We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Angel King Wilson. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Angel below.
Angel, appreciate you joining us today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?
Silent Books Publishing is a black-owned, woman-owned self-publishing company for aspiring and seasoned authors. Author diversity has been an issue in major publishing houses and Silent Books Publishing’s main goal is to help minority authors navigate the publishing process and elevate their voices in the community. According to a New York Times article, only 11% of books in 2018 were written by people of color; these were amongst books published by Simon & Schuster, Penguin Random House, Doubleday, HarperCollins, and Macmillan (So & Wezerek, 2020).
Silent Books Publishing is creating a lane for authors to share their stories through self-publishing. We educate our clients about the self-publishing process and we create polished, beautifully designed books. Our services include manuscript development, editing, book layout/ cover design, and printing. Self-publishing trends have increased over the past few years and we help our clients have the best self-published book possible so that they can compete in this market. Our first client was the best-selling author at a local Baltimore-based bookstore. Since we started, we have helped twelve people become successful self-published authors.
So, R. J., & Wezerek, G. (2020, December 11). Just how white is the book industry? The New York Times. Retrieved February 20, 2023, from https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/12/11/opinion/culture/diversity-publishing-industry.html
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers
I have always had a love for reading and books since I was a young girl. But, I strayed away from the craft because thought I wouldn’t make any money as a writer. Nevertheless, even after college, I was still passionate about storytelling and reading. I participated in open mic events and then eventually started hosting my own open mics at venues such as The Reginald F. Lewis Museum to give artists a platform to share their work. Still, I wanted to grow as a writer, so I decided to go back to school.
I started my business, Silent Books Publishing after earning my Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing and Publishing Arts from the University of Baltimore. During my time in graduate school, I self-published my first book, “Am I Doing This Right?”. When I would attend readings, or sell my book, many people expressed that they also wanted to write a book. I decided to help a close friend self-publish her first book. I edited and designed the book; one year later she was the best-selling author at our local bookstore. Shortly after, I partnered with an editor and a graphic designer, and we began to help aspiring authors self-publish their books. Silent Books Publishing is giving all writers the opportunity to self-publish and produce beautifully designed polished books. I learned an ample amount of information about the publishing process including copyright laws, barcode and ISBN information, and marketing strategies. I educate my clients in all of these areas. The goal of Silent Books Publishing is to help our clients self-publish correctly and professionally.
I still work on my craft as a writer. In 2022, I was a recipient of the 2022 Maryland Literary Artists Award. I also co-directed an award-winning film, “Hiding in the Walls”. I am driven by storytelling and providing a platform for artists to enhance their craft.
What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?
Most of my clients come through recommendations. My partner and I believe in professionality. I always joke and tell her, “I want to be the Chic-Fil-A of publishing.” I say this to emphasize that we should always be catering to our customer, anticipating their needs, and providing an exceptional product. I am constantly looking for ways to better Silent Books Publishing services; there is always room to improve. I ask my clients to write reviews and my partner and I do yearly evaluations. My advice to entrepreneurs is to maintain professionalism.
We’d love to hear about you met your business partner.
I met Destinii Williams through mutual friends about five years ago. We both had a passion for writing. During the pandemic, I called her and asked if she would be my accountability partner so that I could reach my writing goals. We both read and edited each other’s essays. She was working on her first book and I was looking to submit to literary journals. During this time, I also was working on building my business; I had two clients. I nervously asked Destinii if she wanted to work with me. I explained to her that I didn’t have much to pay her, but I had a vision and a business that I believed would be successful. Surprisingly, she was willing to join Silent Books Publishing and help me out. Since then, we’ve helped 12 people become self-published authors.
Destinii is extremely hardworking and she is supportive. When I want to give up on the business, she reminds that we are capable of doing what it takes to sustain Silent Books Publishing. I am grateful for her being a part of this business.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://silentbookspublishing.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/silentbookspublishing/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/silentbooks
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/silentbooks_
Image Credits
Mike Jon Shae McCoy