Why Ascender
We believe the best way for a subject matter expert to increase their impact & reinforce their reputation is to publish a book.
Publishing a book is a powerful way to elevate your status, secure speaking engagements, pivot to new projects, and grow your audience.
Increase your impact without increasing your workload
A book is a powerful tool—it spreads easily, has lasting impact, and enhances your credibility in your field. We work with experts who want to share their ideas without adding to their workload. Our done-for-you publishing approach combines the quality of traditional publishing with the flexibility of self-publishing, and allows you to focus on the work you care about.
Everything you need, nothing you don’t
We demystify the publishing process and guide you from conception through publication. Each project is unique, so we customize our approach to your specific goals. You can choose your level of involvement in writing, design, and marketing, all with a dedicated team of experts by your side.
Who we are
As a small, three-person team, we tailor our approach to your unique project. We value quality over quantity and work with fewer than 12 authors a year.
Kyle Fager
Editorial Director
Kyle began his career as a professional ghostwriter and editor in 2002. Since then, he has helped write and publish well over a hundred books, and has placed best sellers on just about every shelf in your local bookstore. He has also contributed to screenplays and treatments that eventually became TV shows and major motion pictures. When he’s not writing, you can find him enjoying America’s most underrated city with his luminous wife and daughters.
Anna Hall
Creative Director
Anna is a book designer with 7+ years of publishing experience. She’s worked on designs for self-publishing authors, small businesses, and independent publishers on books in fiction, memoir, YA, self-help, textbooks, and more. You can also find her riding her bike around Seattle, adventuring in the mountains, baking baguettes, examining rocks, and sewing hats.
Stephen Knezovich
Marketing Director
Beyond my work with writers, I’m also the co-founder of the literary magazine Short Reads (one flash essay, once a week, in your inbox, for free), a collage artist (snip snip), and the curator of Read This (a one-link, once-a-weekday email for writers who want to newsletter better) and Gluu (a periodic email about collage, design, and cut+paste culture).
Previously, I spent 16 years as the director of marketing for the literary nonprofit and publisher Creative Nonfiction. And before that I was a fledgling graphic designer, an occasional DJ, an inept book reviewer, an undisciplined fiction writer, the interim GM of a (now successful) restaurant, a film school dropout, the founder of a fake fraternity, a passionate (but decidedly not professional) skateboarder, and an aspiring comic book illustrator.
I live in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with my wife, two kids, and our giant dog.