Interesting.  Former Lulu staffer starts up a digital publisher:

Anthony Policastro, a former business analyst at self-publishing vendor Lulu.com, has launched the Outer Banks Publishing Group, a new publishing venture that will focus on digital publishing and the use of social media to build an audience for POD print releases.

Outer Banks Publishing offers a different model than Lulu.com. Policastro said OBP is not a self-publishing vendor like Lulu, but a hybrid publishing model that combines selective editorial content with new media publishing and promoting platforms. Policastro said he solicits manuscripts like a traditional publisher and is selective about what he publishes. However, OBP does not offer advances. Instead, Policastro says he offers writers the chance to publish their books in e-book format and his experience and expertise in using a wide variety of social media and viral marketing strategies and technologies to promote and market the book online.

His plan is to publish books initially in e-book format; create buzz on the Internet through social media and then move to POD print publication when the initial e-book edition has “proven itself” by generating digital book sales. Outer Banks, Policastro said, will show its authors how to create a significant web presence with blog tours, web sites, blogs and web optimization.”

The site itself, however, looks like a WordPress blog.  Seems a bit like a self-published author with some Lulu credentials expanded his own self-publishing enterprise.  As digital publishing costs nothing, there’s not a lot of overhead.  If an ebook was successful financially, there’s less risk with a  print run.

From the site:

Here is what we will do for you:

  • Provide editorial guidance to make your book the best it can be
  • Actively solicit your input in the design of the cover. After all who knows your book best.
  • Publish your book as an eBook on various retail eBook sites including the Amazon Kindle
  • Publish your book as a trade paperback and distribute on Amazon and book retailers internationally if it qualifies.
  • Set up a Facebook, Twitter, and other social networking site accounts if you do not already have them
  • Conduct an international blog tour
  • Send press releases to appropriate media
  • Actively market your book in as many channels as possible for maximum exposure

No mention about cost. Perhaps I’m being too cynical.  Time will tell if Outer Banks is able to make good on its promises.

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