Background
Jasmine Richards has nearly 20 years of experience in children’s publishing, holding various roles including commissioning editor, packager, and author. With an English degree, her passion for reading and storytelling naturally led her to a career in publishing. Books are central to her life, as she spends her time writing, reading, and editing them. This deep connection to literature defines who she is and what she’s about.
After starting her career as a graduate trainee at Penguin and working for companies like Working Partners and Oxford University Press Children’s, she honed her skills in book packaging—creating story concepts, characters, and plots, and then commissioning writers to bring them to life.
About Jasmine the Author
Jasmine has authored over 15 books, with some published under her name and others under pen names. Her first book was released in 2012, and she has a particular passion for writing middle-grade fantasy, where she enjoys blending themes of magic, mythology, and adventure. Her most recent novel, The Myth Keeper was published by UCLan. Early in her career, her works were primarily published in the U.S., but they have recently become available in the UK, which she finds exciting. In addition to her novels, Jasmine has written several books in the popular “Beast Quest” series and created educational books, including phonically decodable texts for Big Cat. She has also written picture books and ventured into YA fiction with titles like “Oliver Twisted,” a gothic horror novel published by Egmont (now Farshore).
About Jasmine the founder of StoryMix
Jasmine had the idea for StoryMix Studio in 2018 and founded it in 2019, drawing on her extensive experience in the publishing industry.
The idea for StoryMix came to her during a visit to a bookstore with her young son, where she realized that there were no books featuring characters that looked like him. This sparked a moment of anger and determination, as she recognized her own role in an industry that lacked diversity. To address this, she decided to use her packaging expertise to create a company focused on producing series fiction that centres Black and Brown children. StoryMix also aims to create opportunities for writers and illustrators of colour, with the goal of making a significant impact on bookshelves by occupying space with diverse stories.
Balancing roles
Jasmine admits that balancing her roles as an author and businesswoman is challenging, hence, her current focus is on building her business, StoryMix. She views creativity as seasonal, and this season is dedicated to StoryMix. Jasmine finds fulfilment in the creative aspects of her business, particularly in generating ideas and collaborating with others to develop them, rather than in the actual process of writing a whole novel. Her role involves strategically leading the company, pitching projects to publishers, and securing the best deals for the writers and illustrators they work with. Although she is creatively satisfied with her current work, she anticipates returning to novel writing in a different season of her life.
Transitioning from writer to producer and CEO
Jasmine discussed her transition from being primarily an author to running her business, StoryMix. With “Aziza and the Secret Fairy Door”, a series she co-wrote with Tọlá Okogwu, she found herself straddling both roles as a writer and the founder of StoryMix. This project marked the beginning of her production studio and helped her develop the business model.
Initially, Jasmine was deeply involved in every aspect of StoryMix, handling multiple projects and processes herself. However, as the business has grown over the past five years, she has shifted to a more strategic leadership role, distancing herself from the hands-on editorial work to avoid burnout. While she experiences some grief over being less involved in the day-to-day creation of books, she is proud of the talented team at StoryMix and the successful business she has built, which allows others to thrive in those roles.
StoryMix
StoryMix operates as a book packager, a model more common in the US than in the UK. Unlike traditional publishers, who typically work directly with authors who bring their own ideas and manuscripts, a book packager like StoryMix creates and develops story concepts in-house. Jasmine compares her company’s role to a blend of functions seen in other industries: part agent, part production company, and part creator.
Jasmine explained that StoryMix leverages her long-standing relationships and extensive experience in the publishing industry. Many of the editorial directors and publishers she now works with are people she started in the industry with, so there’s a strong foundation of trust. This trust is rooted in her proven skills as both an editor and a writer.
Production Process
At StoryMix, the process begins with identifying trends in the market, often influenced by industry events like book fairs. For instance, if Jasmine notices a rising interest in horror for middle-grade readers, she and her team brainstorm what that genre might look like through the unique StoryMix lens, which focuses on centering Black and Brown characters and often uncovering underrepresented histories. This brainstorming process is collaborative and creative, similar to a writers’ room in TV and film.
Once the concept is developed—including the plot, characters, and key elements like the “hook” (a compelling tagline) and the “peg” (why the story is relevant now)—StoryMix then seeks out the right writer to bring the idea to life and write sample chapters. This involves working closely with the writer to refine and strengthen the sample chapters through editorial support, ensuring it is as strong as possible before pitching it to publishers.
