Working with
Branta Studio
“Rebecca of Branta Studio is a joy to work with. To her work she brings both a meticulous attention to detail and a finely-honed appreciation of nuance. As a skilled craftsperson, she uses her tools with discretion and in the service of the project she is working on.”
— Nigel French, Graphic Designer & Photographer
“Thank you, Rebecca, you really get it . On our book project you entered into my art imaginatively in a way I could only hope for. And for that reason and many others, it’s so perfect that you’ve been part of The Middle of Somewhere journey. When our paths crossed as I was writing this book, we became fellow travelers on the road of words and ideas, typefaces, and mapping where images might be placed on a page.”
Branta Studio acts as a liaison between publishing houses and writers, researchers, editors, designers, and sometimes printers. This book packaging arrangement blends the roles of agent, editor, designer, and publisher. We specialize in non-fiction biography and autobiography, nature/environment, art, politics, and history, particularly women’s history. Here is a brief overview of how it works.
Submissions
Writers or Artists with Ideas
Ideas are great. We like ideas, but we don’t like spinning our wheels. If you have a well-thought-out idea and a plan on how to execute it, let us hear about it! Send us a one-page written description of the project, a sample of your writing, and a brief bio. You will need to have a substantial amount of writing done (it can be in draft) before we can send out any proposal to a publisher.
Writers or Artists with Finished (or even partly finished!) Manuscripts
The first step is to write to us. Provide us with a one-page description of your work and a short bio. The second step will be ours. We’ll get back to you quickly with our thoughts and a request to read the manuscript.
If we agree to take on the project, the third step will be to work with you on a proposal. After doing research on which publishing houses might be the best fit for your project, we’ll send out the proposal.
Working the Deal
If a publisher expresses interest in the project, we can represent the author or have the author negotiate directly. If we negotiate the contract, we will incorporate our services—editing, design, and production. In this case, Branta would ask for a percentage of the royalties. If the author deals directly with the publisher, our services contract will be separate and will not include a royalty percentage.
Making the Book
Once the manuscript is in the hands of the publisher, editing may be required. This may be done in-house, which is the usual situation, or by Branta. While editing is being done, Branta will submit draft designs and a cast-off of the book. A word of caution here: Typically publishers do not like authors messing around with the design of the book. If the project is one that either has an artist as the author or is heavily illustrated, there is often more collaboration. Once there is a finished and copyedited document, Branta and the publisher will work together to design and produce the book.
Questions?
Please feel free to call us with any questions you have. Our goal is to work with writers and artists to get good writing and beautiful art into readers’ hands.