Why work with us? And will your book actually, you know, sell?

1. We want a creative collaboration. We will partner with you to ensure that your vision and goals result in a beautiful book. We want to have fun, so we're looking for folks who are nice to work with. Really, why not? Otherwise it's pure misery slogging through a project.

2. We can't stand poorly produced books. We LOVE books, and so they need to look great—something you can be proud to hold in your hands.

3. Your book must have a reason for people to buy it. And people who want it. Otherwise it'll sit on the shelf. Think about who your people might be and why they’d be interested; it isn’t enough to just want to write a book.

4. We cannot write your book for you! Either take the time to get it in order or find another writer to help you. We will provide feedback, then edit and proof the text, but it’s your responsibility to have a fairly solid manuscript.

5. We are a known entity in the experience design and parks industry. Our work is respected, our authors are highly regarded, and our goal is to provide the best resources possible for industry professionals, university programs, and fans.

6. Some of our titles are available as print-on-demand, meaning they are manufactured and shipped immediately after each sale. This common method utilizes the same printers that publishers use for any type of printing, so there is no real difference for standard paperbacks. This is an ecologically sound approach that reduces waste from unsold books. Too many books are manufactured by the thousands, only to be "pulped" and dumped in a landfill. Of course, we also produce eBooks for most of our titles, which have almost no ecological impact.

7. Bookstore retail and best-seller lists are not as great as you might think. Stores need to believe in your book—and have local, interested customers who will actually buy it—to take the risk of stocking it. Most books don't sell and get returned to the publisher. We have a smarter, more effective strategy that allows anyone to buy your book—but you have to help us get the word out to them.

8. While we are not contracting with you to provide marketing services, it's only logical that we will do what we can to help get the word out. The more people know about your book, the more sales we make.

9. We focus on connecting directly with people. THIS IS HOW YOU WILL SELL BOOKS. You want to engage a community that believes in what you are writing about. Try to establish a home base of some sort, such as a website, podcast, or strong social media presence, where you can offer resources and dialog with readers and fans. Otherwise no one is magically going to want your book unless your last name is, well, something really famous or controversial.

10. Having said all of this, there are no guarantees. Some fabulous books will not sell well for a variety of reasons. This is par for the course in any creative endeavor—most books, records, movies, and games flop.