FAQs
Is my book suitable for publication?
We will publish your book in return for the appropriate fees, provided it is of a reasonable standard, the text is in good English (we will edit it as necessary) and the material does not contravene the laws of libel, obscenity, confidentiality etc.
It’s your book and you are paying us to publish it, so we will not insist on a high literary standard. But please be aware that only the best and most original books are likely to be successful outside the author’s own circle. Do not rely on the opinions of relatives and friends about the merits of your book, as they are unlikely to give you a truly honest answer.
Will my book sell?
Perhaps! If it is truly original, topical, funny, sexy, shocking, enlightening, moving or inspiring - the sort of book that gets talked about - it may be very successful, particularly if people start recommending it to their friends and posting enthusiastic reviews on line, or if you are very well known. But please don’t count on commercial success. As a publisher we cannot promise that people will buy your book. We do not control what the bookshops choose to stock or the press decide to review and recommend.
We never advise authors to publish a book on the assumption that the sales will cover the costs of editing and publication, let alone make a profit (though this is possible). The book market is overcrowded and extremely competitive (over 200,000 books a year are now being published in the UK alone and Amazon lists six million titles), so please don’t assume that just because your book is out there and available on the various websites, sales will come flowing in.
I’m a professional writer with qualifications in English,
do I still need to have my book edited?
Even the finest writers make mistakes, particularly in punctuation, spacing etc. We will not publish any book without at least checking through the manuscript for errors. If it it needs very little work, the fee will be modest.
What does it cost?
We charge a fee for the writing or editing work required, plus the costs of design, printing and publishing. We’ll give you an approximate estimate on sight of your manuscript. Broadly, costs are influenced by the length of the book, the number of illustrations and the amount of editing work required.
Can you help me to sell it?
If we feel the book has potential, we will issue press information about it on publication at our own expense (and do our best to get it placed in the retail trade?). We will advise you on the various options for marketing and promoting your book, and the cost implications. See sales and marketing. If we don’t feel your book is likely to sell, we will not advise you to invest money in marketing.
Can I sell my book myself?
Absolutely – our most successful authors are those who put time and effort into promoting their books themselves, using their own contacts and the social media such as Facebook, Twitter and email. You will achieve the best profit margin on copies you buy from us and sell yourself.
How long will it take?
If you are submitting a complete MS which is in reasonable shape, we should get it back to you within 3-4 weeks, less if you have a deadline to meet. Writing a book from scratch, or rewriting it from rough notes, will naturally take longer. Once we have the final text, you should see a book design within a fortnight, a proof within a further week and your printed books within a further three weeks.
Could there be any legal problems?
Though we take no responsibility for any legal issues such as libel or breach of confidence, we will alert you if we see potential problems. We usually suggest that if your book is a true life story and includes critical comments about living people, their identities are disguised so that they cannot be identified. We will not publish a book which we feel is likely to expose us as publishers to legal action.
Do I own the copyright?
Yes, the copyright for the book will be exclusively yours.
Do I need an ISBN number?
Yes, part of our service includes providing an ISBN number for every book we produce.
Can I get more copies printed later?
Yes. We keep digital files of your book indefinitely. We can also provide your files on disk if you wish, though it’s unlikely that you will be able to edit them further yourself because of the specialist software we use.
ebook readers and distribution
We produce each book in a range of formats for easy distribution and downloading in Australia, New Zealand, Germany, United States, United Kingdom, France and Canada. We supply books in a wide variety of electronic formats for Amazon's Kindle and Barnes & Nobles' Nook, plus most other ebook formats.
Additional services
We have a dedicated sales team who help to sell our books into bookstores, where the book has commercial potential or you wish to promote it on the open market. We also offer a PR service, which enables us to give your book initial publicity by sending out press releases to appropriate publications and editors to encourage them to review it, including radio and TV if appropriate.
Call +44 (0) 1285 640485 or email [email protected]
