Rules for a quality co-production

1) Publishing with a publisher to be properly distributed. All co-produced works must be distributed in bookshops by a national distributor.
2) The importance of a quality editorial catalogue. A brand that only publishes emerging authors can hardly aspire to a widespread distribution. This is why publishers that do not have a catalogue that is attractive to bookshops and readers should not propose co-production contracts. In fact, to enjoy appreciable visibility, the works of emerging authors should be included in a catalogue that also includes both nationally and internationally well-known authors.
3) The free re-acquisition of the copyright by the author. Every co-production contract must always provide for the possibility for the author to freely re-acquire the rights of their work at any time they deem convenient.
4) The reimbursement of the contribution paid. Co-production contracts must always provide for the total reimbursement of the contribution paid by the author once a pre-set number of copies has been sold.
5) Formal revision of the text. The work presented to readers must be adequately edited, therefore co-production contracts must always include an item dedicated to the formal revision of the text, which must be carried out by the publishing house. At the same time, any changes made must be approved by the author before publication.
6) Published works must be carefully selected. The publisher must always provide the author with a written or verbal report outlining the literary characteristics of the work.
7) Advertising. Each co-produced work must be adequately advertised through a series of activities, including interviews, book fairs, support for the organisation of events, etc.
8) Clarity of agreements. Co-production contracts must clearly indicate the amount of the financial contribution – specifying that no further costs will be borne by the author – and must specify in detail the promotional action planned for the work.
9) The cover price. Contrary to what one might think, books by emerging authors should never have a cover price that is too low, because this would limit their distribution potential. If the mark-up for booksellers is too low – considering that the number of copies ordered cannot be huge – there is a risk of discouraging the book’s distribution in the national shops.
10) Reference series. In the catalogues of publishers proposing co-production, there should be no series solely dedicated to emerging literature, because this editorial policy risks marginalising the works of the authors that are being proposed.