Answers to all things Greenleaf including publishing, marketing, and distribution. | FAQs

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Historically, the strongest barrier between independent authors and big sales has been distribution. This divide has become even more expansive over the past decade as a result of dramatic consolidation in the book industry. While books distributed by major publishers were perched atop tables in the front of stores, many small press titles and most self-published books never made it to the store in the first place. In keeping with Greenleaf 's mission to give independent authors the ability to retain the rights to their work and still compete with the major publishers, solid nationwide distribution is the core of our business.

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Greenleaf succeeds by operating within a fresh paradigm. Our publishing model combines the benefits of the major publishers' traditional approach with the ownership, timeline, and control perks of self-publishing. For the authors we publish and the small presses we serve, Greenleaf makes it possible to compete with the major publishers' production quality, profit margins, and distribution power without sacrificing control and independence.

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Greenleaf requires two things:

1. A manuscript or book (a proposal will be accepted if the manuscript is not written)
2. A completed Greenleaf submission form

Although not required, you may also include:

• A promotion or marketing plan
• Biographical information about the author
• Reviews, endorsements, or advance praise
• Sales histories of previous titles

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A book proposal?

Please send in a complete book or manuscript if available. If the book is not yet written or is in the early stages of development, you may send us a proposal. Please include in your proposal a synopsis, a table of contents, and at least 3 sample chapters, in addition to the Greenleaf submission form.

An electronic copy of the manuscript?

Our review team prefers a hard copy, but if you are unable to mail a physical copy of the book or manuscript, please notify a representative in our submissions department that you will be submitting via e-mail. The submissions department can be reached at submissions@greenleafbookgroup.com.

A galley?

Galleys or advanced reader’s copies are a welcome form of submission.

A manuscript?

Printed manuscripts are welcome and need not be bound.

Other formats?

Typically, we do not accept calendars, flash cards, coloring books, board games, toys, CDs, or DVDs unless they are packaged with a book.

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Greenleaf asks that all submitting authors fill out a submission form. It helps our reviewers better understand your project and expedites the process. All questions marked with an asterisk are required, but if you feel any questions don’t apply to you, you may leave them blank.

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If you receive an error message while filling out the submission form, you may either start over and fill it out online again or download the PDF version. The PDF version can be filled out, printed, and mailed with the submission or faxed to 512-891-6150.

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Greenleaf is looking for high-quality books with market viability and sales potential, and we accept a small percentage of the submissions we receive. Our review board takes into consideration the quality of the content, the author’s platform or audience, the timeliness of the message, and current trends in book sales to choose books we believe will be successful in the marketplace.

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The review process begins once we receive a submission form and consists of several steps. Our reviewers do extensive research on each title, looking at author platform, sales of previously published books, and how the book is differentiated from comparable titles in the industry. When looking at these comparable titles, we look at production and design elements, organization and content, price point, sales history, and other various factors that can help us determine how to position the book to compete in the market. We also look for an element of originality within the content that we can use as a hook for audiences.

Each submission goes through a double-blind review by at least two people, who evaluate the content based on production quality (if it is already printed), writing style, content, and sales potential. Once these reviews are completed, the book is evaluated by Greenleaf’s review board, where representatives from all of our departments come together to discuss each book and determine its potential fit. Every person brings their particular expertise—design, editorial, distribution, marketing—to the table so that we get a complete picture of the viability of a title.

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It takes our review team about 4-6 weeks to read a book, discuss it, and then make a decision. Once your submission has been reviewed, you will hear back from a representative from our consulting department either by phone or e-mail.

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Greenleaf Book Group is a publisher and distributor specializing in the development of independent authors and the growth of small presses. Our publishing model was designed to support the independent author and make it possible for writers to retain the rights to their work and still compete with traditional publishing houses. With award-winning content and designs, Greenleaf is proud to include a number of New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestsellers in our line. Because of our selectivity and strong reputation, Greenleaf has built distribution relationships with major wholesalers and retailers, as well as with schools, libraries, and independent bookstores, that help us get our authors into major sales channels.

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Greenleaf offers production, distribution, marketing, and digital media services.

Some of our production services include editing, content repurposing, cover design, interior layout and composition, illustration, book pricing, ISBN and EAN barcode, cataloging information, printing, and audio book production.

Our national distribution encompasses set-up in the systems of our wholesale, retail, and online partners, as well as representation by a sales force that actively sells our titles to national buyers. In addition to the standard distribution channels (national chains, wholesalers like Ingram Book, Baker and Taylor, etc.), we also sell appropriate titles to specialty accounts like airport bookstores.

Greenleaf also provides customized marketing initiatives that include supply-chain marketing, genre-specific marketing, and online marketing.

In keeping with current trends in digital publishing, Greenleaf offers e-book conversion and distribution, as well as various other forms of content chunking for use in social media and blogs.

To learn more about our production, distribution, marketing, and digital media services, please see our information packet.

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