Print is dead. That’s what we’ve heard for so long. With the emergence of e-books, and how popular they’ve become, one is tempted to agree with that statement. Yet, publishers continue to print books and people buy them. That’s because, as the startup Hederis has discovered, print is NOT dead.
The problem with print books is that it takes so long to get them ready. Let’s face it, the process of publishing a book is not just long, but also expensive. It is one thing to write a book, but quite another to get it published. It could take over a year before the book finally gets to the shelves.
Although print is not dead, there’s no doubt that it is being bogged down by the slow process. The solution to that problem is cutting edge technology. And, that’s what the Hederis set out to create.
Hederis is Female-Founded
Maybe this is why this particular startup stands out for us. Hederis is made up of a team of female founders who have substantial experience in the publishing industry. And that’s the thing. The publishing industry is a male-dominated one, and you don’t really hear about females doing exceptional stuff.
Actually, we don’t get to hear much about the female players in this industry. And that’s what is so awesome about this startup. They have come up with a publishing service that is going to totally disrupt the industry.
This disruption happens on several levels. We are talking about front-line tech in a traditional industry for quick and efficient results.
Hederis – A Mix of Technology and Traditional Printing
That is what the Hederis brand is about. But, modern printing does make of technology. So, what is different about what this startup is offering?
Well, here’s the thing. They are offering speed without compromising on quality. Actually, they are saying that you can now get your books published quicker and for less.
Basically, the Hederis team has developed a system that uses Artificial Intelligence to create book layouts in seconds. This is a process which typically takes weeks. With this method, both the print and digital versions of a book can be created in very little time.
So, the Hederis team has worked hard to develop a system that is frankly revolutionary. But, they need to convince publishers to cotton on to this method. This led them to launch their flagship product.
Beautifully Illustrated Books by Hederis
In order to get more people to know about their groundbreaking software, the team needed to publish their own books. Any kind of publishing needs funds, no matter the method used. Most startups look to venture capitalists for funding, but this does not always work for female-founded startups. And it did not work for Hederis either.
So, the Hederis Team decided to go to the crowdfunding site, Kickstarter.com to get the funds to publish three books. They collaborated with three cartoonists to publish three classic books. Each book is beautifully illustrated with images that have a gripping appeal.
Their goal is to create “paperback editions of three classic literary works” made with their tools. to achieve this, they partnered with three talented comic book illustrators to create original covers and interior art for these books. The books are:
- The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka, illustrated by Eileen Chavez
- The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, illustrated by Alissa Sallah
- Dracula by Bram Stoker, illustrated by Patrick Keck
How You Can Help
Hederis is running a Kickstarter campaign to raise funds for their publishing software. They need to raise $15,000 so that they can make their dream a reality. If you would like to help them, go to this page and back their campaign.
The Hederis campaign rewards consist of:
- One (or more) printed paperback copies of one or all of the three books.
- One (or more) copies of one or all the ebook versions of the three books. Ebooks will be delivered as DRM-free EPUB files in a digital download.
- One (or more) screen-printed tote bags with a drawing by Patrick Keck
- One (or more) name that will be printed on an acknowledgments page that will be included in the back of all three books (both print and digital formats).
- A custom dedication to be included in one of the three books.
Name: Hederis
Location: Portland, Oregon
Industry: Publishing
