When writers dream of getting published, their initial fantasies probably take the form of a massive advance from one of the big houses, perhaps with a nice little film deal thrown in. Because of this popular obsession with the big players, writers can easily overlook the benefits of a smaller, independent publisher. So here are six reasons why small is beautiful.

You’re made to feel special. The obvious benefit of a smaller house is that you are made to feel more important and are likely to receive more attention. Writers with experience of publishers big and small often say that, with the latter, the levels of belief and enthusiasm are likely to be higher.

With a smaller independent publisher, you are likely to enjoy a more personal relationship. Larger publishers may be less responsive and agile in general, and so not as quick to come back to you if you have a question or request. With a small list, the publisher will try hard to make each and every author feel important.

Debut writers get more attention. Big houses don’t always have a lot of time or budget to spend on debut authors, who may be seen as an unknown quantity that has to prove its worth before it can attract more attention. A first book that doesn’t live up to expectations sales-wise may threaten the author’s ongoing relationship with the house.

With smaller publishers, however, there’s likely to be less pressure on the first book. Small presses tend to invest in an author rather than a title and to invest in their titles more equally, with a much less tiered approach.

Greater input. Another area where small publishers benefit authors is in the consultation over things like cover design, blurb, and other marketing assets. With the publisher of my short story collection, I was asked to approve the cover design and also had input on the drafting of the blurb. Authors with big publishers, however, may find themselves saddled with a cover that they don’t think really fits with their idea of the book.

You won’t get stranded. An author who is brought into a big house may well have been championed by one particular editor, who perhaps had to fight off the rival claims of other editors and their preferred authors. This is a feather in your cap, of course, but if your champion departs it can leave you feeling a bit orphaned, because there is no one else with the same appetite to really fight for your work. With a smaller house, on the other hand, this is far less likely to happen because you have a relationship with the entire firm.

You get the best of both worlds. Small presses offer some advantages over self-publishing too, among them professional editing, proof, and cover design; marketing and publicity; and access to the buyers for the main book retailers and the wholesalers who supply independent bookshops. You’ll also be pitched to book festivals and events, and where the publisher has overseas rights, they will try very hard to sell the right for your book into those countries too.

You feel under less pressure. A big advance sounds wonderful, but a publisher who has invested a six-figure sum in you will be ruthlessly committed to earning that money back. This can put a lot of pressure on the author, who may well have to follow a punishing promotional schedule.

With a more modest advance from a smaller house, however, you can – with your publisher’s support – build up a following organically over time.

BIO: Dan Brotzel (@brotzel_fiction) is author of a collection of short stories, Hotel du Jack, and co-author of a new comic novel about an eccentric writers’ group, Kitten on a Fatberg (Unbound). For 10% off your order, quote KITTEN10