The influencers of #BookTok are launching their own publishing imprints with help from Bindery

Bindery‘s first virtual book clubs are opening up this month, and when they do, the young startup will begin its bold attempt to shake up the literature world. Bindery is a cross between Patreon and book publishing that will help its most prominent users curate and launch their own imprints.

Creators who join Bindery set up membership clubs where they can offer paywalled content, exclusive community spaces, and merch. This “Patreon for books” model is supported by the CEO of Patreon himself;  Jack Conte is one of Bindery’s backers.

The Bindery creators with the biggest book clubs will unlock a golden opportunity: They will have the power to publish books themselves. In those cases, Bindery will act as a middle party. It will work will literary agencies to present unpublished works to its influencer partners. Those creators will then choose which books to include in their imprints. Bindery will handle the publishing and distribution needs through partnerships with third parties.

Bindery Co-Founders Matt Kaye and Meg Harvey both bring relevant experience to their new roles. Kaye is the former Head of Product at Patreon, while Harvey served as the Chief Strategy Officer at literary firm Girl Friday Productions. For their new company, they’ve assembled a team of experts who can connect with agencies and guide creators through the publishing process.

Kaye hopes that Bindery’s model will empower niche interests and the influencers who boost those genres in communities like #BookTok. TikTok has fueled a rise in brick-and-mortar book sales since its literary hashtag took hold.

“There are too many great authors whose books never see the light of day because larger publishers don’t know how to market them or they lack the platform to market themselves,” Kaye said in a statement. “We’re starting with reading communities, and handing the reins over to the tastemakers who lead them, in an effort to uncover new kinds of books and nourish all reading niches.”

The leaders of Bindery’s communities will include some #BookTok notables, such as Jaysen Headley, but the company will also branch out to the other platforms where consumers collect literary recs. Kathryn Budig, for example, is a book club founder with a significant Instagram following, while Ali Goodwin discusses fantasy romance books on YouTube. Some creators who have partnered with Bindery, such as Zoranne, have shared the news on social media:

@zoranne_ brb crying screaming and throwing up because this is hands down, the coolest thing i have ever been a part of and it wouldnt be possible without all my frens (that’s YOU!) 😭 more information to come soon! here’s the kink to the publisher’s weekly article! https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/publisher-news/article/92795-a-new-startup-proposes-influencer-driven-publishing.html #fantasyandfrens #binderybooks #zorannereads #fantasybooktok ♬ original sound – Zoranne | Fantasy Book Reviews

As Bindery attempts to merge #BookTok’s virality with traditional publishing models, it will face off against several competitors, including TikTok itself. The short-form app is getting into publishing itself, though Kaye believes his company offers some advantages over the first-party option. In an email to Tubefilter, he said that Bindery’s authors will receive better royalty rates than the ones included in traditional book deals.