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Monday 21 April 2014

SMOKE & MIRRORS & eBook DISTRIBUTION

Recently, we were approached by a Sydney publishing consultant who had a client with a book he wanted published via print-on-demand in a hurry and in eBook formats in not so much of a hurry.

Our consultant friend wanted to see if she'd given her client the right advice about how best to proceed, so she shared a quote she'd received from a Sydney eBook publisher that she'd already accepted on behalf of her client, admitting that in retrospect she probably should have asked us about it in the first instance.

To the naked eye, the quote seemed reasonable enough – if you didn't know what questions to ask.

There was a component for layout & design, leading to the printing of 100 POD copies.

Plus a dollar figure for eBook conversion.

And another one for distribution to online sites.

Over and out. Rather minimalist, eh?

I let my consultant friend know the questions she should have asked before signing on the dotted line. Add these to your toolbox before venturing into this arena yourself.



Let's assume the publisher is experienced and has done this before. And is up on the latest methods and software required to produce a professional result.

Quality Control (editorial). Do you proofread the work before it goes to press, or before it's uploaded to your eBook distributors? If mistakes are caught after the fact (yours or mine), who pays to get them corrected?

Print-on-demand (POD) publication. Who will print the book? Do they simply print books for you, or do they have a global network? If your POD company is global, your book will gain access to a larger market. Do you offer volume discounts if I order more than a few books? Does the POD company archive the book master? Is there a service charge for reprints?

eBook conversion. How many formats will you produce when you convert my file, and what tests do you run to ensure the file will work on the most common reading devices (eBook readers, tablets and smartphones?) Do you meta-tag (keyword) the file to improve its "discoverability"?

Distribution. Who do you send the eBook file to? How do you account for sales – and when? What are the royalty / revenue sharing arrangements?

Don't be shy – ask the questions. Your publisher should have answers at the ready. If they don't, you might want to shop around.

Wednesday 9 April 2014

Award-winning illustrator Gay McKinnon heads overseas for IP!

An illustration by Gay McKinnon from The Smallest Carbon Footprint in the Land & other eco-tales has been selected to showcase at the Book Illustrators Gallery (B.I.G) exhibition in Singapore during the Asian Festival of Children’s Content!

The Asian Festival of Children’s Content (AFCC) is a collaborative event of creators and producers with parents, teachers, librarians and anyone interested in quality art and literature for children. The Festival offers various workshops, masterclasses, professional conferences and public events for writers, illustrators, editors, publishers, teachers and children to learn and develop their craft.
AFCC impacts over 1.5 billion children, as well as their families, teachers and professionals involved with their development.

AFCC runs from 30 May- 4 June, 2014 at the National Library Building in Singapore.

Gay McKinnon is a freelance writer and illustrator, as well as a glass artist and lecturer. She currently resides in Tasmania, where she sells her work through galleries and markets.  The Smallest Carbon Footprint in the Land & other eco-tales is Gay’s first children’s book. She is thrilled to have been included in the B.I.G Exhibition in this years AFCC.

Gay will be joined at the Festival by international award-winning authors Sally Gardner, Andrew Weale and Gillian Torckler. A big congratulations to Gay for this brilliant opportunity!



For more information on The Smallest Carbon Footprint in the Land & other eco-tales, visit 


or to learn more about AFCC, visit http://afcc.com.sg/2014