Publishing rarely ventures beyond national borders – too many barriers and risks stand in the way. Yet Alexey Kalmykov has built a company that not only thrives internationally but shapes trends in modern speculative fiction.
Alexey Kalmykov brought two crucial experiences to the publishing business: a successful career as a sales director and recognition as a science fiction writer under the pen name Alex Bobl. "As an author, I saw room for improvement in the publishing industry. In 2013, I approached EKSMO with proposals to reform their publishing and author relations practices. They offered me a position as a series producer. After signing a long-term contract, we published hundreds of books and launched dozens of now-popular writers. I proved it was possible to produce successful, profitable content even during a market downturn. That's when a new genre – LitRPG – was born," Alexey Kalmykov recalls.
In 2015, Alexey Kalmykov made a bold move – founding Magic Dome Books agency in Prague to promote Russian-language authors to Western markets. Within months, the agency transformed into an international publishing house that now works with 55 writers worldwide and actively develops in the US, Germany, and other markets.
Magic Dome Books' success rests on three key pillars, each playing a vital role in building this unique publishing empire. Let's examine how geographic expansion, cultural adaptation, and innovative business approaches transformed a small Prague agency into one of the most dynamic international publishers.
Geographic Expansion
Choosing Prague as the company's headquarters proved strategically sound. Its central European location opened opportunities for expansion both east and west. For international business, this meant not just convenient logistics but the ability to effectively manage operations across markets in the same time zone as most European partners.
Alexey Kalmykov's first major step was partnering with Amazon in the US. This move enabled quick entry into the English-language market, bypassing traditional publishing barriers. Using Amazon's flexible self-publishing system, the Magic Dome Books founder could rapidly test various marketing strategies and promotional formats, gaining valuable experience for future growth.
European expansion followed a methodical approach to key markets. Alexey Kalmykov made a bold decision to enter the German market – Europe's largest – independently, investing significantly in translations and development. This strategic move proved successful, allowing the company to establish itself in the German market through direct operations. The company also built valuable partnerships across Europe, including collaborations with Poland's Insignias in Eastern Europe, Czech Republic's Fantom Print, and Germany's Bastei Luebbe. Each market entry was carefully planned to address regional specifics and reader preferences.
Magic Dome Books' geographic reach extends beyond Europe and the US. Alexey Kalmykov's company successfully entered the Asian market, signing a contract with South Korean publisher Jeu Media. The company also launched projects publishing books in Japanese. This demonstrates the publisher's ability to adapt content for vastly different cultural and linguistic spaces, well beyond European and American markets.
"In 2018, we noticed serious competition emerging in the LitRPG genre in the US. We had to make a strategic pivot – we began promoting the genre in Europe. It was a big risk, but entering the German market, investing in German translations, and distributing content through Amazon's European territories paid off completely. We didn't just reclaim our market share; we created a new market for the genre in Europe, where we still hold 50% of the segment," says Alexey.
In 2022, Alexey Kalmykov took another strategic step – his company launched German-language audiobook production, opening new growth opportunities. Partnership with Audible GMBH significantly expanded their German market presence, doubling the publisher's revenue within a year.
Magic Dome Books continues to expand its geographic footprint. Contracts with Italian publisher Zeppelin and other European partners show the company's ongoing exploration of growth opportunities.
Cultural Adaptation
Much of Magic Dome Books' success stems from a deep understanding of each market's cultural nuances. From the start, Alexey Kalmykov recognized that merely translating a book wasn't enough – content needed to be adapted for local readers and promoted through appropriate channels.
Readers in different countries consume content and search for book information in distinct ways. While US audiences actively engage through Amazon and social media, European readers often prefer specialized book forums. The publishing house adapts both its content and promotional strategies accordingly.
"We use various promotional tools, but online communities are absolutely crucial. We run the world's largest LitRPG Facebook group, where readers discuss their favorite books, follow announcements, and authors can present their work. It's a true cultural hub that's fostering an international community of genre enthusiasts," Alexey Kalmykov explains.
Working with authors from different countries requires a special approach. Magic Dome Books has created an environment where writers from the US, Britain, Germany, and other countries can collaborate successfully, enriching the genre with new ideas and cultural perspectives. "Authors now often come to us on their own. We've built a name and reputation – it's gratifying to feel that trust," notes Alexey Kalmykov. This trust has helped transform LitRPG from a niche Russian-language direction into a popular international genre, attracting increasingly prominent authors.
Business Approach
Alexey Kalmykov's publishing business is built on a rare combination of experiences: the perspective of a writer intimately familiar with traditional publishing's shortcomings and the skills of a successful executive. This fusion created a business model that works effectively on an international scale.
Unlike traditional publishers, Magic Dome Books was established as a flexible structure capable of rapid market adaptation. When the company started as a literary agency in 2015, no one anticipated its transformation into an international publishing house within months. This adaptability became one of the company's key advantages.
"Profit is crucial for me because it enables reinvestment in new translations," Alexey Kalmykov emphasizes. The company employs multiple sales tracking methods to make strategic decisions about developing new directions or discontinuing underperforming projects.
Special attention is paid to author relations. "As a writer myself, I encountered unfair treatment from various publishers. I decided that if I ever became a publisher, I would do everything possible to make the author's experience as comfortable as possible. They shouldn't waste time negotiating contracts – they should write without stress, receiving timely reports and payments. It's a basic business approach to fundamental processes," Alexey Kalmykov explains.
The company actively employs modern technology to optimize all processes, from manuscript handling to book promotion. Cloud services, artificial intelligence, and advanced analytics tools significantly reduce content production time and increase operational efficiency.
The Magic Dome Books story shows that even in the conservative publishing industry, it's possible to build a dynamic international company by combining strategic planning with deep industry understanding. But the main success factor, as Alexey Kalmykov notes, is something else: "What brings our key partners together is the creative spirit. We all love what we do, we love science fiction – that's the main driver in our relationships."
This shared passion for science fiction became the unifying force around which Alexey Kalmykov built his entire business model. Here, modern technology works alongside creative approaches, commercial efficiency coexists with genuine love for the genre, and innovative solutions align with deep understanding of reader needs.
Written by Izabel Modano
