Questions about Baen books

[ClearDragon]

First question: So I'd like to use their online submission, but I don't think I understand what they want.
I seems straightforward, but I can't understand exactly what they mean!
Here is a link to their faq page Baen FAQ

Second question: Is baen a self publishing company or not? Self publishing is not the rout I wanted to take, so I don't want to be wasting my time with Baen if it is.

 

[skip.knox]

The submission instructions seem pretty clear to me. What is it you do not understand?

 

[ClearDragon]

The submission instructions seem pretty clear to me. What is it you do not understand?

I don't understand if they mean don't use scene break indicators or too use them.
Here is the part in question

""Minimal formatting, please. Do not format text boxes or sidebars into the manuscript; use block quotes. Indent paragraphs; double space text, with no extra lines between paragraphs; center chapter headers and scene break indicators (###, ***, etc.); use page breaks only at the end of chapters. For emphasis, choose either underline or italics and use it consistently throughout. Try to avoid bold face, as it tends not to show up.

 

[skip.knox]

Center chapter headers.
Center scene break indicators.
The semicolons let you know you can consider those instructions as standing independent; the conjunction distributes the verb over both clauses, which let me put the instructions as two separate sentences, as above.

As to Baen as a publisher, it's best you do your own research on that question, so the conclusions you come to are your own.

 

[ClearDragon]

Alright, I think I understand better.
I'll do so.

 

[TWErvin2]

They are not a self-publishing outfit.

It can take quite a while for a response (think well over a year--more like several), especially if your manuscript gets moved up the line. (Unless things have changed in the past few years--I have not paid much attention to them as a potential market for a while).

 

[chrispenycate]

Definitely traditional publishing, if forward looking (they were among the first to accept electronic subscriptions, produce eBooks, other innovations I can't drag to mind at the instant, and intereaction with readers) I found them cooperative and flexible (admittedly, this was some years ago, when Jim Baen was still among us) with the piece of mine they published. Sure, they were very American, and anticipated a readership of mentally impaired teenagers, (meaning no long words, no extended sentences - non-optimal for me). If they choose you an editor, listen to him/her - I suspect this is true of any firm in the publishing business, but they know their militaristic, gun-hungry readership a whole lot better than a pacifist European .
All in all, a positive experience - and they'll tell you why they're insisting on certain details.

 

[ClearDragon]

Definitely traditional publishing, if forward looking (they were among the first to accept electronic subscriptions, produce eBooks, other innovations I can't drag to mind at the instant, and intereaction with readers) I found them cooperative and flexible (admittedly, this was some years ago, when Jim Baen was still among us) with the piece of mine they published. Sure, they were very American, and anticipated a readership of mentally impaired teenagers, (meaning no long words, no extended sentences - non-optimal for me). If they choose you an editor, listen to him/her - I suspect this is true of any firm in the publishing business, but they know their militaristic, gun-hungry readership a whole lot better than a pacifist European .
All in all, a positive experience - and they'll tell you why they're insisting on certain details.

Well alright then! Thanks for the advice.

 

[Steerpike]

Baen definitely isn't self-publishing. They're a traditional publisher who has been around a while and publishes some of the biggest names in the SF/F genres.