Oh, Yes We Did…

Kris and I Killed Many a Good Brand…

I got two different emails suggesting that it was hard to believe that business-focused writers like us could kill brands. “Must have been pretty minor brands.”

Well, we can and we did. And like many writers, we only saw the real value in hindsight.

For example, in 1987 I was offered a small press by the name of Axolotl. It was in financial problems and had promised a book and taken money on the book from readers, so we bought the press and got out the book and then we promptly changed the focus of the press to original science fiction novellas, done in trade paper, cloth with dust, and leather editions.

Kris was the editor and we bought only very high quality novellas. And only published the top science fiction writers of the time. This went on for seven years and one year on the Hugo Awards ballot, all five books in the novella category were Axolotl Press books. Nancy Kress for Beggers in Spain won it that year.

Axolotl Press had huge value that we just let go.

We did that with other lines as well. So my point last night was to help publishers start looking at their own product in a new and different way. Possibilities, not just what few sales you are making on Amazon.

Or that you can make next year.  Future possibilities and value.  Just be aware.