FAQs

I’m a first-time author—can you help me?
Of course. We work with Australian writers and guide you through each stage of the publishing journey.

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How do I know if my manuscript is ready?
Email us a 3,000 word sample of your manuscript for detailed feedback and clear next steps.

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Can I choose only the services I need?
Absolutely. Editing, design, production, printing, distribution, and publishing support are all available individually.

Will I have a say in how my book looks?

Definitely. We work with you to produce your book and consult with you every step of the way.

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Do I have to pay up front for services?

You do not pay for a service until you have reviewed and signed it off as complete.

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Are you a hybrid/vanity publisher?

​Definitely not. Hybrid and vanity presses are publishing companies who will contract your book but ask for payment for parts of the publishing process, e.g., editing and cover design. They “sell” your book, retaining the publishing rights for a specified period, and pay you royalties on what is sold. Typically though, the amount authors spend on a hybrid contract generally exceeds what many good publishing service providers charge.

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How long does it take to publish?

Depending on what services you choose, we generally say it can take from 3 to 12 months.

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Publishing Services—in a nutshell:
✓ You retain full rights
✓ You invest in production and printing
✓ You have full creative control

What does it all cost?
Each project is individually quoted based on the manuscript and the services required, so we cannot easily put a price tag on one. Our services are costed per word for editorial services, per hour for most other services, and per unit for things like and ISBN and cover design, and our pricing is fair and transparent on each quote.

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And the printing cost?

Printing is quoted for separately once the book dimensions, style, paper, and quantities are known. The printing costs are paid directly to your chosen printer; we do not take a cut.

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Are there any hidden fees?

No. We provide you with a detailed quote for your chosen services plus an included 5% administration fee covering planning, reviews, registrations and meetings/calls etc. The quote will only change if the wordcount of your manuscript increases by more than 1,000 words after the initial quote.

Will my book be available to sell online?

If you choose to do so, your book will be made available for sale with major online retailers worldwide, such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Booktopia etc.

 

What about in bookstores?

We can assist with putting together sell sheets and consignment agreements for authors wanting to canvas bookstores, but we do not organise bricks and mortar distribution for you.

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Do you sell my book for me and pay royalties?

No. Where publishing services are employed by an author to produce and publish a book, the author is the publisher (also known as a “self-publisher”) and is responsible for future sales. All sales income goes to the author and not a publishing services provider.

Do I keep the copyright for my book?

Yes. The work you provide us with is your copyrighted work. In Australia, when work is created, it is automatically copyrighted. No one else can take your copyright without your permission.

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What about publishing rights?

You keep the publishing rights to your book. We are providing you with services, so are not granted the right to publish and sell your book.

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And intellectual property?

Where we have created something for you, e.g., a cover design, interior set-out etc., we retain the intellectual property for that work until payment is received for the appropriate service(s), after which, the intellectual property rights revert to you.

Can you help me with marketing?
Yes. We can help with:

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• Metadata optimisation, i.e., making sure your book has the correct information needed for discoverability.

• Basic marketing, i.e., helping you to figure out the best ways and platforms to use for marketing activities.

• Author brand and platform guidance, i.e., helping you build your author "brand" and ensuring there is somewhere for potential readers to go (online, mostly) to find out more about you and your book(s).

• Social media assistance, i.e., providing plans and/or posts for your book and brand to help with online promotions, e.g. on Instagram and Facebook etc.

• Basic PR, i.e., putting together a media release and ideas for media to contact.