12 Twelve

I was listening to NPR, as usual and there was this story about a publisher that was revolutionizing the industry by refusing to publish more than 12 books per year. Yes, only 12. It is a very interesting proposition, in a business very much like movies and music where publishing houses live off success and hits, many, many titles are condemned to the sale bin from the get go. It was funny also because I am reading a book about eh publishing world currently called Foul Matter, and it is a mystery/critique of the industry and it’s practices. Any how that review will be done later, when I am done with the last 25 pages, but in the mean time I wanted to talk about the story.

One of the things that has set this publisher apart is that he has managed to have many bestsellers and even in his first year of operation he managed to make it to the NYT’s best seller’s list. He says that the key is to only publish books you are passionate about. If you are really passionate about them they will be successful. It seems like a rather simple but subversive idea. Imagine that, focusing all our energy on doing 12 things really well, instead of trying to do 34 or 50 things all at once. I do know that I am one of those that tries to do too much all the time, I think that yes, I would be better off also if I concentrated on some core things, instead of trying to do many things at once. The question is if this works or seems to work at the personal level, will it work at the corporate level? I do not have the answer yet, but I have a suspicion that indeed this will turn out to be a successful mantra.

You can go to their website and see their catalogue, it is very interesting, I have not read any of their books yet. But I want to leave you with their 12 point manifesto:

1. Each book will enliven the national conversation.
2. Each book will be singular in voice, authority, or subject matter.
3. Each book will be carefully edited, designed, and produced.
4. Each book will have a month-long launch in which it is the imprint’s sole focus.
5. Each book will be nationally advertised.
6. Each book will have a national publicity campaign.
7. Each book will be published by Jonathan Karp, the editor who discovered Book Sense Book of the Year winners Seabiscuit and Shadow Divers, plus such bestsellers as The Orchid Thief, Franklin and Winston, Thank You For Smoking, What Should I Do With My Life?, The Dante Club, The Last Don, The Godfather Returns, and A Conspiracy of Paper.
8. Each book will be publicized by Director of Publicity Cary Goldstein, who for seven years was the architect of FSG's publicity campaigns for such acclaimed books as The Assassin's Gate, Sweet and Low, Natasha, and Trance, nominee for the National Book Award.
9. Each book will have the potential to sell at least 50,000 copies in its lifetime.
10. Each book will be marketed and distributed by the Hachette Book Group, the company with the best hit ratio in the American publishing business.
11. Each book will be promoted well into its paperback life.
12. Each book will matter.

Have you read any of their books yet?