How is a development company different from a publisher? How is it different from a book agent?
The development company is not responsible for manufacturing books (please see previous question for a more detailed explanation). After we create a fabulous proposal, we find an editor at a traditional publishing house who will shepherd the book from manuscript phase all the way to the bookshelf. In many ways, our company does have similarities to an agency: we seek out excellent writers, work with them on a project, and then sell the project to a publisher. However, there is one major difference. At Paper Lantern Lit, we develop all of our book ideas in-house, and then look for a fresh new voice to execute those ideas. So while a traditional agency looks for books and book ideas, we only care about finding the best new writers out there and fostering their voices. We’ve got the ideas, and enough experience with the market to know what has the best chance of standing out.
The development company is not responsible for manufacturing books (please see previous question for a more detailed explanation). After we help the writer create a fabulous proposal, we find an editor at a traditional publishing house who will shepherd the book from manuscript phase all the way to the bookshelf. In many ways, our company does have similarities to an agency: we seek out excellent writers, work with them on a project, and then sell the project to a publisher. However, there is one major difference. At Paper Lantern Lit, we develop all of our book ideas in-house. So while a traditional agency looks for books and book ideas, we only care about finding the best new writers out there and fostering their voices. We pride ourselves on cultivating emergent authors, and providing them a context in which to further learn their craft.
