How We Work With You
WHY ROOTSTOCK PUBLISHING
Rootstock Publishing is a full-service hybrid and traditional publisher with worldwide distribution and a track record of award-winning and indie bookstore bestselling titles.
We offer an array of expert services, including professional editing, proofing, cover design, interior layout, and printing. But we don't stop there. We work with you on promotion, obtaining reviews, and distribution of your book through independent bookstores as well as with online print-book and e-book retailers and distributors.
Rootstock Publishing maintains a commitment to books that reflect competence, creativity, political and social awareness, and a distinct voice. We carefully curate and assess all submissions, and we put a lot of heart and soul into each book we publish.
“Working with Rootstock Publishing has been an incredible partnership, from beginning to end. I loved the collaboration with Marisa, the editor, and with Samantha, the publisher who guided ‘It Was Her New York’ into exactly what it needed to be—a beautiful, full-color, LGBTQ+ themed book. It has garnered much attention, won awards, is a BookLife Editor’s Pick and is now gracing the shelves of several prestigious independent New York bookstores.”
How Rootstock is Different
Traditional publishing houses are advanced-based and most won’t look at your manuscript unless it is submitted through an agent. Finding an agent can take years of research and querying.
Self-publishing is a DIY model that can be fast, though you will quickly need to learn how to do, and be, everything (or hire out for these jobs, which can be expensive): an editor, a graphic designer, a book formatter, a website developer, a proofreader, a publicist, and more.
Hybrid publishing provides the expert services and support you need to publish and promote your book. In the hybrid model, the author covers production costs and receives a high royalty rate on book profits. With Rootstock, it’s between 60 and 80%, depending on the genre and terms of the agreement.
Before sending queries or hiring anyone in the publishing industry, it’s important to understand the differences between these options. A great resource we recommend is Jane Friedman’s Key Book Publishing Paths and also Writer Beware for spotting scams. Rootstock adheres to the IBPA’s Hybrid Publishing Criteria, which is considered the gold standard in the industry.
“Working with Rootstock was a wonderfully streamlined process from start to finish. I felt supported along the entire journey, and I trusted my editor completely—something that is critical when offering your written work out into the world at large. They were incredibly responsive to any inquiries I had, and their author handbook was a tremendous resource and guide throughout the experience.”
PARTNERING WITH ROOTSTOCK PUBLISHING
The experience for authors with Rootstock Publishing is very much akin to that of working with a traditional publisher, except that you maintain full control and ownership of your book from start to finish, and you earn a higher profit margin on the net income of each printed book and e-book than you would with a traditional “big five” kind of publisher.
Self-promotion is a crucial part of the book market today, and your book’s success depends on a personal commitment to maintaining an author presence online and in person, doing readings and interviews, and soliciting events, reviews, and blurbs. As your publishing partner, we support you in these efforts, using our networks and experience within the publishing world to provide ideas and creative guidance, urging you and your book on to success.
Grow With Us
Rootstock’s hybrid model is a full-service model, offering all publishing services and a full marketing package for one inclusive fee. We also go above and beyond what many hybrids offer by actively seeking out subsidiary rights for other revenue streams for your book through our various partners, Center Point Press for large print editions; Drop Cap Literary Agency for translation rights; VitalSource for higher education distribution; and referrals for audiobooks with Voice Over Vermont.
And we partner with Book Award Pro to match your books with awards, a strategy that has proven effective. Everyday we learn about even more opportunities to partner with publishing industry service providers to grow your book; as we grow, you grow!
“Rootstock Publishing has proven to be one of my best decisions.”
Our Services
The Rootstock publishing fee includes all the contracted services listed below—everything necessary to become a published author!
Editorial, including one copy edit, final editing, and proofreading of the manuscript, all conforming to Chicago Manual of Style publishing standards.
Design, including custom cover (front, spine, back), interior design, and file preparation in paperback and eBook formats.
Distribution to trade accounts worldwide through our current distribution partners, including Ingram, the largest book distributor in the world, and Baker & Taylor, as well as eBook file upload to online distributors such as KDP Amazon and Draft2Digital.
Data management, including acquisition of the 13-digit ISBN and eISBN registration numbers, the Library of Congress control number, and ongoing project management of title metadata.
Web presence, including creating a Goodreads page and a commerce page and author page on our website.
Marketing support, including drafting and distributing a press release and a full-color sell sheet, and printing Advanced Reader Copies (ARCs) for bookstores, libraries, and other trade outlets, as well as to trade reviewers (Foreword Reviews, Publishers Weekly, among others) and social media reviewers.
Promotion, including eMailings to national bookstore and library lists as well as through Offshoots, Rootstock’s monthly E-newsletter.
Publicity support, with social media banners, graphics, and a list of curated hashtags, as well as PR for events and readings.
Awards and reviews support, including LibraryThing Giveaway for early reviews, access to submit to book awards through Rootstock’s Book Award Pro account, and access to discounted paid advertising and review opportunities.
The all-inclusive fee is $7,500.00 for prose (fiction or nonfiction, up to 100,000 words) / $4,000 for full-length poetry (50+ pages) / $2,000 for chapbooks or illustrated picture books (20-50 pages), payable in installments, according to the terms of the agreement.
“I am extremely grateful to the editors, copyeditors, and designers for their excellent work in producing my novels. For writers who care about the quality of their finished book and want to be part of a carefully curated, respected list of publications, I highly recommend Rootstock Publishing.”
Have more questions? Check out our FAQ page here.
Ready to submit your manuscript? Please see this link for guidelines and to start your publishing journey with Rootstock today!