Backlist may be the bread and butter of many publishers' programs, but it doesn't always sell itself. A number of lifestyle publishers are finding that their rich backlists can be treasure troves only if they significantly overhaul the books on the outside (and, sometimes, on the inside, too).
The biggest factor driving backlist reissues in lifestyle publishing is current food and consumer trends. Storey Publishing editorial director Deborah Balmuth said that when the house sees a revival of interest in a topic it has a book on, it considers reissuing it. One such example is Grow Your Own Chinese Vegetables, a 1984 book that has been out of print “for some time,” Balmuth said. Noticing a resurgence in interest in growing Chinese vegetables, Storey decided to update the book's content and design, hired an artist to create Chinese brush-style paintings and is republishing the book as Growing Chinese Vegetables in Your Own Backyard in March. Storey is also revising books on preserving and on whole grains for the current market.
Similarly, Morrow is reissuing The Wheat-Free Cook: Gluten-Free Recipes for Everyone, a 1997 book, next March. David Sweeney, director of William Morrow Cookbook Publishing, said, “There are so many more [gluten-free cookbooks being published now] and we wanted to be more competitive in the marketplace.” Morrow is also reissuing Short-Cut Vegan, which was originally titled Short-Cut Vegetarian when it was published in 1997. “With vegan being such a big trend, I looked back at the book and saw it actually was a vegan book but no one knew what that was at the time, so it was titled 'vegetarian,' ” said Sweeney.
Another factor influencing publishers' decisions to reissue lifestyle titles is special sales. Sweeney, who is also senior director of special sales, said Morrow often repackages books from its backlist based on recommendations from specialty retailers like Crate & Barrel. Those stores look for books that aesthetically mesh with the merchandise they sell, and if Morrow can tie in to a current trend in cookware or servingware, they will often have a match. Morrow is currently talking to a specialty retailer (the deal is not yet finalized) about redesigning a 1997 book, Marinades, with a new jacket, and expects strong gift sales.
