Bookouture is a new digital publishing imprint launched by ex-Harlequin UK marketing controller Oliver Rhodes. Specializing in women’s fiction, Bookouture will publish e-books and print-on-demand globally, paying a 45 percent of net receipts royalty on e-books.

“My aim with Bookouture is to focus on creating global author brands and followings—through high-quality editing and particularly through smart, creative digital marketing,” Rhodes says. “We’ll be delivering bespoke digital publishing and marketing for every single one of our authors, in a way not always possible at larger publishers. That means focusing very much on the author as [a] brand, and aiming for a select number of high-quality writers we can work with to build long-term careers.

Bookouture is now open for both agented and unagented submissions of entertaining, female-focused fiction and expects to launch its first titles before the end of 2012. Rhodes emphasizes that a distinctive voice and clear author promise are more important than a particular genre or word count.

Oliver Rhodes, Bookouture founder
Oliver Rhodes

“Bespoke publishing means exactly that: We fit our publishing to an author’s story—not the other way round. We’re not pigeonholing books or just following the latest trend—we’re about discovering talent and taking a long-term view. The most important question we’re asking of submissions is: Why would a reader buy the next book?”

As well as working with some of the best editors around, Bookouture is promising every author a bespoke author identity to run across their book covers, website and social media feeds. Each book will also get a bespoke digital marketing and publicity campaign.

“I’m aware of all of the benefits that traditional publishers can bring to authors—but also the limitations,” Rhodes says. “My vision is for Bookouture to be the best of the exciting new generation of digital publishers. We will be establishing our reputation based on creativity that delivers—one book and one campaign at a time.”

Source: Press release

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