“Copublishing” with Köehler Books

John Köehler, writer, graphic artist, and founding father of Köehler Books Publishing, understands the frustrations of authors who, regardless of the standard of their writing, have discovered that there isn’t a spot for his or her work inside the restricted panorama of conventional publishing. Bored with the agent ready sport and the shortage of authorial management over the publishing course of, Köehler started publishing his personal books in 2004. His titles embrace a set of his artwork, a mirrored image on life with bipolar dysfunction, and quite a few works of fiction.

When a number of of his writer pals noticed the standard of the completed books, they needed in too. And so, a hybrid publishing firm was born. Solely, when he launched Köehler Publishing in 2010, Köehler says, he didn’t use the time period “hybrid press.” As a substitute, he most well-liked “copublisher.” The moniker will get to the center of what issues most to Köehler and the mission assertion behind his eponymous platform. “We consider in working very carefully with our authors… collaboration is the important thing,” he says. “That’s as a result of the writer is essentially the most educated particular person, the professional for the work.”

Köehler primarily publishes nonfiction, although it additionally welcomes novels. That stated, the home doesn’t publish each submission—in actual fact, it’s extremely selective, publishing fewer than 20% of the books submitted. Köehler emphasizes that the standard of writing is the one most necessary ingredient that goes right into a profitable e-book. And if that high quality isn’t current within the work from the get-go, it’s a tough cross. “The largest chunk of the iceberg is high quality,” Köehler says. “The readers as a gaggle can’t be fooled.”

For Köehler, the advantages of publishing with a hybrid press are quite a few. Writers can count on to get their books to market a lot sooner than in the event that they’d pursued the normal publishing route. It additionally provides authors extra participation with modifying and artistic improvement. And publishing with Köehler supplies authors with one thing that’s maybe much more invaluable: the information they should shield the integrity of their work and to seek out their readers.

Amongst hybrid publishers, Köehler notably stands aside: along with hybrid publishing, the home affords conventional publishing contracts to pick out books—round 5%–10% of titles revealed every month. For Köehler, this helps to ascertain credibility in a publishing world that also maintains a level of skepticism about hybrid homes, and it permits them to showcase deserving titles.

One other perk of publishing with Köehler: if a title sells 2,000 or extra mixed copies of e-books, print editions, and audiobooks, together with copies the writer purchases from the writer, the writer is obtainable a conventional publishing deal for his or her subsequent e-book. The chance serves as extra motivation for writers to champion their work. Which isn’t to say that Köehler authors are left to advertise their books on their very own. Along with a full vary of in-house providers, together with modifying, cowl design, and distribution by Ingram, Köehler supplies strong advertising and marketing help—one thing Köehler personally takes very significantly.

“I’m the advertising and marketing guru,” Köehler says. “After publishing over 1,300 books and speaking to a whole lot of brokers, I’ve picked up a factor or two.” He’s even added to his personal physique of labor, with two books on publishing and advertising and marketing books—The Pocket Information to E-book Advertising and marketing and The Pocket Information to Publishing. Each are free downloads on the web site.

From improvement to modifying and promotional campaigns, Köehler Books Publishing stays clear each step of the best way. Authors can see precisely what they may spend earlier than they start their publishing journey. And may they’ve questions or wish to examine experiences with different authors, there’s a neighborhood there to help them. Köehler hosts a personal Fb web page only for that goal. Through the Köehler web site, authors and readers may even vote on cowl design choices for his or her books.

Past the home’s complete method to publishing, Köehler books converse for themselves—as do their profitable, glad authors. In keeping with writer Betsy Ashton, “Writers lucky sufficient to signal with Köehler Publishing expertise a real partnership between author and editors, and author and writer.” It’s a well-deserved endorsement for a writer that—by a dedication to high quality, integrity, and constructing neighborhood—is really assembly the second for immediately’s authors.