At a time when the prospects for independent publishers hasn’t been very rosy, along comes Dzanc Books with a simple philosophy that may reverse that trend:
Dzanc Books is looking for literary fiction that takes chances and does so with great writing. We do not mind books that do not fill a marketing niche. We are looking for absolutely fantastic works to fill those slots. It really is all about the writing to us.
Dzanc prints ink-and-paper books, but that’s about the extent of the traditional aspect of their operation. Founders Dan Wickett and Steve Gillis, along with their staff, work virtually online and conduct most of their business by email; employing internet-based strategies to promote their titles that relies heavily on viral marketing, and avoiding expensive traditional advertising.
Links:
The Future of Publishing?
From Old to New Media: Blog Begets Publishing House
Emerging Writers Network
This past November Penguin published “The Truth About Chuck Norris: 400 facts about the World’s Greatest Human” – a parody that pokes a little fun at Norris’ tough-guy image. Mr. Norris has usually been good natured about these “facts” and has made a soft drink commercial that capitalizes on their popularity, and more recently, a political endorsement for Mike Huckabee that in itself perpetuates the schtick.