09/17/2024
Words beginning with the prepositional afformative “syn-” all require two or more things. That Greek term means “with,” which presumes more than one actor or factor is involved. Based on a combination of the Greek terms syn (Gk. συν) “with” and ergon (Gk. ἔργον) “work,” the term synergy conveys the idea of people, machines, parts of the body, viruses, plants, or anything “working together.” Literally, it refers to people collaborating to complete a task. Imagine how difficult it would be to cut down a huge tree using a two-handled saw with just one person—you’d only have the push and not the pull. Book publishing is a prime example of the synergy in action, because while theoretically possible, in practical terms it is impossible these days for a single individual to publish a book without collaborating with others.
That’s why when Lucinda Helpern, President at Lucinda Literary LLC, and author of Get Signed: Find an Agent, Land a Book Deal, and Become a Published Author, invited me to participate in one of her Accelerator Workshops, I didn’t hesitate. (Check out my presentation on the Radius Instagram.) Lucinda runs these author development workshops for cohorts of aspiring authors who are committed to transforming their dream of publishing into a reality. One part of those workshops is educating authors about the different options open to them when they complete their manuscript and are ready to publish it. Radius Book Group represents one of the three current paths to publication. On one end of the spectrum authors look at traditional publishers. On the other end authors consider self-publishing. Radius sits squarely in between those two paths. As an author-centered independent publisher, commonly referred to as a hybrid publisher, we offer authors the best of both worlds.
Lucinda’s Accelerator Workshops guide authors through the manuscript creation phase and prepare them for the publishing stage of the process. Radius is one option these authors consider when choosing the best way to publish their book. Both Lucinda’s business and Radius Book Group are all about meeting the needs of authors. When I joined the author cohort to discuss author-centered publishing and answer their questions about hybrid publishing—questions particular to their specific circumstances—I was collaborating with Lucinda to further develop the mastery these authors have of the publishing industry they want to participate in. This is book publishing in action, people helping people based on relationships and networks of other people and organizations. What makes synergy work in book publishing is the benefits it brings to each party. I encourage you to jump in and enjoy the synergistic benefits of book publishing yourself.