New Publisher Takes on Post-Digital Challenge

New Publisher Takes on Post-Digital Challenge

Writer Paul Little has become a publisher to test a new model he believes can meet the challenges facing book publishing.

After several years as a ghost writer of best-selling autobiographies – Willie Apiata VC, Ray Avery: Rebel with a Cause and Paul Henry: What Was I Thinking - he has launched his own imprint, Paul Little Books, specialising in high-concept books with strong commercial potential.

The first two books using this model are published on August 5.

50 Shades of Key: The Unofficial John Key Joke Book revives the satirical tradition of Take Me to Your Leaders and The Muldoon Annual Joke Book for the 21st century.

Grumpy Old Men: 47 Kiwi Blokes, Who’ve Been Around Long Enough to Know, Tell You What’s Wrong with the World is an often thought-provoking, always entertaining read, featuring Ray Avery, Dick Frizzell, Sam Neill and 44 other prominent men sounding off about the things that drive them crazy.

Little believes there are two key factors that will enable books to thrive. The first is a scaled-down, low-overhead approach that is made for the likes of electronic publishing and social media marketing. This also enables a much more generous writer’s royalty than traditional publishing. “Money should go to authors not office furniture and company cars,” says Little.

The second key factor is distribution. “Books have to be available as widely and in as many formats as possible,” says Little, whose books will be available as ebooks with bonus content. “Whether it’s in stores, on a publisher’s website or through ebook retailers – books need to be everywhere people buy them.

“Today’s publishers – and authors – have to accept the reality of innovation and make it work for them rather than ignoring or resisting it.”

Upcoming books include a much-anticipated biography of Kit Dotcom, written by David Fisher, who has covered the Dotcom saga since it began for the New Zealand Herald.

“The book will include features such as QR code links to websites expanding and illustrating the story,” says Little, “and, again, the ebook will have extra content for Dotcom completists.”

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