A new approach called team publishing.

Booktrope is working to reinvent the way books are published

3/9/13

In my opinion, there is a convergence happening in the publishing industry. Traditional publishing and self-publishing are coming together to create something new. Neither will destroy the other, and neither will go away. But I do think that those of us who are authors will continue to innovate and explore, and those who are professionals in the book publishing world will continue to adapt to market conditions.

I've seen something called a hybrid publisher come into being- where a medium-sized press offers à la carte services to authors who want to own certain parts of the process but want help from a professional for others. I've also seen traditional publishers figuring out new ways to assist authors who get their books published with marketing, outreach and brand-building.

This week I heard about a venture called Booktrope and it got me excited because they are innovating and trying something new.

First of all, they have a great rallying cry on their About page:

Our goal is to change the way books are created.

If you are looking for the standard and the average, you are in the wrong place. We are about change, pushing boundaries, keeping what works and chucking the rest.

Indeed. I love it.

Their core concept is something they are calling "Team Publishing." This isn't self-publishing, it's something else, something new. They describe it this way:

We have pioneered a concept called “Team Publishing” which addresses the way books are actually developed, not just the way they are distributed and read.

I'll dig more into their approach as I learn more. For now, though, I just wanted to alert everyone out there who is an author or anyone looking at their publishing options.

The best part? As of February 20 they opened up their submissions to anyone, so you no longer need a referral. This could be a great opportunity for anyone out there looking to make a book happen with help from a strong, innovative team.

Image courtesy of screenshot via Booktrope.com