RosettaBooks LLC: Independent Publisher and Electronic Publishing Pioneer

What the Company Actually Does

RosettaBooks operates as a full-service publisher that has successfully navigated the transition from being a digital-only pioneer to a modern publisher with comprehensive print and electronic distribution capabilities. Founded in 2001, the company was one of the earliest entrants into the electronic publishing (eBook) market, initially building a vast catalog of digitized works from classic and bestselling authors whose digital rights had often been overlooked by traditional houses.

The business model is distinctly author-friendly, historically offering what it describes as the highest standard industry eBook royalties, establishing a reputation as a "pro-author publisher." This focus on leveraging digital formats and attractive royalty rates has allowed it to acquire and monetize rights to significant intellectual property.

While it began with a focus on backlist titles???books that remain in print long after their initial publication???RosettaBooks expanded its publishing objectives starting in 2014 to include an extensive trade program. This expansion brought full print distribution into its services, allowing the company to publish new works alongside its digital re-releases. The company???s growth led to it being named to the Inc. 500 list of the fastest-growing private companies in the United States, notably being the only publisher on that list at the time.

A key operational service provided by RosettaBooks is the active defense of its authors??? copyrights through robust anti-piracy measures. The company employs digital security solutions to continuously monitor and enforce its rights, reporting a demonstrable increase in sales for protected titles, which serves as a significant benefit it offers to authors and literary estates.

Products and Services

RosettaBooks' offerings are segmented across a variety of formats and genres, catering to both the modern digital reader and traditional print markets.

Products (Published Content)

• E-Book Catalog: The company maintains a large library of electronic books, initially pioneering a catalog of over 700 iconic e-books. These titles span a wide range of genres, including Fiction, Nonfiction, Literature, Romance, Historical Fiction, Science Fiction, Thriller, and Biography & Autobiography.
• Iconic and Classic Backlist Titles: This is a cornerstone of the product line, featuring works from globally recognized authors. Notable examples include Stephen Covey???s "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People", Kurt Vonnegut's "Cat's Cradle", and Richard Matheson's "I Am Legend". The catalog also includes works by Sir Winston Churchill, Robert Graves, and Sir Arthur C. Clarke.
• New Nonfiction and Thought Leadership: The expanded trade program focuses on acquiring and publishing new nonfiction, which ranges from high-profile thought leadership books to works by New York Times bestselling authors, as well as unique, quirky gift books.
• Original Digital Content (E-Originals): The company actively publishes original material specifically for the electronic market. This includes short-form content such as city travel guides and largely unpublished genre works like science fiction novellas.
• Print Books: Since expanding its operations, RosettaBooks publishes its new and select backlist titles in traditional print formats, utilizing full print distribution channels.

Services (Publishing and Distribution)

• Electronic Distribution: RosettaBooks provides comprehensive digital distribution for its titles, making its e-books available across all major retail platforms and devices, including Amazon's Kindle, Apple's iBookstore, Kobo, and Barnes & Noble???s Nook. Titles are also distributed through library platforms such as OverDrive.
• Print Distribution: The company offers full print distribution services for its authors, ensuring physical availability in the market alongside digital formats.
• Author-Centric Royalty Model: A core service is the provision of high eBook royalty rates, which is a major incentive for authors and estates looking to license their digital rights.
• Intellectual Property Protection: As a value-added service, RosettaBooks implements a digital anti-piracy strategy, using technology and human review processes to identify and request the takedown of unauthorized, infringing copies of its e-books across the internet.