Berrett-Koehler featured in Fast Company
Pick up a copy of the November issue of Fast Company and turn to page 86 for a rare look at the inner workings of Berrett-Koehler . The feature article explores how the unique approach we take to the business of book publishing is paying off. Here's an excerpt:
"It ended with lawyers."
That's how Ted Nace describes his first book deal, a "death of a thousand cuts" that culminated when his publisher, Microsoft Press, decided to change his book's title, "The Software Author's Handbook," to "Programming for Profit" at the last minute. Nace fought back by pulling the plug; his book never went to press. David Korten's story isn't much better. McGraw-Hill removed his first book, Bureaucracy and the Poor, from shelves after just six months. "They'd promised they'd promote the book worldwide and keep it in print," Korten recalls. "Even things that were clearly printed in the contract they ignored." (Both publishers declined to comment.)"
Such is life in the traditional publishing industry, where authors have little, if any, say in how their work is edited, printed, distributed, and marketed.
And then there's Berrett-Koehler, a small 13-year-old San Francisco-based publisher with a radically different approach. By turning the experience into a collaborative model that brings together the author, the editor, outside reviewers, and even readers, Berrett-Koehler has established itself as a house authors call home. "A lot of publishers treat authors like nuisances," says Steve Piersanti, BK's founder and president. "We treat them like partners." That's the case with Nace and Korten, both of whom eventually found success--and creative satisfaction—with Berrett-Koehler. "It's like having your own professional in-house support staff," Korten says.
The results—smarter books and better sales—speak for themselves.
"BK epitomizes what . . . smaller, focused publishers of the present and future can and should be doing," says Michael Cader, founder and editor of "Publishers Lunch," a daily newsletter that covers the publishing industry.
Although Berrett-Koehler is still a small company, with [an annual] catalog of just 30 titles and 250 authors, it has attracted such big-name writers as Ken Blanchard, the prolific consultant behind the One Minute Manager series, and management don Henry Mintzberg. "The big houses . . . basically give a book a six-week look, then they move on," says Blanchard, who has published five books with BK. "[Berrett-Koehler] is always asking what we can do to keep it going. It's win-win."
For more on the unique way Berrett-Koehler works with authors, go out and get yourself a copy of November issue of Fast Company. The article is posted online, but you'll need the access code from the current issue to read it (once the December issue hits the stands, the article will available online for free).
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BK Authors Si Kahn and Elizabeth Minnich Shake
Things Up with Amy Goodman
This week on her Democracy Now show, Amy Goodman interviewed Si Kahn and Elizabeth Minnich about the subject of their new book The Fox in the Henhouse: the damage privatization—of everything from social security to our schools, prisions, and the military—does to our society.
Read a transcript from the show
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Blog BK Currents Tackles Hot-Button Issues
On October 24, Berrett-Koehler launched Blog BK Currents—a group blog featuring the outspoken authors of our BK Curents line of books on controversial political and social topics. Initial interest in the blog has been gratifying with more than 3,000 people coming to check it out in its first two weeks, and more stopping by every day.
Howard Karger, author of Shortchanged: Life and Debt in the Fringe Economy, kicked off the blog by challenging readers to take a good look at poverty in America. Throughout the week he tackled:
* The vise squeezing the life out of America's poorest residents—with the government reducing aid programs like AFDC on the one hand and, on the other, refusing to enforce laws against predatory lending.
* The Bush Administration's double-whammy of fiscal maneuvers to deal with the cost of Gulf Coast recovery: Cut $50 billion out of domestic programs such as food stamps while simultaneously enacting $70 billion in tax cuts for the richest Americans.
* The widening income inequality gap in the U.S., and the efforts of companies such as General Motors to reduce wages and health care benefits in the name of global competitiveness while pay for senior executives skyrockets.
Week two of the fledgling blog featured Charles Derber, author of Hidden Power: What You Need to Know to Save Our Democracy. Derber relentlessly attacked the Bush administration on its claim to morality. In consecutive posts, Derber asks if it is moral:
* To lie to the American people to justify the war against Iraq. Vice Presidential advisor I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby was indicted for lying on Friday, October 28.
* To nominate a justice for the U.S. Supreme Court (Samuel Alito) who believes the federal government does not have the right to regulate the sale of automatic machine guns?
* For President Bush and Vice President Cheney to request an exemption to the McCain anti-torture amendment allowing the CIA to engage in torture.
All this week, Greg LeRoy, author of The Great American Jobs Scam, has been blogging about the $50 billion a year scam in which—in the name of "job creation"—corporations play states and cities against each other to win hefty taxpayer subsidies, then turn around and pay their workers povery wages, lay people off, or even relocate to other states.
Next week, Elizabeth Minnich, coauthor of The Fox in the Henhouse, will expose what she calls "The Privatization Agenda" and examine the damage privatization—of everything from social security to our schools, prisions, and the military—does to our society.
Visit Blog BK Currents now!
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Be Part of the Largest Grassroots
Mobilization in Movie History
You've undoubtedly seen Wal-Mart's lavish television commercials, but have you ever wondered why Wal-Mart spends so much money trying to convince you it cares about your family, your community, and even its own employees? What are they hiding?
WAL-MART: The High Cost of Low Price takes you behind the glitz and into the real lives of workers and their families, business owners and their communities, in an extraordinary journey that will challenge the way you think, feel... and shop.
With over 7,000 screenings planned for the movie's premiere, November 13th to 19th, you can take part in this historic grassroots movement. Visit the website to find a screening near you.
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