We need to stop trying to make bestsellers, we need to make good books and turn those into bestsellers. – Mo Ostin
Northern Lights Publishing/Press is an association of five professionals (one graphic artist, a marketing group, one editor/book designer, one copyeditor, one senior editor) and a rotating group of ten published authors and poets all of whom are passionate readers. Financial backing is provided by a small group of investors led by Susan and Joseph Carrabis through the NextStage Evolution corporation. Everyone receives remuneration and owns an equal share of the company with the exception of Susan and Joseph Carrabis.
As of this writing Northern Lights Publishing is a startup and a response to the current (2023 ±7 years) publishing paradigm.
- What’s a “startup”?
A startup is a company in the first 2-5 years of existence. The US IRS gives a company five years to demonstrate profitability before declaring the business a hobby (with resulting changes in taxation and benefits). Most companies work hard to show a profit as quickly as possible so their investors will be happy.
Northern Lights investors and staff a) know publishing is a risky business that usually shows low profit margins and b) are in the game to publish books they want to read, not necessarily make lots of money (quality writing and production, not necessarily intended to be bestsellers). - What is the current (2023 ± 7 years) publishing paradigm?
What follows is the opinion of the ten authors involved in Northern Lights Publishing and is based on both a) 100+ author ongong interviews conducted since 2016 and b) the personal experience of those involved:- Most of today’s publishers call themselves publishers because they have a computer, an internet connection, and a LuLu, KDP, D2D, or similar account. Beyond that, they don’t know much about running a business or behaving in a business-like manner.
- Most publishers (including the major houses) treat their authors like something to be scraped off one’s shoe. Publishers who do so get away with it because most authors are
- thrilled someone wants to publish their book and
- don’t have any business experience themselves hence have no idea when and how they’re being rookered.
Northern Lights Publishing hopes to change that paradigm and works with authors towards that end.