Backlist Recovery & Reissue with Alibi Syndicate Press

When One Door Closes, the Syndicate Opens Another

The publishing world changes fast — sometimes too fast. If your publisher has closed, merged, or disappeared, you’re not alone. Many authors have found themselves with orphaned titles and uncertain rights.

At Alibi Syndicate Press, we believe great stories deserve a second life.

We’re happy to discuss picking up your backlist — but we also want to set realistic expectations about what’s required and how the process works.

What You’ll Need to Bring

To make a reissue possible, you’ll need to come prepared with a few essentials:

1. A Clean Manuscript

We’ll need your final manuscript file — clean and ready for re-release. We'll do the reformatting needed to match our brand standards.

2. Cover Files and Rights

Please attempt to secure the cover art files (and rights) from your former publisher if possible.

If you can’t, don’t worry — we can discuss new covers and design options. We may not be able to re-cover every backlist title right away, but we’ll work with you to create a rollout plan that fits your catalog and ours.

3. Sales History

We’ll need to see your most recent royalty statement or other verified sales data.

Backlist projects are selected based on strong sales performance or clear market potential.

What We Can Do

If your title is accepted, Alibi Syndicate Press will:

Issue new ISBNs tied to our publishing house
Ensure your titles are registered with the U.S. Copyright Office and obtain a Library of Congress number if they don’t already have one
Reformat your book to match Alibi Syndicate Press branding and publishing standards
Announce your reissue and include your titles in our promotional channels
Provide marketing materials for you to share on your website, newsletter, and social media

We’ll help your readers find out that your book has a new home — and a new future.

What to Expect

Backlist acceptance is a case-by-case decision, based on both creative and business factors.

We consider:

Your previous sales performance
Your social media presence and email list size
Your willingness to engage in marketing and partner with us to promote your work

We’ll help you strengthen your platform and marketing approach, but we can’t promote your entire list alone. Think of this as a partnership — one where your involvement matters as much as ours.

Launches & Marketing Campaigns

Not every backlist title can receive a full relaunch at once. We may spread them out to give each release room to breathe and perform.

With strong sales, we may:

Create a marketing push for your series or key titles
Develop re-release campaigns with new covers and formats
In some cases, support or co-sponsor a Kickstarter campaign featuring updated editions, collector’s versions, or boxed sets

We’ll evaluate these opportunities together, based on performance and timing.

What You’ll Receive as a Syndicate Author

Backlist authors receive the same benefits as all Alibi Syndicate Press authors, including:

Access to our free author marketing course
Discounts on advanced marketing programs and one-on-one coaching
Access to free craft courses and discounts on premium writing programs

We’ll help you sharpen your craft, build your audience, and revitalize your author career.

Next Steps

If your publisher has closed and you want to discuss bringing your books to Alibi Syndicate Press, the best place to start is with our Backlist Submission Questionnaire.

This will help us evaluate your titles and determine the best way to move forward together.

Fill Out the Questionnaire

Once we’ve reviewed your information, someone from our editorial or acquisitions team will reach out to discuss options, timelines, and what to expect next.

Rebuilding after a publisher closure can be tough — but it can also be an opportunity.

At Alibi Syndicate Press, we can help you regain control of your work, modernize your presentation, and connect your stories with new readers.

Each title deserves the chance to stand on its own again.

Let’s work together to make that happen.