Difference from Traditional Publishers
In contrast to traditional publishing, where authors approach publishers with fully developed manuscripts, StoryMix handles much of the creative development internally before engaging with writers. The writers they collaborate with help to flesh out and finalize the pre-existing concept by writing the manuscript, rather than bringing their own original idea to the table. Once the project is polished, StoryMix packages the book and presents it to publishers.
This approach allows StoryMix to maintain creative control over the project, ensuring that it aligns with their mission and vision, while still involving talented writers who can elevate the story. It’s a model that combines creativity with strategic market awareness, aiming to produce books that are both innovative and commercially viable.
Other IP licensing options beyond books
Jasmine explained the various licensing options and the business dynamics behind StoryMix’s projects beyond just packaging stories:
Translation Rights and World Rights
For most book packagers, translation rights are a significant part of their business model. They create a series and then sell it across multiple territories—such as the UK, US, Germany, and Spain—repeatedly monetizing the same content in different markets. StoryMix sometimes sells the full world rights of a project to a publisher, who then takes on the responsibility of selling it in different territories. In other cases, StoryMix retains the rights and pitches them directly to international markets, depending on the project’s nature and potential.
Film, TV, and Merchandising Rights
When it comes to adapting books into other media like film, TV, theatre, or even toys and merchandise, the goal is for a production company or streaming service to express interest in optioning these rights from Storymix.
“An option grants the production company the exclusive right to develop the book into a film or TV series for a specified period, usually 12 to 18 months, with the possibility of renewal. However, an option does not guarantee that the project will be produced; it simply means the production company has the first chance to develop it."
During the option period, the production company may develop materials like a spec script to pitch the project for further investment and eventually greenlighting. Although StoryMix receives some payment for the option, the real financial benefit comes if the project is greenlit and actually produced. Also, StoryMix may not necessarily be involved in the conversation afterwards. Instead, the company that’s secured the options may invite StoryMix to come and talk with the head writer on the series if they were pitching it to, say, a streamer.
Overall, while selling options for film and TV can bring in some revenue, the substantial earnings only occur if the project moves beyond the option stage and is produced and released.
Optioning from StoryMix as an Indie
When asked about the prospects of optioning a StoryMix project for independent ventures like toy-making or app development, Jasmine explained the key considerations her company takes into account. She emphasized the importance of partnering with individuals or companies that have a proven track record. StoryMix is cautious about who they collaborate with, as they want to ensure their projects are handled with care and not treated as experimental ventures. Jasmine highlighted that it is crucial for potential partners to share StoryMix’s values and vision. For instance, if a book’s main character is a young Black boy with specific traits, like being sensitive and not hyper-masculine, StoryMix would require that these characteristics remain unchanged. These elements are considered part of the “DNA” of the project, and any attempt to alter them could lead to the rejection of an option offer.
Overall, Jasmine conveyed that while StoryMix is open to optioning their projects, they prioritize working with partners who respect the integrity of the story and share their commitment to its original vision.
Working Structure with Writers
Jasmine explained that StoryMix operates by holding the contract with the publisher, while the writer has a contract with StoryMix since they commission the writer. In this arrangement, the publisher buys the license from StoryMix, and StoryMix, in turn, commissions the writer, taking on the risk earlier in the process as they pay for the development and the sample chapters. For example, if a publisher agrees to buy a project for £10,000, StoryMix would split that amount with the writer, often on a 50-50 basis for a young adult (YA) or middle-grade novel. In this case, StoryMix would keep £5,000, and the writer would receive £5,000.
However, before reaching this stage, StoryMix invests heavily upfront. They pay the writer and illustrator to create sample materials, often the first third of the book, and put considerable effort into editing, art directing, and developing detailed storylines. These storylines are not just brief outlines but extensive documents that cover each chapter and include character profiles. The significant risk for StoryMix lies in this early phase because they invest time and money without any guarantee of securing a publisher. If the publisher’s offer is insufficient or doesn’t ensure fair compensation for both StoryMix and the writer, they may decide not to proceed.
