Why Small Businesses Matter
Shop small, do big things for your community
Why Small Businesses Matter puts a spotlight on the local merchants who donate their time, talent, goods, and services for the betterment of our community. The shop local movement spreads virally as local businesses who are “tagged” have the opportunity to share their story!
You're IT GMK Writing and Editing!
Meet Gary M. Krebs, founder of GMK Writing and Editing.
Gary is a publisher, ghostwriter, author, literary agent, book producer, editor, coach, blogger, novelist, and screenwriter. Gary has published numerous print and ebook bestsellers and brings three decades of trade book industry experience to the table on every assignment.
What is your best-selling product/service?
Collaboration: Ghostwriting, script doctoring, etc. I've worked with both bestselling and self-published authors.
Literary Agent: I represent select non-fiction projects to sell to trade book publishers. I've sold quite a few in 5 1/2 years (list on my website).
I represented local (Trumbull) bestselling author Deborah Vadas Levison in her book The Crate (WildBlue, Press, 2018).
Author/screenwriter: Little Miss of Darke County: The Origins of Annie Oakley (White Bird, 2020). I wrote the screenplay adaptation and sold both to Hollywood.
Book Producer: I professionally produce (package) books for authors who do not have the platform or commercial idea suitable for
trade publishing. Shattered to the Core, by New Milford author Valerie Walsh, was a bestseller right out of the gate.
How many local businesses do you use to support your business (products and services) and can you name them?
I have worked with Michael DeMartin at DesignSite (on my website) and recommend him to clients. I work with many CT authors, as well as
professional freelancers (editors, designers, etc.) who have significant experience in the book trade.
Yes. In the beginning, I thought I would just be a ghostwriter. I partnered with a couple of bestselling authors on book proposals and then
realized I could just represent them myself to book publishers--which I did (selling both book and audiobook rights). This encouraged me to start representing select authors as their literary agents.
Early on, I took on a freelance role as an acquisitions editor for a hybrid publisher. I liked the company and the work itself, but the ROI on each project was so low compared to the rest of my business that I had to cut the cord on that.
Mid-last year, I realized many authors wanted me to "create" their books as well as write/collaborate on them. Also, I found many authors were upset with their self-publishing entities and not happy with their final book products. I started to produce books--and it has become an absolute joy to work with authors (both local and elsewhere) and marvelous former publishing colleagues who have become freelancers. I'm looking at producing as many as twenty books this year.
I've found this to be a powerful way to scale my business without being involved in the minutiae of every project because I know all are in good hands.
Visit GMK Writing and Editing online here, and make sure to check out their Facebook page as well!
HamletHub thanks Fairfield County Bank for making our Why Small Businesses Matter series possible!