“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—I took the one less traveled by,
and that has made all the difference.”
Robert Frost, The Road Not Taken
We decided the publishing industry was broken, outdated, and in need of a change. So we turned it upside-down and inside-out until we came up with a new way. Here’s a few of the things we’re doing to make the business better for both authors and readers.
Outreach
Being involved in our local and international communities is something that we’re passionate about, and we’re continuously adding new ways to give back, as well as planning for even bigger projects in the future. Here are some of the cool things we’re doing worldwide and in our own backyard.
Worldreader
Free books and readers for developing countriesWorldreader
We provide our entire catalog free to nearly 3,000,000 ebook readers in more than 50 countries.
Military Discounts
Free ebooks and discounted print editionsMilitary Discounts
Free ebooks for active-duty military with an email address, and 25% off print titles for all vets. FOREVER.
Libraries
Our books are in libraries across the countryLibraries
We provide discounted copies of our books to libraries everywhere to support one of our favorite institutions.
Educational Support
Annual writing contests, school visits, and free or discounted booksBuilding a Love of Reading & Writing
We’re planning annual writing contests from elementary to high school, to be published in collections and proceeds donated to those schools. We also deeply discount our books for schools, or provide them free.
Ongoing Education
Programs and workshops for college students, graduates, and beyondMentoring, Internships, and Workshops
From college students to convention-goers, our staff teaches and mentors writers, editors, artists, students, and anyone else who is interested in the world of publishing.
Diversity
It’s important to us a company and as individuals to celebrate people and cultures from all walks of life. We don’t discriminate in any way against any group of people, and we don’t support groups or causes that encourage that behavior.
- Our staff, artists, editors, and authors are from 10 states & 6 countries
- Submissions are accepted from anyone, regardless of prior publishing
- We actively support human-friendly causes and groups
Going Green
Another of our core beliefs is that publishing can be accomplished with far less environmental impact than is currently the norm in the industry. We’re always looking for ways to improve our conservation and recycling efforts, and improve our carbon footprint. Here are a few of the ways that we stay green:
- Reusing incoming shipping/packing materials in outgoing shipping, storage, and transport
- Using technology to maintain a “virtual” business, which lowers our energy, fuel and transportation needs.
- Printing our books using a Print-on-Demand model, which prevents energy, fuel, paper, ink and glue waste
- Using recycled paper only in the office, and recycling all unused printed materials
- Using eco-friendly printers and vendors who print or produce products we use with recycled materials
- Working to become one of the very first full-service book publishers to receive the “B Corporation” Certification, a recognition of being a leader in corporate responsibility by having a positive social and environmental impact (read more about this)
Innovation
We took the entire process of publishing books and looked for ways to improve every part of the process… and we found them!
- The fairest author contracts in the industry, designed by authors for authors
- Authors are involved in every part of the process, from cover design to marketing and sales
- Books published in all formats at the same time to allow our readers to choose their preferred edition
- Books are distributed worldwide online and through the largest book distributor, Ingram Book Company
Independence
Being an independently-owned small press allows us to do things the right way, the better way. Flexibility allows us to adapt to the ever-changing market environment, and our core goals keep us focused on what’s truly important: sharing great stories. We pay attention to market trends, we don’t use those in deciding the worth of a book. Our editors never rewrite books to fall more in line with those trends, either.
We accept submissions from anyone, anywhere, whether they’ve ever been published or not. In fact, we pride ourselves on discovering new and unpublished authors who would likely have never been published by a larger, more traditional press. We publish electronically, in print, and in audiobook form, knowing that readers love all formats. We distribute our books in as many places and through as many channels as we can, and we make decisions with the input of people from every part of the industry.
We can do all this because we’re not beholden to a group of stockholders who want only to earn every cent they can, regardless of quality. We can do this because we believe passionately in what we’re doing, and because we’re independent.
