Indie Publishing

It’s Not About the Authors. It’s About the Stories.

/ Mark Posey

What if the best story you’ll read next isn’t by the author you already know?

That’s the thinking behind a new direction at Stories Rule Press. Instead of focusing only on individual authors, we’re starting to build collections around something bigger: the kinds of stories readers love to fall into.

If you love thrillers, romance, fantasy, suspense—or any story that keeps you reading long past your bedtime—you may be missing books you’d love simply because you haven’t met the other writers behind them yet.

That’s about to change.

Before You Send Your Manuscript to an Editor

/ Author Services, Editing, Mark Posey

Typing “The End” feels like the finish line—but it’s actually the start of the next phase. Before you send your manuscript to an editor, there’s important work to do first. Let the story rest, read it again with fresh eyes, fix the obvious issues, and understand what type of editing your book really needs. The more polished your manuscript is before it reaches an editor, the more valuable—and effective—the editing process will be.

Meeting Readers at Live Markets

/ Mark Posey

One of the unexpected joys of running Stories Rule Press has nothing to do with computers, algorithms, or online stores. It’s the live markets. Standing behind a table of books and talking with readers face-to-face changes everything. Conversations happen, stories get discovered, and suddenly the solitary work of writing becomes something wonderfully human.

The Invisible Work That Keeps Books Moving

/ Mark Posey

A lot of what keeps books moving never shows up on a product page. It happens quietly—through revisions, production passes, and careful attention to the details that make a book feel seamless when it finally reaches readers.

Why Good Editing Feels Invisible

/ Mark Posey

Good editing doesn’t draw attention to itself. When it works, readers never notice it at all — they simply fall into the story. Editing isn’t about rewriting an author’s voice or showing off clever fixes. It’s about removing the friction that causes readers to hesitate, lose momentum, or quietly stop turning pages.

Your Editor Can’t Fix This (And You’re Paying Them To Try)

/ Mark Posey

Writers sometimes send manuscripts to an editor hoping the edit will “make it work.” But when the foundation of the story is cracked — weak character arcs, passive scenes, or conflict happening offstage — no amount of line editing can fix it. Editing refines what already works; it doesn’t rebuild the structure. Knowing the difference can save writers money, frustration, and a lot of misplaced hope.

Five Things People Get Wrong About Small Presses

/ Mark Posey

“Small press” gets used as shorthand for all sorts of assumptions — temporary, amateur, stepping stone. But size isn’t a synonym for casual. A real small press is a business with systems, strategy, and long-term intent. Here are five of the biggest myths people still get wrong — and what actually matters instead.

The Easy Way To… (Get Ripped Off)

/ Tracy Cooper-Posey

Everyone’s teaching authors how to spot scammers with lists of red flags and warning signs. But none of that works if your mindset is wrong. Because if part of you still wants the “easy way,” you’ll explain away every clue. Here’s why modern scams work — and the one shift that makes you almost impossible to fool.

What Will Never Change at Stories Rule Press

/ Mark Posey

Publishing evolves. Tools change. Platforms come and go.
But some things at Stories Rule Press are non-negotiable.

Story comes first. Readers are respected. Authors are partners.

We don’t chase trends, we don’t play games with urgency, and we don’t let algorithms decide what gets published.

We believe in thoughtful growth, careful attention, and direct relationships with the people who actually read the books.

Because if it doesn’t serve the story, the author, and the reader—we don’t do it.

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