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DESCRIPTION fast moving needs, offering digital services, book manufacture, pre-retail and streamlining the supply chain via inventory management and distribution.
IMPRINT OF THE YEAR
OVERVIEW This shortlist highlights the value of distinctive, close-knit imprints in generating commercial and critical success. It is notable that only two of the nine appeared here last year, which shows how quickly the fortunes of imprints can change. While many venerable imprints endure, new ones can quickly establish themselves as well, and six of these names are just 10 years old or younger. Large and small, young and old, they shared many of the biggest books of 2022.
BLINK PUBLISHING Since it started out in 2014, Bonnier’s Blink has evolved from a YouTuber-led imprint into a diverse, sustainable non- fiction list. Its team of just four lifted nearly half of their new titles into the bestseller lists, and Tom Bower’s Revenge was one of the most talked about books of 2022.
DOUBLEDAY It is well into its fourth decade, but Doubleday shows no signs of slowing. Renewed invest- ment in fresh talent led to big sales for Waterstones’ Author of the Year Bonnie Garmus, while Kate Atkinson (below) and John Boyne returned. The imprint generates huge loyalty from its authors.
HARPERVOYAGER HarperCollins’ imprint was at the heart of an exceptionally good year for SFF. It drove R F Kuang’s Babel into the literary mainstream and had acclaimed débuts from Sue Lynn Tan and Saara el-Arifi. HarperVoyager also launched YA list Magpie Books and subscription service The Locked Library.
HQ HarperCollins’ HQ imprint grew Total Consumer Market sales by nearly a third. Bestsellers were led by Davina McCall’s Menopausing, and it had hits from authors poached from rivals: Joe Wicks, Erica James and Carrie Hope Fletcher. “A nimble publisher with extraordinary passion,” said one agent.
TOR UK Under Bella Pagan, Pan Macmillan’s speculative fiction imprint more than doubled sales in 2022. It made bestsellers of two Olivie Blake (left) books, broke new names including Travis Baldree and brought in more authors from backgrounds too long under- represented in SFF.
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RAVEN BOOKS Bloomsbury’s Raven Books enjoyed a 44% uplift in TCM sales, despite trimming its list to focus on just seven new hardbacks—including two of the year’s biggest débuts, Rosie Andrews’ The Leviathan and Katherine Faulkner’s Greenwich Park. “Classy, clever and cool,” said one agent.
JUDGES' VERDICT
THIS SHORTLIST HIGHLIGHTS THE VALUE OF DISTINCTIVE, CLOSE-KNIT IMPRINTS IN GENERATING COMMERCIAL AND CRITICAL SUCCESS
ROCK THE BOAT Oneworld’s kids’ imprint Rock the Boat punched way above its weight in 2022, doubling sales year on year. Much of that was down to TikTok sensation Girl in Pieces by Kathleen Glasgow (above), which topped 250,000 copies. Other hits came from Angeline Boulley and Xiran Jay Zhao.
BOOKOUTURE Bookouture’s 10th year was its best by a long chalk. While most publishers’ e-book sales fell, Bookouture bucked the trend with big brands Angela Marsons and Lisa Regan, and breakout hit The Housemaid by Freida McFadden. It also launched speculative fiction list Second Sky.
ELECTRIC MONKEY Farshore’s Young Adult list Electric Monkey was another imprint turning 10 in 2022. Holly Jackson (above) delivered it three of the top 10 YA sellers of the year and BookTok also gave more momentum to Tahereh Mafi’s titles. Electric Monkey launched its own TikTok channel, too.
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