QUILLBLOG

Who cares about publishers’ imprints? (Answer: the publishers!)

Over at the Penguin blog, Helen Conford, head of the U.K. division’s new Particular Books imprint, presents an odd argument: she begins by acknowledging that few readers care about imprints, explains why publishers do, then goes on to explain the reasoning behind her new imprint, without bothering to explain why readers should pay attention.

Last January Penguin Press had an away day and we started to think that perhaps these books deserved their own home. We thought about the qualities these books shared, and about a name and colophon (or logo) that would represent them. We talked with booksellers about other books and other publishers and imprints who publish well in this area. We asked them what they liked. And in the end we focused on the idea that these books are fun to know: the subject matter is fun to know, the voice of the author is passionate and characterful, the physical book is charming. Georgina Laycock, Editorial Director, came up with the name: Particular Books.

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