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a hybrid work of fiction, store distribution. “We were not a fan of Amazon. It’s not good for
memoir, and criticism by about to lose some of our publishers or authors. They’re squeezing
Michael Coffey, PW’s former authors over the issue,” he out the midlist with ever more demands
co-editorial director; and noted. for discounts.”
Divining Desire: Focus Groups In 2015 the house struck a POD technology, both men agreed, has
and the Culture of Consultation deal with Charlie Winton, had a revolutionary impact on pub-
by Liz Fetherstone, a popular publisher of Counterpoint lishing. “The quality of POD printing
study of these groups. Books, to release 14 OR has been transformed over the last few
OR Books exemplifies a Books titles as part of the years,” Oakes noted. “It’s very hard to tell
new business model for pub- Counterpoint list and dis- what’s POD and what’s offset.”
lishers. Robinson explained that the tribute them to trade bookstores via OR Books uses two POD vendors to
name is not just an initialism based on Publishers Group West. To date, the print its books and drop ship them
the founders’ names; it comes from the cobranded partnership, OR Books/ directly to consumers and, in some cases,
word or, as in, another option for the Counterpoint Books, has published retailers within 36 hours of receiving
book business. Robinson added, “It’s not about 40 titles, and in fall 2018 it will each order: Bookmobile, a small vendor
just what, but how.” publish 20 titles. In the partnership, OR based in Minnesota, to fulfill U.S. orders
Oakes insisted that direct selling “must Books takes care of the editorial side and and CPI for U.K. and European orders.
be part of a company today,” though he delivers finished files to Counterpoint, Both vendors have software that moni-
thought it was a “crazy idea, when Colin which handles printing and distribu- tors the incoming orders, collects and
first approached me,” to launch OR tion—including returns. The two com- prints them in batches, and saves excess
Books. “But everyone’s view on that has panies split all revenues after production copies for future orders. “We don’t really
changed now.” costs (which include printing and print one copy at a time,” Robinson said.
Indeed, Robinson emphasized that returns) and the authors receive their full OR titles are heavily marketed online.
margins on its direct-to-consumer sales royalty payments. OR retains the exclu- Email is important. The house has
are so good they are able to use the money sive right to sell all its titles in POD edi- 60,000 email addresses and Robinson
to promote the books heavily online. tions via the OR Books website. said it uses “videos, memes, and catchy
“And this helps our bookstore sales,” he Print copies of the OR Books/ original content of all kinds,” adding,
said. Counterpoint titles are sold through the “You have to do it” to give books
Asked if the house is profitable, Oakes usual bricks-and-mortar and online visibility.
replied, “We’re sustainable—and maybe booksellers. OR Books had a storefront “We’ve learned how tough it is to sur-
a little better.” The house has a full-time on Amazon at one point, Robinson said, vive as an indie publisher,” Robinson
staff of about five (not counting the suppressing a smile. That ended abruptly said. “But it’s easier now; we know we’ll
cofounders) with offices on 14th Street in after he published an anti-Amazon story survive. Now we both want OR Books to
Manhattan. It develops many of its titles on the Huffington Post, he added. “We’re grow.” —Calvin Reid
in-house, but also accepts submissions
from agents. Advances, Oakes said, are Morrison Leaving HarperCollins
modest.
ichael Morrison, president and publisher of HarperCollins’s U.S. General Books
A good sale for an OR title is about
Group, will be leaving the company at the end of the month when his contract
5,000 copies (on the nonreturnable POD
Mexpires. In a statement, Morrison, who joined HC in 1999, said, “After 35 years of
titles), Oakes noted. Ten thousand copies
going to a Manhattan skyscraper every day, I thought it was about time I experienced a dif-
is “very good.” Among the house’s top 10
ferent life.”
in sales are Cypherpunks: Freedom and the
With his departure, Jonathan Burnham will be promoted to president and publisher, Harper,
Future of the Internet by Julian Assange,
overseeing Harper, Harper Paperbacks, Harper Perennial, Harper Business, Harper Design,
Program or Be Programmed by Douglas
Harper Wave, Amistad, Broadside, and Ecco. Liate Stehlik will be become president and
Rushkoff, and Inferno (A Poet’s Novel) by
publisher, William Morrow/Avon, overseeing William Morrow, Avon, Custom House, Dey
Eileen Myles.
Street, and Harper Voyager.
At first OR Books offered bookstores a
According to HC, the new upper management structure will be more closely aligned with
50% wholesale discount (minimum five
HC’s global strategy. “As our strategy has shifted towards greater global growth and as we
copies, payment up front, the books non-
have expanded our trade publishing program across 24 countries and 17 languages, it’s
returnable), but “most stores wouldn’t do
imperative that our management organization, roles and responsibilities align with our overall
it,” Oakes said. But retailer interest in
approach,” said HC CEO Brian Murray in the statement. Burnham and Stehlik will report to
OR titles has grown, and its authors
Murray. —Jim Milliot
started to complain about a lack of book-
8 PUBLISHERS WEEKLY ■ JANU AR Y 22, 2018