Soft Skull Press
Soft Skull Press is an independent literary book publisher, founded in 1992 and now an imprint of Catapult Book Group, publishing literary fiction, nonfiction, and poetry for culturally engaged readers through major retail and independent bookstore channels.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1992
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Soft Skull Press does
Soft Skull Press is an independent literary book publisher founded in 1992 in New York by Sander Hicks, who originally self-published photocopied and tape-bound books while working at Kinko's. Today the press operates as an imprint within Catapult Book Group (formed in 2016 through the merger of Counterpoint Press and Catapult), headquartered at 20 Jay Street #704 in Brooklyn, NY. The publisher focuses on literary fiction, nonfiction, and poetry that it characterizes as engaging art, culture, and current events in 'new and radical ways,' publishing works by authors such as Eileen Myles, Maggie Nelson, Noam Chomsky, Lydia Millet, and Alain Mabanckou.
The press's product portfolio spans three categories — fiction, nonfiction, and poetry — distributed across paperback ($15.95–$18.95), hardcover ($26–$60), and ebook ($9.99–$14.99) formats. Soft Skull Press generates revenue through direct-to-consumer book sales via its own website and through wholesale distribution by Penguin Random House, reaching buyers via Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org, and independent bookstores under the IndieBound banner. Marketing is conducted through organic social channels (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram), an email newsletter, and earned media from literary reviews and awards.
Over its 30+ year history, Soft Skull Press has accumulated a substantial catalog and an awards profile that includes Lambda Literary Awards, the International Booker Prize (2021, for Anna Moschovakis's translation of David Diop's 'At Night All Blood Is Black'), the James Laughlin Award (2019), and the Arthur C. Clarke Award. The press operates as a private imprint within Catapult Book Group alongside sibling imprints Catapult, Counterpoint Press, and Hawthorne Books, sharing distribution, marketing, and operational infrastructure while maintaining editorial independence.
Soft Skull Press firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Soft Skull Press
- Legal name
- Soft Skull Press
- Website
- https://softskull.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1992
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Soft Skull Press is an independent literary book publisher, founded in 1992 and now an imprint of Catapult Book Group, publishing literary fiction, nonfiction, and poetry for culturally engaged readers through major retail and independent bookstore channels.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Soft Skull Press industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Book Publishing
- NAICS
- Book Publishers (513130)
- SIC
- Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Mass Market & Paperback Publishing (MPAJAAAD)
Keywords
Where Soft Skull Press is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Soft Skull Press business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Book Sales: Soft Skull Press generates revenue through the sale of published books across multiple formats including trade paperback, hardcover, and digital ebooks. Books are sold through retail channels including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, independent bookstores, and online platforms.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Hardcover editions |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Paperback editions |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Ebook editions |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels5 records
Soft Skull Press product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Soft Skull Press is an independent book publisher imprint under Catapult Book Group that publishes literary fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. The imprint releases titles in paperback, hardcover, and digital ebook formats through major retail channels and distributes via Penguin Random House. Its catalog emphasizes work that engages art, culture, and current events as alternatives to mainstream publishing.
Product overview
Soft Skull Press is an independent book publisher offering a portfolio of literary fiction, nonfiction, and poetry titles. The company publishes books across multiple formats including paperback, hardcover, and digital ebooks. Their catalog features works from diverse contemporary authors, with titles available through major retail channels including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and independent bookstores.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Soft Skull: An independent publisher imprint focused on books that engage art, culture, and current events in new and radical ways.
Products and services
- Fiction Titles
Companies that use Soft Skull Press
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Soft Skull Press technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Soft Skull Press partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Catapult Book GroupcoreSoft Skull Press is an imprint of Catapult Book Group, along with Catapult, Counterpoint Press, and Hawthorne Books. Catapult Book Group serves as the parent organization overseeing all imprints.
- CatapultcoreSibling imprint within Catapult Book Group. Soft Skull Press is part of the same publishing group as Catapult.
- Counterpoint PresscoreSibling imprint within Catapult Book Group. Counterpoint Press was created in 2007 through acquisition of Soft Skull Press along with other independent presses.
- Hawthorne BooksminorSibling imprint within Catapult Book Group.
- Penguin Random HousecorePenguin Random House serves as the wholesale distributor for Counterpoint Press books, which includes Soft Skull Press titles through the Catapult Book Group umbrella.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Soft Skull Press competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Tin House Books: Independent literary publisher of literary fiction, poetry, and nonfiction with a contrarian, craft-forward editorial sensibility. Comparable list size and author pedigree to Soft Skull.
- Graywolf Press: Independent literary publisher known for literary fiction, poetry, and nonfiction by boundary-pushing authors (e.g., National Book Award winners). Closely comparable to Soft Skull in editorial mission, scale, and prize-focused prestige.
- Counterpoint Press: Sibling imprint within Catapult Book Group publishing literary nonfiction, fiction, and poetry. Operates in the same distribution orbit and shares infrastructure with Soft Skull, making it the closest internal comparator.
- Akashic Books: Independent publisher focused on literary fiction, poetry, and political/cultural nonfiction with an urban and alternative voice. Shares Soft Skull's small-indie scale and countercultural positioning.
- Catapult: Sibling imprint within Catapult Book Group publishing literary fiction, nonfiction, and essay collections. Comparable editorial profile and shared Penguin Random House distribution with Soft Skull.
- McSweeney's: Independent literary publisher (founded by Dave Eggers) publishing literary fiction, poetry, and the quarterly literary magazine. Shares Soft Skull's experimental, anti-mainstream editorial identity.
- Coffee House Press: Independent literary publisher focused on innovative fiction, poetry, and essays. Its experimental, risk-tolerant editorial profile and similar title volume make it a tight Soft Skull analog.
- Melville House Publishing: Independent literary publisher specializing in fiction, nonfiction, and poetry, including translations and political non-fiction. Closely comparable to Soft Skull's literary-and-political slant.
- OR Books: Independent publisher of literary and politically engaged fiction and nonfiction. Comparable contrarian editorial identity and similar indie scale to Soft Skull.
Broad incumbents
- Farrar, Straus and Giroux: Established literary publisher (Macmillan imprint) with deep literary fiction, poetry, and nonfiction lists including many Lambda, Pulitzer, and National Book Award winners. A larger incumbent that competes with Soft Skull for prestige literary authors and attention.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Soft Skull Press social profiles
Digital presenceSoft Skull Press financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Soft Skull Press leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Soft Skull Press funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Soft Skull Press M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Soft Skull Press
What does Soft Skull Press do?
Soft Skull Press is an independent book publisher imprint under Catapult Book Group that publishes literary fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. The imprint releases titles in paperback, hardcover, and digital ebook formats through major retail channels and distributes via Penguin Random House. Its catalog emphasizes work that engages art, culture, and current events as alternatives to mainstream publishing.
Is Soft Skull Press a public or private company?
Soft Skull Press is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Soft Skull Press founded?
Soft Skull Press was founded in 1992. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Soft Skull Press based?
Soft Skull Press is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Soft Skull Press make money?
One revenue line is on record: book Sales.
Who are Soft Skull Press's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Tin House Books, Graywolf Press, Counterpoint Press, Akashic Books, Catapult, McSweeney's, Coffee House Press, Melville House Publishing and OR Books. Farrar, Straus and Giroux is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Soft Skull Press have an API?
No public API is recorded for Soft Skull Press.
What industry is Soft Skull Press in?
Soft Skull Press's product category is Book Publishing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJAAAD, Mass Market & Paperback Publishing. Its NAICS code is 513130 and its SIC code is 2731.