Rare Bird Publishing is an independent publishing house based in New York City. Our goal is to create a publishing process that feels effortless and lighthearted, so authors can focus on the catharsis of perfecting their vision.
How it started
RBP emerged out of our founder Josie Strom’s frustration with today’s publishing landscape. The renaissance of self-publishing technology has liberated authors from the barriers and bureaucracy of traditional publishing. Never before has it been easier to get your work in front of a global audience. But self-publishing can be time-intensive, and hybrid publishers can be expensive. As an alternative, RBP brings together elements of traditional publishing and print-on-demand technology to publish unique, uplifting, and inspiring books.
What does the ideal publishing experience look like, for you?
If we share a similar vision, it means ditching the downsides of other publishing avenues in favor of a focused and streamlined timeline for close, creative collaboration. And also many good cups of tea, along the way!
What’s the timeline?
1. Connect
We hop on a call or meet up for coffee. You share a little about your project and we see what type of synergy we have! We can also figure out a gameplan based on your goals.
2. Create
We work collaboratively to polish your manuscript and design your book cover. Then it’s time to review the proof copies and make any last tweaks before finalizing the paperback and ebook. We’ll also register your copyright.
3. Publish
The paperback and the ebook go live. Launch party optional! Depending on your strategy, we can spread the word with blog posts, press releases, and many other forms of marketing and promotion.
How much does it cost?
Typically, the author has no costs beyond the value of the time they invest in collaborating with RBP. The exact agreement can vary depending on the author’s goals and what approaches we decide to use, but our preferred arrangement is to split the profits 50/50 with the author. This is in contrast to the average 15% royalties that many publishers pay authors.
Spotlight on recent books
Collected Poems
By Alexander Palache Gutterman
Filmmaker, poet, and Colorado-based therapist Alex Gutterman had two blogs full of incredible poetry that he wrote over the span of several decades. In December 2023, we decided to publish a selection of the poems in a collection. The ebook and paperback went live in late August 2024, and within a month, we had already out-sold an estimated 50% of traditionally published books.
Stranger In The Fire
By Cornelius Corvidae
Singer-songwriter, musician, and Minnesota-based birch bark jewelry maker Cornelius Corvidae wrote this gem of a “modern Gothic” psychological thriller novel in 2014. Approximately a decade later, the ebook and paperback went live in July 2024 as one of our first pilot projects for RBP. We’re currently focused on promotion for the book (which we expect to spread like wildfire).
How to get started
We take on one or two publishing projects per year. If you think Rare Bird might be the right publisher for your next project, get in touch! We’re looking forward to hearing from you.
Secretariat Communications 
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