland.."English teacher" ,am not a native english speaker, but i think is will do the finnish publisher more good for him to read my miss spelt english work and get the message, than writing in a language spoken by less than 500 thousand people which he may not have even heard of before..keep your silly and offensive opinion to yourself

[interleukin]

Well the thing is that if you are lazy enough to not bother writing in decent language even when writing shorter texts in an internet forum... you are too lazy and arrogant to ever write anything that anyone except maybe your mother will want to read. You do know that first impressions are important? And you do know that every time you write sloppy text, you just may be scaring off someone who reads the forum and publishes books... Not very likely, but your immature reaction to criticism makes it unlikely anyone would want to gamble on you and your book.

So just grow up and behave like an adult and you just may get treated like one.

[psammy]

your reply makes you so inmature, that i now understand why you or whoever wrote the previous coment wrote that..mr matured guy.finland is not an english country and who says language is a barrier in writing or putting words and ideas out..i guess you are another self overrated jackass,who thinks he knows more or better..sorry to dissapiont you, finland is not an english country, and unfortunately for some of us who happens to come from non english speaking countries,the little english we know ,write or speak here happens to be our only way out for now in finland before we learn the new language of our host country(finland)but that is not a limitation to an innovative and inquisitive mind like mine..what is important to me, is been able to express myself and my work in a way my audience will understand..and if i speak or write good english like you, i will publish my work maybe in english and will not need your type as editor in an internet forum in a non english speaking country

[EP]

I think books written in English and targeting the general public (not just art and architecture people in foreign lands) have the best chance with publishers in English-speaking countries. That is obvious. So why not try them? There are also way more publishers and wider audience. Particularly audience that wants to read books in English because it is their native language that they understand best. If I ever write another book I write it in Finnish. And where ever I live, I will send it to a Finnish publisher. Why would any English-speaking publisher bother to read (and get translated) my manuscript that is just it – just a manuscript, not a book.

Just some weeks ago I suggested somebody who had written a book in English and wanted to find a Finnish publisher that s/he should send it to some publisher in an English.speaking country. Why a Finnish publisher? S/he PMd me and his choice of subject made a difference in my mind. It was about his/her trip as a refugee and his/her reactions after arriving to Finland. How he saw things. Well, that topic involves Finns somehow, and it is not fiction, so that might have a small chance if it is well enough written and the publisher sees it interesting enough to get translated.

But on second thoughts, I should have suggested that s/he also sends it to some magazines, type Apu, Seura.

[Pursuivant]

How about making a book with only pictures?

[psammy]

Thanks EP for your reply,i think you really got the picture of what i am trying to say..i am not english,but speak and write little english. i just wrote something about traditional asian herbal medicine from natural fruits and berries, which i found out that finland has alot of these here..and i am trying to put this asian herbal and traditional medicine mixture from the forest forward in this book to the finnish audience ,which i found out really have interest in it.whats your opinion about this..

[Mook]

*sigh*

Find a ghostwriter.

Or, even better, write it in your own langauge and have it translated.

Sure, you have a story to tell, but it'll only be any good if you can properly express yourself.

So, the regarding the publisher thingy, sell the story, not your writing. Good Luck.