Rick Goldsmith

From the signing of my contract right up until delivering advance copies of my book, The Book Guild (TBG) have quickly and scrupulously answered my queries. Throughout the entire process of getting my first book published I have liaised with the same person, Carolina Santos (who took Holly’s place after she left), and she has provided not only continuity but has been an absolute pleasure. In fact all of the staff have been uniformly excellent. I’m full of admiration for the company.

Their attention to detail is to be admired and the process of copy-editing and typesetting my manuscript was an excellent example of this as, alongside all the usual cross-checking, it had some 15 pages of unconventional text layout and we worked hard together to get this right.

The book was beautifully laid out, with good quality paper and the cover’s sumptuous colours and debossing (embossing in reverse) made it a very impressive object in its own right. As someone who is very pernickety about book production this had been an ongoing concern: what if it looked a bit cheap or naff? Well it didn’t, I’m very happy to report. So kudos to The Book Guild.

Concerns
I had initial concerns about working with a hybrid publisher but the amount I was asked to contribute was less than the cost to get my book privately printed i.e.self-published. The Guild got the book an ISBN and had it catalogued with the Nielsen Book database (which meant it would be stocked by Gardners Books wholesalers, not print-on-demand, and be available to all UK online booksellers and shops) as well as providing copy editing, typeset layout, cover design and marketing services. And I get to keep the layout designs.

Transparent about costs
As I did my research, spoke to other writers and a publisher friend, I realised it was becoming more common for authors, especially those who are starting out, to be asked to contribute to their books’ set-up costs in some way. The Book Guild were very transparent that they had offered me a partnership publishing option and they were upfront about costs – they stumped up 60% to my 40%. So after some deliberation, I got over myself and jumped right in. And very glad I did too.

NB: The Book Guild is an independent company using both hybrid and traditional publishing models, while their associated company Troubador Press provide self-publishing services.

Options
Of course this option wouldn’t be for everyone. The cost isn’t negligible but I’ve managed to claw back virtually all of my initial outlay by asking friends and family to sign up as ‘supporters’. I kept an eye on costs and chose not to subscribe to the other services TBG offered e.g. merchandise or overseas distribution. Many authors still want the kudos of being signed to a well-known or respected publisher but one writer told me that even though he was on a high-profile imprint he still had to do his own publicity and marketing.

The top 1% of writers may get the nothing’s-too-much-trouble, wined-and-dined treatment from their agents and publishers but these bestselling writers and/or celebrities are by no means the norm. Many authors opt instead to self-publish which is a viable alternative in cost terms but one in which leaves a lot resting on the individual’s shoulders, especially if they’re looking to produce a good quality end-product that can be ordered from booksellers.

I’m very thankful The Book Guild believed in the novel and that they’ve helped bring it into the world.