This ongoing series of posts has been very helpful so far, Dean. Thank you!
I do have a question regarding imprints:
Since in traditional publishing publishers either acquire smaller imprints that they then position beneath their own corporate umbrella, or start new ones: What’s the difference between an imprint in indie vs. traditional when it comes to the day-to-day practicalities of running a business? Do imprints have to be legally structured as daughter entities within the indie publishing business the same way a bought imprint would have to be (presumably?…) in traditional?
Specifically, does the imprint need to have some special sort of legal/tax setup or is it simply a matter of starting to use the indie imprint name on covers and copyright pages and such? Can it function as an internal and “unofficial” part of the indie business in the same way that multiple pen names do?
Elina, none of that. It is just a name on the publisher slot. Nothing more. No need for it to be legal at all. And over the decades, the big traditional publishers have bought up other publishing companies that often had hundreds of imprints inside the company. Up until the buying was finally stopped by the justice department, those kinds of purchases were the only way big traditional publishing could keep growing.
Keep in mind that what we call “The Big Five” now are also just smaller companies owned by massive international conglomerates.
An imprint in indie can be used for anything you want. To be honest, we pay little attention that we even have them except in branding of covers and such. We will pay more accounting attention if the day comes we want to spin off or sell one of the imprints.
Wow. Thank you for clearing that up. It’s amazing how complicated (and downright mysterious) something can seem before you have someone explain it in simple terms… 🙂
3 Comments
Elina Winterstrang
This ongoing series of posts has been very helpful so far, Dean. Thank you!
I do have a question regarding imprints:
Since in traditional publishing publishers either acquire smaller imprints that they then position beneath their own corporate umbrella, or start new ones: What’s the difference between an imprint in indie vs. traditional when it comes to the day-to-day practicalities of running a business? Do imprints have to be legally structured as daughter entities within the indie publishing business the same way a bought imprint would have to be (presumably?…) in traditional?
Specifically, does the imprint need to have some special sort of legal/tax setup or is it simply a matter of starting to use the indie imprint name on covers and copyright pages and such? Can it function as an internal and “unofficial” part of the indie business in the same way that multiple pen names do?
dwsmith
Elina, none of that. It is just a name on the publisher slot. Nothing more. No need for it to be legal at all. And over the decades, the big traditional publishers have bought up other publishing companies that often had hundreds of imprints inside the company. Up until the buying was finally stopped by the justice department, those kinds of purchases were the only way big traditional publishing could keep growing.
Keep in mind that what we call “The Big Five” now are also just smaller companies owned by massive international conglomerates.
An imprint in indie can be used for anything you want. To be honest, we pay little attention that we even have them except in branding of covers and such. We will pay more accounting attention if the day comes we want to spin off or sell one of the imprints.
Elina Winterstrang
Wow. Thank you for clearing that up. It’s amazing how complicated (and downright mysterious) something can seem before you have someone explain it in simple terms… 🙂