Last updated: 12 September 2009
This FAQs page will continue to be added to. If you have a question that isn’t answered here, use the Contact Us form and ask.
- Do you accept simultaneous queries/submissions?
- If I send in a summary, how long until I hear back?
- How long does the publishing process take?
- Do you pay an advance?
- How do I get paid?
- Will you steal my ideas?
- Do you accept email submissions?
- You’re based in New Zealand. Does that mean you accept manuscripts only from there?
- I want to talk to someone. Where’s your phone number?
- Are you a vanity publisher?
- My manuscript isn't finished....
- Do I need an agent?
- Do I need to get my manuscript edited before submitting it?
- Can't ebooks be easily stolen?
Q) Do you accept simultaneous queries/submissions?
A) Absolutely.
Q) If I send in a summary, how long until I hear back?
A) It can take up to three weeks to decide whether or not we wish to see the full manuscript. It can also take as little as a couple of days.
Q) How long does the publishing process take?
A) Again, it depends on how busy we are. No more than a couple of months.
Q) Do you pay an advance?
A) Sorry, but not at the moment. Perhaps next year we’ll start offering an advance, but not yet.
Q) How do I get paid?
A) It can take up to three months after publication before you start to receive your money. After that, we pay once every two months if your income earned is above a certain threshold. We pay either by Paypal or by direct credit into your nominated bank account.
Q) Will you steal my ideas?
A) Hell no! Both Brian and Mike are writers; we have far too many ideas in our own heads to spend the time on those that we don't think we can use. Nor will we simply steal your manuscript. That could get us into serious trouble, and we can all do without that. No, we want to make you rich. We’ll do it honestly and fairly. If we like your ideas, great! If we don’t, we’ll tell you and delete everything you sent us.
Q) Do you accept email submissions?
A) That’s the only type of submission we do accept – but only after we’ve read your summary, and requested your manuscript. That’s why we don’t publish our contact details here.
Q) You’re based in New Zealand. Does that mean you accept manuscripts only from there?
A) Hell no! You can be anywhere, from America to Zimbabwe. Where you are doesn't matter anywhere as much as your ideas.
Q) I want to talk to someone. Where’s your phone number?
A) Sorry, but if you want to contact us, use the Contact Us form. As we said, we’re based in New Zealand; the time zones here are different from just about everywhere else, so a comfortable time for you to call would likely be when we're all in bed asleep. The good news is that we try to respond to all emails within a week, and all submission enquiries within three weeks.
Q) Are you a vanity publisher?
A) Hell no! We want to make you rich. At no stage do we ever ask for your money. Quite the reverse.
Q) My manuscript isn't finished....
A) By all means, ask if we’d be interested. It's a really good way of finding out in advance if your idea is marketable. We might even offer a few suggestions to help you out. But you won’t get a contract until after we’ve seen the completed manuscript.
Q) Do I need an agent?
A) Hell no. In fact we prefer to work directly with you. Agents won’t get you a better deal; they’ll just suck a percentage from what you would have earned. That said, if you’re already working through an agent, that's fine.
Q) Do I need to get my manuscript edited before submitting it?
A) No. We have very capable editors on staff, and the way a manuscript is edited can impact on how it can be sold. So we like to edit in-house. That said, a poorly edited manuscript can distract even the best of us from what you’re trying to say. Do as much as you can, but don't hire a professional. It could be money wasted.
Q) Can't ebooks be easily stolen?
A) They can be. But so can printed books. The Harry Potter series, for example, was copied and printed by the thousands within weeks of being released - and yet the legitimate edition still sold in the millions. Most people tend to be honest, and with e-books the potential target market is some 6 billion people - which is a lot.
Also, there are a number of things you can do to make it much harder for people to steal electronic books. It doesn't make it impossible, but at least it limits the number of potential thieves only to those who are serious about it. Much like locking your front door, really.