Running Wild Press

What Running Wild Press does

Running Wild Press is an independent, bootstrapped publishing company organized as Running Wild Press LLC, founded in 2016 by Lisa Diane Kastner and headquartered in Los Angeles, California. The company operates a direct-to-consumer publishing model focused on cross-genre, boundary-pushing fiction that does not fit neatly into traditional publishing categories, including novellas, short story anthologies, and novels from emerging and established authors. It serves two primary customer segments: readers seeking stories outside genre conventions, and emerging authors whose work is rejected by mainstream publishers for being genre-defying; a wholly-owned sub-brand, the RIZE imprint, specifically targets writers of color to address the lack of diversity in traditional publishing. Running Wild Press also operates the Running Wild Podcast, an author-interview series hosted by Tone Milazzo, and supports authors through a quarterly internship program.

The business makes money primarily through one-time book sales across print, ebook, and audio formats, distributed globally via Amazon (primary retail channel), the company's own e-commerce storefront on runningwildpress.com, and print-on-demand production. Its underlying technology is a modest stack: a WordPress website built on the Make theme with the Seriously Simple Podcasting plugin, supplemented by Submittable.com for manuscript submissions. Marketing is community-driven, relying on social media (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn), an email newsletter, the podcast, and third-party virtual book tours run via partners such as Goddess Fish Promotions.

Operationally, Running Wild Press runs as a fully distributed team across the continental United States, working remotely via web-based tools. The editorial team is led by Founder & Executive Editor Lisa Diane Kastner and includes Acquisitions Editor Andrea J. Johnson (also leading the RIZE imprint), Director of Education Dr. Lisa Montagne, and a roster of editors with MFA credentials from institutions including Seton Hill, Vermont College of Fine Arts, Antioch University Los Angeles, and the University of Tampa. The company self-describes as evolving from a 'bootstrappin'-labor-of-love' to a 'revenue-generating-machine,' with internships currently unpaid during its initial startup years and no disclosed venture or institutional funding.

Name

Running Wild Press

Legal name

Running Wild Press LLC

Website

https://runningwildpress.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Running Wild Press is an independent Los Angeles-based publisher founded in 2016 that produces cross-genre novellas, short story anthologies, and novels for readers seeking unconventional narratives and emerging authors whose work defies traditional genre categories, distributed globally via Amazon and its own website.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Independent Book Publishing

NAICS

Book Publishers (513130), Book Publishers (51313), Other Publishers (51319)

SIC

Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731), Book Printing (2732)

akta.pro primary industry

Trade Book Print-on-Demand (Fiction & Nonfiction) (MPAJANAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Print-on-Demand Production (Book POD, Short-Run Fulfillment) (MPAJALAG), Mass Market & Paperback Publishing (MPAJAAAD)

Keywords

• Independent book publishing
• Cross-genre fiction
• Novella anthologies
• Writers of color imprint
• Print-on-demand books

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Book Sales: Revenue generated from selling published books including novellas, anthologies, and novels through Amazon and direct website channels. Books available in print, ebook, and print-on-demand formats.
2. Anthology Submissions: Short story submissions accepted during open windows, with full-length fiction and nonfiction open year-round. Review time approximately 3-6 months.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Running Wild Press is an independent book publisher that discovers, develops, edits, produces, and distributes cross-genre fiction titles, including novellas, anthologies, and novels in print, ebook, and print-on-demand formats. Through its RIZE imprint, the company specifically publishes works from writers of color. The press operates an in-house podcast, sells books directly through its website and Amazon, and runs an unpaid editorial internship program to support new talent.

Product overview

Running Wild Press is an independent publishing company operating as a single unified platform focused on finding, developing, and distributing cross-genre fiction and literary works. The company publishes through its main press and the RIZE Imprint (focused on writers of color), offering print-on-demand books, audiobooks, and ebooks. Their product portfolio includes novella anthologies (Running Wild Novellas Anthology Volumes 1 and 2), short story anthologies (Anthology of Stories Vol. 2), individual novella and novel titles, and the Running Wild Podcast featuring author interviews. The company operates sustainably with green printing choices and supports authors through professional development and internship programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• RIZE: An imprint of Running Wild Press focused on writers of color, offering stories that represent diverse voices and combat the lack of diversity in traditional publishing.

Products and services

• Anthology of Stories Volume 2

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Goddess Fish PromotionsminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 October 2017Virtual book tour promotion services for authors including Magic Forgotten by Jack Hillman. The tour ran October 23 to November 10, 2017, with author availability for guest posts and interviews.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Bellevue Literary Press: Independent nonprofit press publishing literary fiction and nonfiction at the intersection of arts and humanities. Comparable scale and curatorial mandate focused on distinctive, category-resistant work.
• Soho Press: Independent publisher of literary fiction and crime fiction through its Soho Crime imprint. Comparable as an indie house combining literary and genre work with strong author relationships.
• Graywolf Press: Nonprofit literary publisher focused on poetry, fiction, and nonfiction from authors whose work defies easy categorization. Highly comparable editorial mission to RWP's cross-genre, voice-driven approach.
• Akashic Books: Independent Brooklyn-based publisher known for noir anthologies and genre-bending fiction from emerging voices. Closely comparable as a small independent press curating unconventional manuscripts and operating outside the Big Five distribution model.
• Two Dollar Radio: Independent publisher of bold literary fiction from emerging authors, with a strong DIY ethos and direct-to-consumer distribution. Comparable scale, ethos, and curatorial focus on boundary-pushing work.
• McSweeney's: Independent literary publisher founded by Dave Eggers, known for experimental design and unconventional literary voices. Comparable as a design-conscious, voice-driven small press publishing genre-defying work.
• Coffee House Press: Independent literary press publishing innovative fiction and nonfiction. Comparable as a small-press curator of unconventional literary work with a strong community-engagement orientation.
• Tin House Books: Independent literary publisher of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry with a reputation for curating distinctive cross-genre voices. Closely comparable curatorial philosophy to RWP's cross-genre mandate.
• Melville House Publishing: Independent publisher of literary fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Comparable as a design-forward indie press publishing genre-crossing literary work from emerging and established authors.

Emerging players

• Curbside Splendor Publishing: Independent press publishing literary fiction, poetry, and nonfiction from emerging voices. Comparable as a small indie focused on cultivating debut and underrepresented authors.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/RunWildBooks
• Facebookfacebook.com/runningwildpress
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/runningwildpress/about

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Running Wild Press