FAQ'S

How do I start? Prepare a complete manuscript of the work and send this to us with a 'Manuscript Form'. There is no charge for reading manuscripts. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- How do I submit my manuscript? Send it to us with a completed 'Manuscript Form'. A blank form can be downloaded from this site or you can obtain one directly from Distinctly Different Books and Publications. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- How should I present my manuscript? You should provide a 'hard copy' printout that is double spaced and ideally give the word count. We will also accept a copy in MS Word format on disk or CD (File types that can be used are TXT, DOC & RTF). ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- How long will it take before I receive a decision on my manuscript? We will acknowledge receipt of the manuscript and will advise you at that time when you can expect to receive a decision. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- What type of work do you publish? We publish most works, including; fiction, non-fiction, poetry and children's books. The most common being novels, plays, short-stories, autobiographies, religion, philosophy and self-help. We will not consider publishing work that is libellous or work that will break the law. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- When will I know the cost to publish my book? When a decision is made on the manuscript details are sent in the form of an 'offer' that contains a breakdown of costs. Each book is evaluated separately, as each is a unique work, the price will vary depending on a number of factors. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- How will I be expected to pay? We offer a flexible instalment plan. This is based on the four stages of production which are as follows: First Instalment when signing contract Second Instalment when approving the copy editing Third Instalment when approving type setting/page layout Final Instalment when the book is ready to be printed. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- What happens when I sign the contract? After signing the contract production of the work begins. Reference: Production diagram ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- How long will it take for my book to be published? This is different for every book. A production schedule will be prepared and you will be advised of key dates. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Do you publish anything? No. We have a reputation to think of. However, we will try our best to improve the presentation of the manuscript. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- How do I copyright my book? The original material is automatically copyrighted in the United Kingdom. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- What about cover design? The cover design for the book is very important for sales. If you would like your personal photographs on the cover please supply them, otherwise, our designers will come up with ideas as the cover is an essential sales tool. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Can I include pictures and/or diagrams? Yes. Please provide hard copies and files on disk when submitting the manuscript. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- How will my book be promoted? There is a promotion schedule to every book. We provide advance information sheets and flyers to specialist mailing lists. We also provide the author with advertisements and flyers and ensure their placement according to the authors wishes. The author will be given 50 black and white flyers and 20 colour. The author is responsible to spend extra funds if they require. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- What about my royalties? The author receives royalties on all books that are sold. The Author receives 30% of all money received from sales of the book. If the Author recovers the full investment they shall receive 20% of all money received from sales of the book. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- When will I receive my royalties payments? Author royalties are paid twice a year; at the end of June and the end of December. This is standard in book publishing. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- What if I find spelling errors after printing? It is very common to find spelling errors in published books. The publishing industry standard is set at twelve errors being acceptable in a published book. If you find any errors in your book, please write to us stating the page number and line number and they will be changed immediately, for reprints.