Why Do You Need a Publishing Imprint for Your Next Book?

You are preparing to publish your next book, whether it's your first book or you're an experienced writer. You'll face several decisions along the way, but one such decision might be whether or not you should start your publishing imprint. It's one of those concepts that comes up a lot in the publishing world and, hence, can sometimes be confusing, especially to an independent or self-published author. We'll look into what a publishing imprint is, why it may matter, and whether you need one for your next book in this blog post.

What is a Publishing Imprint?

A publishing imprint is often a name or brand under which books are published. It simply is the identifier for the company behind the book or the particular department within that larger house that puts it together. In traditional publishing, it is quite often a division of a large self publishing company that deals with specific genres, themes, or markets. For example, Penguin Random House has Knopf, Viking, and Dutton imprints with their respective editorial focus and audiences.

It may play the same role as in the self-publishing world, but in the hands of authors, it has the function of branding a book and establishing a professional identity. An imprint tells your readers that your book is produced with care or at least represents some sort of style, quality, or genre. Traditional publishers usually can promote their imprints; the self-published authors, therefore, use their imprints as a tool to build brand recognition of their writing.

Why Does a Publishing Imprint Matter?

Publishing imprints are highly important because they bring structure and identity to your work besides giving it a sense of professionalism. Whether self-publishing or working through a conventional publisher, the imprint itself gives your book an identity necessary for attracting readers, building credibility, and also marketing your book.

Establishing a Professional Image

Professionalism is necessary in such a competitive market today, wherein millions of books are put into the publishing market per year. Having a publishing imprint communicates to your readers that you're seriously committed to such an effort, whether self or traditionally published. That's how the presence of an imprint will offer you a professional touch on your book, which is usually in a list many readers are targeting for online and even physical store selection.

For self-published authors, an imprint is a book presentation elevator. It indicates that the book was actually made with care and attention to every detail. A polished imprint is one of the different ways you can make your book stand out from the competition in a crowded marketplace. 

Creating a Brand Identity

Just like companies or products, books, too, require a strong brand. The imprint of publishing serves as an identity for the work you do, which the readers can connect to. If you are planning to publish multiple books in the future or wish to create a long-term presence in the literary world, having a consistent imprint helps you build recognition and trust with your readers. For instance, people who like one book from the imprint will expect to receive a certain quality with all the books you put out under that name.

Over time, your imprint can grow into a trusted brand. For example, if your imprint is for science fiction or fantasy books, then readers will know that those genres go hand in hand with your imprint, thereby increasing the chances of getting your book read by people who enjoy that genre. A good imprint helps build consistency in branding and marketing, making it easier to recognize your books and, therefore, to appeal to your target audience.

Enhancing Credibility and Trust

Self-published books are rampant in the industry, so this can help you build that all-important trust with your reader. Many readers are deterred by self-published books because they think the quality is lower. Your imprint signals that you take your publishing process seriously, and your book has indeed gone through a professional production process.

This will make known to the readers that with the imprint of the name, the book is part of a larger and established brand. This may help an author build credibility and give the reader confidence in wanting to buy your book; especially for first-time novelists, establishing trust or rapport with the audience counts, and an imprint aids this process.

Do You Really Need a Publishing Imprint?

While a publishing imprint serves several purposes, it is certainly not in the best interest of every author. It's all about what you are trying to obtain as an author, how you plan to plan your publication, and where you look to position yourself in the marketplace.

When an Imprint Makes Sense for Self-Published Authors

An imprint is particularly useful for self-published authors, especially if you are publishing multiple books. If you have written a series or are going to produce books within a specific genre or niche, an imprint helps create a brand identity. Readers can recognize your books and know what to expect from your writing.

This can also be useful if you want to retain control over the process of publishing. Instead of your books being published under the default imprint of the platform (Amazon KDP or IngramSpark), creating an imprint of your own means you're free to present your books as part of a distinctive brand that expresses your own style and vision.

Another way an imprint can be helpful is by helping you distinguish between two genres or themes. If you are writing fantasy novels and self-help books, then you will have two imprints to avoid confusion for the reader, who might look for one type of book but end up finding the other. You can market each imprint separately with a focus on your target audience and promotional plan.

When an Imprint Might Not Be Necessary

Although an imprint is such a good tool for creating branding and marketing, creating an imprint may not necessarily be necessary, especially among new or one-time writers. If you are to start publishing or have only released one book, then making an imprint may be hard work and unnecessary. Most probably, you would opt to concentrate on other segments of the publishing process, wherein you could focus on writing, editing, and marketing instead of building branding for your imprint.

Moreover, if you don't have a publishing plan for publishing multiple books shortly, you might not have an urgent need to create an imprint. You may always start creating your imprint later once you're ready to scale up and publish more books. A few authors start with a personal name or with the default imprint of the publisher and later create their imprint when they are all set to expand their publishing ventures.

Cost and Time Considerations

Setting up an imprint comes with some added expense and administrative effort. It can be easier to establish an imprint on platforms such as Amazon KDP or IngramSpark, but to trademark an imprint or develop a specific, official brand will involve even greater investment. If you have doubts about dedicating long-term commitment to establishing an imprint, you should hold out until your publishing career becomes more established.

How to Create a Publishing Imprint

If you determine that an imprint is the best fit for you, setting it up is not a hard process. Most self-publishing programs, like Amazon KDP, offer the option of using an imprint when you upload your book. You have the option of using your name or coming up with an entirely new name for your imprint.

When choosing a memorable, relevant-to-the-genre-or-brand name, it is easy to identify your imprint. With an imprint, if you decide you will publish multiple books, then consistency in imprint branding and marketing is what works.

If you consider taking your imprint to another level, you may look into trademarking the name to protect your brand, and you want to make sure that your imprint name ties in with your overall marketing strategy and the image that you want to project out there as an author. In addition, you can get book publishing services to create a professional imprint. 

Conclusion

Whether or not to use a publishing imprint depends on the author's goals. If the aim is to create a brand and publish more books, an imprint would be very helpful in building credibility and visibility. On the other hand, if the book is the first, it may not be necessary, especially for authors just starting. What is most important is that your book is well-written, edited, and marketed. Pen Publishing Services can assist you in creating a powerful brand, manuscript refinement, and guidance on your publishing journey.