WHERE TO START
Five key questions you should ask yourself before you self publish..
1. Why do I want to publish a book?
This is an important question in deciding how to publish, market and sell your book.
Do you wish to:
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sell only a few copies to family and friends?
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sell copies to raise money for a chosen charity?
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sell your book as part of a commercial venture?
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get your book noticed by agents and traditional publishers?
Regardless of its purpose, you’ll want your book to be designed and printed professionally. Our minimum print run is typically 100 copies. We are, however, able to support the production of much smaller quantities in certain instances.
We are able to advise on the selling price and make your book available for sale by order from bookshops and via internet booksellers such as Amazon.com.
2. How complete is the book?
We are happy to give early advice on text suitability and story construction if your book is still a work in progress. For a book already written, we can offer advice on revisions.
For illustrated books, we can advise on image selection and formatting, together with guidance on image placement within the book.
3. Which format to choose?
What size of book should you choose? Does hardback present a better option to paperback? We help our authors navigate through the different choices and assess their suitability and cost.
4. How many copies?
The cost of printing each book, of course, reduces with increasing numbers being printed. Having a clear understanding of the intended market for the book and the approach to selling it will guide you in weighing up the saving enjoyed by a larger print run against a greater financial commitment to initial outlay.
A short initial print run provides the option of order reprints at a later date. We can print any number of books from a single copy upwards with the exception of non-standard sized books with complex binding.
5. How will the book be marketed?
If the book is produced solely for friends and family, there’s no requirement for marketing. In all other instances, however, you will want your book to reach as many readers as possible. Our ‘go to market’ strategy will help you determine:
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your target audience
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how they might best be reached
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how best to use social media
Post-publication sales support
The Publisher will make the book available for sale via internet orders (including Amazon.com) and bulk sales to wholesale/retail booksellers, normally for a period of one year from the date of publication. Continuing support will thereafter be subject to agreement by the parties.
Learn more about Bannister Publications’ support at every step of the self publishing process.
How we work with you
Every book is different, and so is every author.
The packages below give you a clear guide to the scope and investment typically involved in different types of project but they're a starting point, not a fixed menu. If your book doesn't fit neatly into one of these, we'll work with you to put together something that does.
All prices include VAT. Print costs are quoted and invoiced separately once we know your specification and print run.
Packages
The Essential
Best for fiction, novellas, poetry, and memoir without image sections
Typical formats: B-format paperback, Demy (216 x 138mm), Royal (234 x 156mm)
What's included:
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Manuscript review and guidance
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Typesetting and interior layout
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Cover design: front, spine and back
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Two rounds of proof revisions
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Print-ready files
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ISBN registration
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British Library legal deposit
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Nielsen Books registration
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Amazon listing (if required)
Typical production time: 4 to 6 weeks from approved manuscript
From £2,100 inc VAT
Print costs quoted separately
The Complete
Best for local history, walking guides, illustrated memoirs, travel books and specialist titles
Typical formats: Demy, Royal, Crown Quarto (246 x 189mm), A4
What's included:
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Everything in The Essential, plus:
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Image selection guidance and placement (up to 40 images)
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Image processing and retouching
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Plates section design if required
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Designed chapter openers and title pages
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Three rounds of proof revisions
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Press release draft for local media
Typical production time: 6 to 10 weeks from approved manuscript and images
From £3,300 inc VAT
Print costs quoted separately
The Heritage Edition
Best for military histories, family archives, photography books and hardback legacy editions
Typical formats: Crown Quarto, A4 portrait, large format square, hardback with dust jacket or case laminate
What's included:
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Everything in The Complete, plus:
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Extended image research, scanning and archive retouching
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Complex multi-section layout
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Hardback specification option
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Four rounds of proof revisions
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Kindle and ebook version
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Dedicated project management throughout
Typical production time: 10 to 16 weeks from approved manuscript and images
From £5,100 inc VAT
Print costs quoted separately
Childrens Books
Children's books vary too widely in format, illustration and page count to fit a standard package. We're happy to discuss and quote individually.
Add-ons (available with any package)
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Professional proofreading: from £10 per 1,000 words
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Kindle or ebook (ePUB) conversion: £450 inc VAT
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Additional proof rounds: £150 inc VAT per round
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Rush turnaround (under 8 weeks): £350 inc VAT supplement
A note before you get in touch
We're a small, specialist team and every project gets our full personal attention. We don't take on projects where we can't do them justice, which means we're honest at the outset if a project isn't the right fit for us or for your budget.
All production fees are shown above. Print is always quoted separately once we know your exact specification and quantity. We obtain competitive print quotes and manage the entire print process on your behalf.
David Needham
"Bannister Publications provide a first class service. They instil confidence that your book will be produced to a very high standard and within the timescales agreed. The personal touch is an important part of this publisher's service and attention to detail is the hallmark of their work."
Kathryn Pearson
“Rob and the team are so creative and enthusiastic and nothing is too much trouble. The result exceeded our expectations and our family were delighted.”
Tell us about your book
This short form takes about two minutes and helps us make your first conversation as useful as possible for you. We respond within two working days.