Career highlights
Jasmine Richards highlighted several career milestones, starting with the successful sale of her first project, “Aziza’s Secret Fairy Door.” This achievement was particularly significant because it validated her business idea and demonstrated the potential of StoryMix. She recounted how Tọlá Okogwu, the writer of the series, took a chance on the unproven company, driven by her belief in the project rather than financial gain. The project attracted multiple publishers and secured a five-book deal, establishing StoryMix as a credible player in the industry.
Another notable highlight was the recent sale of their first YA project, “Oxford Blood”, a murder thriller set during Oxford’s interview week. This project garnered significant interest, with a pre-emptive offer in the U.S. and an auction in the UK, marking a strong debut in the YA market.
Jasmine also mentioned that their series “Future Hero” has been optioned for film, which, if it progresses to the screen, would be a monumental achievement.
Additionally, she expressed pride in growing her team, having created a full time role for herself and two full-time employees, as well as many freelancers, and in seeing writers and illustrators she worked with go on to achieve great success.
Work-life balance
Jasmine Richards has implemented “Offline Fridays” as a strategy to improve her work-life balance. On these days, she steps away from her screen and engages in creative activities like visiting galleries, attending talks, or exploring museums and exhibitions. While these activities are still somewhat related to her work, they help her refresh and stimulate her creativity. By exposing herself to diverse inputs, Jasmine aims to enhance her creative outputs and maintain a healthy balance between her professional and personal life.
Career growth
Jasmine stays updated primarily by listening to a variety of business podcasts. She is particularly interested in the evolving conversation around AI and is working to understand its potential impact over the next couple of years.
Mentors and Mentees
Jasmine’s mentoring experience includes working with a former COO who provides valuable advice, particularly based on his extensive experience. Additionally, she has a mentor who specializes in intellectual property (IP) and helps her think about diversifying and managing her IP creatively. Jasmine typically schedules monthly calls with these mentors, aiming for an hour-long discussion each time. These sessions are essential for gaining diverse perspectives and challenging her thinking.
Jasmine has mentored others in the past but is currently shifting her approach. She plans to offer paid advice session to support a new initiative aimed at getting free books into schools.
Current and Future Projects
StoryMix is currently working on a range of exciting projects. She is particularly focused on developing several young adult (YA) book ideas, which she describes as very promising. Additionally, she is enthusiastic about a verse novel project. A verse novel is a unique format where the narrative is presented in poetic form rather than traditional prose. The Storymix team is also developing a graphic novel, which she is very excited about.
Looking towards the future, Jasmine is contemplating a shift in her publishing strategy due to recent challenges in selling some of their projects to traditional publishers. This has led Jasmine to consider the possibility of independently publishing a couple of books each year under the StoryMix imprint. She is exploring this option as a way to maintain creative control and ensure that these promising works reach the market.
Contacting and working with StoryMix
Jasmine explains that writers and illustrators interested in collaborating with StoryMix should reach out if they are comfortable with writing to a brief rather than creating their own ideas from scratch. StoryMix is open to working with writers who might excel in certain genres or styles but are looking to explore new voices or types of projects. For instance, a writer known for serious, issue-based books might enjoy the opportunity to work on a humorous project, potentially under a different pen name.
One of the benefits of working with StoryMix is that writers only need to complete the first third of a manuscript to pitch a project, as opposed to writing the entire novel, which is often required for traditional publishing. This can be appealing for those who prefer to focus on the creative aspects rather than the complete manuscript.
For those interested in working with StoryMix, they can visit the company’s website to find more information and access the application portal. StoryMix is also active on social media under the handle Story Mix Studio on Instagram and Twitter. Additionally, Jasmine Richards’ personal website https://jasminerichards.com, provides further details about her books. Or check out Jasmine’s new project – a low-cost micro retreat for creatives and readers called The Write Beach Hut in Essex.
Tips for others
Jasmine offers several practical tips for authors and business people:
“It’s crucial to identify and acknowledge areas where you need support and seek help from mentors or experts. Being honest about your strengths and weaknesses can guide you in finding the right assistance.”
“It’s important to plot out your finances for the next few years. Carefully consider your costs and revenue sources. Jasmine reflects on her own experience, noting that she initially failed to prioritize paying herself a salary in the business’s budget, which she only started addressing recently – thanks to a great book called Profit First. It was a mindset shift.”
For those interested in the business side of being an author, Jasmine recommends the podcast “Story Mixed Craft and Conversation,” which covers both the craft of writing and the business aspects. This resource can provide additional insights and guidance.
