A Little Bit About WayWord Books
I’m Leslie Rindoks, founder of WayWord Books. For the past two decades, I’ve worked as an editor, book designer, writer (writing as Avery Caswell), and publisher. During this time, I have watched big box stores shift the industry to a distributor-dependent publishing model, eroding publisher profits and subsequently author royalties. At the same time, technological advances made it possible for anyone with a computer to “publish,” flooding the market with books of questionable quality. Alongside this evolution, it has become increasingly difficult for authors to succeed. Published writers earn on average less than $7000 per year, and that includes income from teaching and speaking engagements.
In 2019, my novel Salvation won first place in a Southern fiction contest and was subsequently published by a small, independent press. It was well received—earning many five-star reviews. Despite this success, while I went on my book tour, Zöe, my pet sitter, earned more feeding my cat Poe than I earned in royalties. Don’t get me wrong, Zöe’s a great kid, but something’s seriously wrong with this math.
I thought there must be a better way—both for readers to gain access to great books, and for writers to make a living writing them.
WayWord Books is working to change the industry. As a subscription-based publisher, we are breaking the mold by delivering quality, first-edition books directly to readers, eliminating the need for distributors, many of which earn far more than authors, and sometimes even more than publishers.
We venture off the beaten path to find new work by topnotch writers, and combine beautifully designed books with carefully curated gifts that complement the authors’ work. One of my favorite quotes about writing is: “The book is a party the writer throws for the reader.”
You’re cordially invited to the party! RSVP by subscribing today.
Other WayWord Authors
Avery Caswell
Avery Caswell, originally from the Chicago area, lived briefly in upstate New York before escaping to the Carolinas. An award-winning writer and designer, she studied at Iowa Writers’ Workshop and holds MFAs in both creative writing and design. Kirkus called Mother Load, her collection of short stories, “stunning” and her novel Salvation was lauded as “a stunning debut by an important talent.” An interest in the blurred edges between religion and magic, along with a love of history inspire much of her writing.
Nancy Murray
Nancy Murray is the author of the acclaimed One Child for Another, A Memoir as well as The Colors of Fear, A Collection of Poems. Her poetry, plays, and short stories have been published, produced, and performed locally and internationally. She teaches composition and creative writing at The Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC), and hosts a monthly poetry workshop at The Arts Lab of South County, Maryland.