Publisher keeps the written word alive

“It took us eight years to launch the first fiction title,” he says.

He was ambitious and wanted to beat the industry standards in five years.

Since no bank could give a loan to publish books, he had to think of another business that is strong in cash flow.

This led to the birth of Impact Media Limited, a below the line advertising agency which is cash rich as clients have to pay down payment.

It is from here that he got capital to start the publishing business two months later.

Impact continued to support the publishing house until it was self sufficient.

The agency’s business was, however, soon closed and all the energy put into Word Alive.

First titles were well known international brand names like Jason Mason, John Maxwell which the publisher bought the rights to them— a strategy used largely by Indian publishers.

This kept the business going as it worked to build its own pool of local authors.

“It takes time and patience to build and nurture authors and we are courageous to take on first time authors,” he says.

The publishing house designs eye-catching covers and the print quality is good enough to rival those from US and Europe.

Mr Waweru knows that bookshops are in business and they will only be interested in books that will sell and that people are asking for.

The war between the bookshops and local publishers is on the discount rate and the lack of aggressive marketing by the publishers.

“It is not the bookshops’ job to do your marketing,” he says.

The issue of pricing is tricky and it was his first mistake.