Pontifica

An independent press for serious nonfiction.

Philadelphia ยท Ann Arbor

Forthcoming titles

About Pontifica

Pontifica is a selective imprint and guild for serious nonfiction. Producing a book has never been easier, and deciding which books deserve a reader’s attention has never been harder. Pontifica exists to supply that judgment. Each manuscript is reviewed by a guild of peers: authors whose own books carry the imprint and whose reputations depend on its standard. We decide quickly and accept rarely.

Who does what

Pontifica provides

  • A fast, rigorous decision by a panel of guild peers
  • The right to publish under the Pontifica imprint
  • ISBN and publishing metadata
  • A production specification: cover format, interior template, metadata standards
  • Practical guidance on Amazon and Kindle publishing, ebook (ePub) production, audiobook production, print-on-demand, and other printing options
  • A vetted list of independent editors, designers, and publicists (optional)
  • Membership in the guild, including a voice in future selections

The author provides

  • The manuscript
  • Editing and copyediting
  • Cover and interior design, following Pontifica’s specification
  • Printing and distribution, usually via Amazon, Ingram, and other third parties
  • Marketing and publicity

The author keeps all rights and all revenue from the book. Pontifica takes no royalties.

The name comes from pontifex, the bridge-builder: between disciplines, and between experts and the readers who need their ideas. Our mark is drawn from Leonardo’s self-supporting bridge, a structure that stands because each member bears on the others.

Proposals

We welcome proposals from scholars, practitioners, and writers with serious ideas for broad and demanding readers. Send a short description of the book and a sample chapter to .