Instilling the Love of the Written Word: An Interview with Amy Cianci
Publisher at St. Petersburg Press
What you create should stay yours, a sentiment shared with me by Amy Cianci, Publisher at St. Petersburg Press, in September. In late 2017, Amy and her business partner, Joe Hamilton, listened to the difficulties that local creatives shared in regard to the nuance of traditional publishing. Do I need an agent? How do I get noticed as a new, or unknown writer? When can I get my words in print, and with whom? They watched the transformation the music industry went through, bringing music directly to the consumer through various streaming services and knew that that was precisely what they wanted to do with publishing here in St. Pete, all the while keeping author-publisher partnership at the helm of it all.
Though the Press does not publish each manuscript proposal that comes across their desks, they make incredibly careful and thoughtful decisions about the projects they do publish be it children’s books, photo books, fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. In my conversation with Amy, it was clear that care for the creative and their creations are paramount to the press’ mission.
What makes St. Peterburg Press unique?
We provide a truly special partnership, very iterative. Bring us what you truly believe in as a writer. We want the manuscript that’s been living in your desk for the last 10 years and you’re ready to finally get it off the ground. We want the project you’ve been thinking of for months and months and it’s eating you alive on the inside. Though we do cater to local authors, we don’t always have local stories. Sometimes we have a local author and not a local story. Sometimes we have a local story and not a local author. Our process is iterative, and the author is a part of the creative workflow.
What should authors know when submitting a manuscript to the Press?
When an author has their first meeting with me, I have what I refer to as a lovingly honest meeting once I’ve read the manuscript. I want the author to know that if the project is not ready, it’s not ready. Or if the project is ready, but with caveats, like we are almost there…that first meeting is really telling. If the meeting goes well, I know that I’ll be able to work with that author throughout the process. The author and the Press go through this journey together.
Once we get this book in your hands, it’ll be what you want. And that was always our vision. We’ve heard so many horror stories from authors, publishers making creative choices on behalf of them. I vowed I would never do this. It is a very collaborative partnership to get that book over the finish line.
I love every project and for a completely different reason. We are coming at this with a very different experiential quality. Every time we do a project, there is something special and unique.
For every author, there is a different story.
Financially, we are very flexible to make sure that story that we think will make a great addition to our bookshelf gets made. Financials are only a piece of the puzzle. Every author published by St. Petersburg Press, owns and retains their Intellectual Property (IP). What you create, should remain yours.
With such a diverse portfolio of genres, is there an area that the Press is interested in exploring further as trends continue to change?
There is a beauty of being small and nimble. We are interested in unique and powerful stories, full of energy. Something people will look forward to reading.
What do you want the community to take away from the work the Press is doing?
When you are a lifelong reader, there are many times in your life when you’re so isolated because you are so invested in the stories. But when you get a bunch of people who to read and write in a room, there is a lot of lovely conversation. We continue to instill love for the written word, the idea of picking up a physical book that you can flip its pages and enjoy without plugging it in or recharging it. That story will always be good for as long as it is on the shelf. We want to connect readers with the long-form story again. That is what we will remember in 20 years. It is important to me to be a part of this legacy, to reconnect the world with stories, long-form stories, doing something to make sure that we are preserving.
What is in the calendar for the press?
Each year, we host the State of the Word, an annual celebration of writing and literacy. We invite speakers from all over the local community, from brick-and-mortar bookstores as well as the adult literacy space. There we also give out the Roy Peter Clark Award, sponsored by the press, that celebrates someone’s contributions to the St. Petersburg literary community.
The next State of the Word will be in May 2027.
Amy and I’s conversation was rooted in the importance of advocacy for the creative voices here in St. Petersburg. Without organizations like St. Petersburg Press, we limit the possibility for publication and bringing to light the voices of the talents in our own community. Should you have any questions, navigate to the St. Petersburg Press website to inquire about your project.
If you are a writer reading this interview, note that there are people who want to experience your work and will advocate for you. Find your voice and your story. We’ll be waiting to hear from you. •
