Agents
Koehler Books welcomes agented submissions for both traditional and co-publishing. Our standards of acceptance for traditional deals are lofty and typically involve authors with a proven literary and sales records. Our criteria for authors seeking a traditional deal include:
- An amazing and inspired story that is superbly crafted and edited
- Collaborative authors who have an entrepreneurial collaborative attitude
- A verifiable track record of sales success from previous titles
- A strong marketing platform and promotional plan
- A dedicated following of readers
We only consider completed manuscripts in an array of non-fiction and fiction genres. They include thrillers, mysteries, military history and biography, memoir, historical fiction, and self-help. A complete lineup of our genres can be found here.
On occasion, we make traditional offers to debut authors with outstanding work that has great sales potential, and an author who is marketing savvy and entrepreneurial. More typically, talented debut writers are accepted into our Emerging Author co-publishing program.
We consider agents to be allies–not adversaries. We negotiate with transparency, in good faith and with civility, and expect reciprocation. Once on board, we expect our agents to assist traditional authors with marketing and publicity while we concentrate on creative development and distribution, as well as marketing, author training and collaboration, along with the myriad other things a publisher must do.
Agents looking for large advances need not submit. As a mid-sized Indie press, Koehler Books pays little to no royalty advances. However, we make up it for that with author royalties that far exceed industry averages. Our philosophy is to reward actual sales. We are exceptionally collaborative and insist that the author be involved throughout the creative development of the work. Our marketing program is very specific, and includes the things we do for the author, as well as working with the author and coaching them on their own marketing.
Many of our Emerging Author titles have come from agents unable to obtain traditional publication deals for clients with a strong piece of work. In such cases, after the author is released by the agent, we negotiate terms directly with the author and will pay the agent a finder’s fee if they are willing. If you’re curious about us and have questions, call Executive Editor Joe Coccaro at 800-435-4811, x2.
We’re always happy to tell our story and hear yours. If you have a manuscript you would like to submit, please use our submissions page. Or send your query direct to Joe at joe@koehlerbooks.com