Author service

Are you a published author with an
out-of-print title or back-list?

Have your titles been dropped by your publisher
because sales are said to be no longer high enough?
Is your publisher refusing to carry your back-list,
despite the fact that demand is still there?

Many mainstream publishers are no longer prepared to carry book titles that sell fewer than a thousand copies a year. Even publishers of well known names are dropping their proven authors and titles once sales fall below a predetermined and very high ‘sustainable level’, despite the fact that bookshop demand is continuing at a rate which would provide both, author and publisher, with an acceptable and welcome return.

In cases where such on-going demand can be shown to exist, it can make economic sense to continue publishing the titles - by producing them 'on demand'.

This can be done using digital printing methods. However, most mainstream publishers will not consider such a novel approach, even with new technology.

If you have an out-of-print title, and the rights have reverted back to you, two new options are available to you:

1. you can become your own publisher; or,

2. we can become your new publisher.

1. If you decide to publish your own books, we will gladly arrange short-run printing at an economical price.

2. If we publish for you, the contract is time-limited (normally three years) rather than open-ended as is usual with other publishers.

Depending on the rights you hold (contents, cover etc.) we will first need to establish what size demand for your title(s) still exists. Thereafter we work out costs and establish at what price the book could be sold.

When all the conditions are favourable we will offer you a publishing contract. As a book need never go out of print we normally offer time-limited contracts, usually for three years, then automatically annually renewable unless cancelled by either party.

The costs of printing are very different from conventional processes, hence the price of the book in the shop will be about £2.50 to £3.00 higher than an equivalent conventional book. This is not a problem, as your potential readers have the choice of a slightly more expensive book or none at all.

Royalties are based on a combination of the original book price and the estimated price the book would achieve if published conventionally today.

We do not offer publicity campaigns but are happy to coordinate with you so that, for example, your back-list is re-published simultaneously with your new title.

We do not have a sales force and cannot sell actively to the book trade, therefore sales rely entirely on the ongoing demand of your title.

We may also be able to create a large-print version of your book.