Co-publication with Cynren Press and Cennan Books

As a micro-publisher, we must be selective in offering publication; as a growing publishing house, though, it pains us to turn away compelling manuscripts because of a full catalog of upcoming titles. With the aim of getting more outstanding literature under readers’ noses, Cynren/Cennan are now offering a co-publication model: The author pays a fee to cover production costs but earns royalties of up to 75% on net sales. Manuscripts are selected with the same discretion and treated with the same love, attention, and pride as our traditionally published titles.

 

We proudly abide by the guidelines for quality and reputable hybrid publishing established by the Independent Book Publishers Association (the premiere professional association for indie publishers).

 

CO-published books are indistinguishable from traditionally published books.

Royalties

Traditionally published books award royalties ranging between 8% and 15% of net (25% for ebooks and audiobooks).

Co-published books award significantly higher royalties:

  • Print books (all formats): 55% of net

  • Ebooks and audiobooks: 75% of net

Terms

Rather than claiming the standard rights term of the author’s lifetime plus 70 years, we will release rights 4 years after the book’s day of first publication. This term is, of course, extendible, should the author desire to remain with Cynren.

Fees

Authors will find that our fees are significantly lower than those of most other co-publishing programs.

Our author fee for co-publication includes all editorial and production resources that we spend on traditionally published paperbacks and ebooks:

  • Cynren Press ISBN and publication under one of our main imprints (Cynren or Cennan)

  • Comprehensive author guidelines for permissions and self-promotion

  • Substantive assessment and required edits by the author, if needed

  • Cover design

  • Blurb and bio writing

  • Full editorial

  • Layout and design

  • Proofreading

  • Optimized keyword research

  • Provision of review copies to blurbers & trade journals (e.g., Foreword Reviews, Booklist, Library Journal, Midwest Book Review, Publishers Weekly)

  • Free copies of the ARC for the author’s own self-promotion

  • Giveaways pre-publication (for solicitation of reviews)

  • A press kit

  • A Book2Look biblet

  • Listing on Edelweiss+ and other databases for trade buyers

  • Submission to at least two top award programs for indie/university presses

  • Registration with the Library of Congress

  • Copyright registration

  • Placement in the foreign rights market

  • And all other tasks and services that will get your book out to readers

Fee: $2,900

Add-Ons

Hardcover Edition

Co-published books include paperback and ebook editions. For an extra fee, we can also produce a hardcover edition (must be selected at time of contract signing).

Fee: +$300

Marketing

We market all books through unpaid reviews, listing and promotion on trade buyer and library acquisition databases, optimized keyword research, pre-publication giveaways, and the like. However, we also offer paid marketing services for an additional fee (must be selected at time of contract signing):

  • Paid advertisements in trade journals and/or niche publications (including ad design)

  • Email blasts to thousands of bookstores and libraries

  • Paid web ads, such as on Google, BookBub, Amazon, and the like (including ad design)

  • BookBub Featured Deal and/or New Release for Less

  • A blog tour

  • Paid reviews, if needed

  • And other paid promotional outlets, as appropriate

Fee: +$2,000 (note that the entirety of this additional fee goes directly to paid marketing)

Audiobook

We will endeavor to undertake the entirety of audiobook production and distribution.

Audiobooks are notoriously expensive to produce, however, and costs vary significantly, depending on actor fee (and whether the actor is live or automated), the length of the recording, royalty splits, mastering and engineering, and the like.

The decision to produce an audiobook can be made at any time after publication, with the fee determined on an individual basis.

Fee: approx. +$1,000 to $8,000

Updated 10/23/2024