Do children actually like reading horror stories?
According to a recent post (Apr 12, 2022) at BookTrust, they actually do! In a fascinating article about scary books for 8-12 year olds,...
Whether you're a novelist, poet, non-fiction writer or artist, you'll find a full range of services here that will help you get that book or piece finished, edited and published - and importantly get your work where people can see it and buy it.
Whatever stage in your project you're at, we can help you get the results that you want, and even mentor you as you go. Whether you need proofreading, copy editing, book cover design, an author website, an agent or pretty much anything else to do with getting published, we have solutions that are both affordable and relevant. Please check out our services below and read through our free guides - any questions, just drop us a line. We provide a free initial consultation for all new prospective clients without obligation.
A well designed and eye-catching book cover is an absolute must if your book is going to stand out either on a bookshop shelf or on a page on Amazon.
We work with several designers who will get your book cover looking great.
Some people get confused about the difference between editing and proofreading, but in reality, the two are quite different.
Proofreading is the last, final check before your novel is submitted to an agent or publisher.
So, if your novel has already been edited, maybe by a friend/family member or another consultancy, you just need a professional to simply read it and point out any remaining minor typographical errors - that's proofreading.
We find many people who get stuck at the very beginning of the novel writing process and need a helping hand in laying out the plot, developing their characters, or some other aspect.
Our mentoring service is designed to help new writers make a start. So, if you have a great idea but no idea how to move forward, then this is for you.
So, maybe you've written your novel, or other book, and want an honest opinion if it's publishable or not. Or maybe, you've done just a few chapters and need to know if things are headed in the right direction before you continue. Maybe you want to know if the spelling, grammar and punctuation are indicating that a full edit is needed.
A basic report covers all of these matters without being too expensive or going into minuscule detail.
A consultancy report covers everything a basic report does but goes into far more detail. It may tell you the characters are not well developed enough, that your descriptions are over-long and dull, or that something in the plot makes no sense.
This report also assesses what the chances of finding an agent or publisher are, and makes suggestions regarding your best way to market.
In some cases, we may be willing to act as your Literary Agent if we think that your book is BOTH good enough AND that it is 'publisher friendly'.
In terms of being 'publisher friendly', it must be said that some books we see are truly excellent, but due to the genre, or subject matter, have virtually no chance of ever being accepted by a mainstream publisher.
Many authors today go down the self-publishing route either because they have had so many rejection letters, they have given up on traditional publishing, or because they have done the maths and worked out they will make more money by publishing the book themselves - this is actually quite common, especially with niche books like fishing.
Many people choose the self-publishing model these days, and those authors who do will necessarily need to do all of their own marketing, as there is no publisher to do it for them.
We have found many successful, cost-effective methods of selling books, and we can design bespoke marketing campaigns for pretty much any genre that will have a good chance of being successful.
This service is for authors who have a fully completed, proofread manuscript, a full synopsis, and a covering letter, and who now want their 'submission pack' to be checked (and corrected if necessary) before sending it out to agents and/or publishers.
This is simply a check of the submission pack, not the whole manuscript (which must have already been proofread by us or someone else) so is usually turned around fairly quickly.
If you have written a children's book, maybe in verse, for example, but can't draw to save your life, you will need a professional illustrator to create fun and beautiful pictures to go along with your story.
We have an established network of talented illustrators from whom we can choose the most appropriate one for your genre and target age range.
If you’re thinking of becoming a writer, starting a novel or non-fiction book, considering publishing something you’ve already written, or indeed have any other query about the literary world, you may well find our Advisory Service very useful. It could save you a great deal of time, trouble and money.
Please feel free to get in touch with us by email or using the form below. One of our consultants will be happy to discuss any or all of our consultancy services with you in complete confidence and without any obligation on your part.