Help Keep Unsolicited Press Publishing
Unsolicited Press needs to raise $30,000 by the end of the year to cover the accumulated costs of bookstore returns, inventory loss, and the production of books already in motion.
This is a make-or-break moment for the press.
We’re sharing this openly and honestly because we believe transparency matters—and because independent publishing has always survived through community, not corporate backing.
Why we’re asking now
Before making this ask, we did everything we could to raise this capital ourselves.
Over the past year, we expanded services and consulting, increased marketing and advertising, built new tools and resources for authors, and widened our reach. That work continues—but it hasn’t been enough to absorb the compounded realities of small-press publishing in 2025.
Bookstore returns come back unsold. Inventory is lost or damaged. Production costs must be paid long before books ever reach readers.
These are the unglamorous, invisible parts of publishing—but they determine whether presses like ours can keep going.
Here’s the honest truth
If everyone who follows Unsolicited Press donated $10 or bought one book, we would be okay.
That’s the scale of this moment.
Not a miracle.
Not one large donor.
Just community showing up in small, real ways.
Where the money goes
Funds raised through this campaign will be used to support core press operations, including:
Absorbing bookstore returns and inventory loss, a routine but costly part of small-press publishing
Covering outstanding production expenses already incurred
Printing books for the coming year
Funding marketing, publicity, and outreach so new titles can actually reach readers
Supporting the day-to-day operations that keep the press running responsibly
In short: this funding helps us keep publishing—not just survive, but function.
Got $10? Here’s how it helps
Small support adds up faster than you think:
$10 covers packing and shipping or offsets a returned copy
$25 helps absorb a single bookstore return
$50 supports print-run setup or replaces lost inventory
$75 offsets ISBN, proofing, or production costs
$100 helps cover the real cost of printing one to two books
$250+ meaningfully stabilizes production and inventory
There is no “right” amount. Participation—of any kind—is what matters.
Ways to support right now
You can help in whatever way fits you best:
Make a direct donation (any amount helps)
Buy a book (for yourself, gifts, classrooms, or book clubs)
Book a consult or service
Purchase the Publishing Without Burnout PDF system (You help us; we help you)
Share this page with readers who care about independent publishing
If none of these options are the right fit but you want to help, we’re open to other ideas. Community support doesn’t look just one way.
WAYS TO DONATE
Card, Apple Pay, Magic Beans
PayPal
OUR SERVICES
Not everyone needs a consult.
Have questions about publishing? Or what to do next?
Ask a small press publisher—privately.
A short, honest diagnostic from the publisher of Unsolicited Press—without the pressure of a call.
Most writers aren’t stuck because they lack talent.
They’re stuck because no one has told them the truth.
Most writers don’t need a full consult.
They need someone to answer their actual questions—clearly and honestly—without turning it into a performance.
A complete, sustainable, ready-to-use social media campaign for authors.
$250
Many authors want to maintain a social media presence during their launch season — but planning 12 weeks of posts across multiple platforms can be overwhelming and time-consuming.
This service gives authors a full 12-week content plan tailored to their book + a 30-minute strategy call to align tone, goals, energy, and platforms.
It’s affordable, ethical, and sustainable — and built specifically for writers who want a little more structure without outsourcing their entire marketing identity.
Stop spinning. Start moving.
Most writers get stuck because they can’t see what their manuscript needs next. The Manuscript Roadmap gives you a clear, strategic plan — created by a working publisher and developmental editor — so you can revise with confidence.
This is the direction you’ve been craving.
Campain Progress
We’ll be updating this total regularly so you can see the collective impact in real time.
