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You may already have a print version of your work that is “out of print”. Or you may be thinking about composing something for the Net. Or for eBook reading devices and tablets. You may have a work you want to test out there in the market before spending thousands of dollars getting it into print. Then you owe it to yourself to get in touch with us.

First the background, then our solution...

The IP Difference

In the rush to publish on the Net, many people forget about quality. With the explosion of material in cyberspace, it’s even more important now to ensure your work is the best it can be before it gets out there.

That’s where IP is different from most online publishers, who are only too happy to take on your work for a modest fee and a tempting royalty arrangement. They may even digitise your work for free and give you space on their website along with other hopeful authors. Quality control is often never discussed. Turn-around and cash-flow are what drives these entrepreneurs. You wait and wait. And wait. Months later, you may wonder why you bothered — your manuscript probably had more exposure in your desk drawer!

IP offers a better approach. We can assess your work and suggest ways to improve it before you put it out there. This takes time and patience on your part. But creating memorable work was never meant to be easy. Or quick. Once the work is ready to be published, we produce an effective design and layout. Because first impressions still matter, even moreso on the Net. A professionally designed cover still attracts attention on the screen as well as on paper; thoughtful choice of typography and integration of design elements will keep your viewers viewing, rather than distracting them from your content. It's well worth the investment.

Once the work is published you need to promote it. Through IP Sales (IPS) we will work with you to design a strategy for attracting attention and producing sales. Again, this depends on the quality of your work — it’s hard to sell a frog as a prince except in fairy tales. But if you accept our suggestions along the way, you won’t need a magic wand.

From MS to Publication

For a typical project, there’ll be stages involving assessment, editorial, production and promotion. First, you query us, with a proposal and a one-page synopsis of your work. We may then invite you to send us a sample (~5%) of your work. This initial consultation costs AU$77 for Australian residents or AU$70 for overseas residents. In the case of a new work, if we think the work shows promise, we'll invite you to submit the complete work. There's a fee of AU$399 for this, which includes a 2-4 page Reader's Report with valuable suggestions about how to improve the work (if it needs improvement). Author and illustrators of children's picture books of up to 36 pages pay AU$299 / AU$275 for their Reader's Report. You then have the option of submitting it for possible royalty publication (where we cover most of the costs) or Assisted Self-Publication, where you cover most of the costs in exchange for most of the revenue your title earns if we distribute it.

And Beyond...

We find that going digital is beneficial for several reasons. Let’s say you live in Perth, and you want to perform at the Melbourne Writers’ Festival. The organisers are hesitant because they don’t know enough about your work, and the deadline for extending invitations to readers was yesterday. Simply point them to your optional IP-hosted mini-site and they have immediate access to your work, your bio, your photo. Was there any doubt of your being invited?

IP is serious about promotion. IPS has an ever-growing list of contacts we use to sell authors’ work to distributors, libraries, booksellers, media outlets, academics and individuals. Included in our impressive list of partners we sell directly to are Amazon, Apple, Google, Wheelers, Kobo, Overdrive and Barnes & Noble. New titles are promoted via email circulars we send to these lists, as well as in IP eNews, our quarterly electronic newsletter, which has a global circulation and links to many key sites on the Internet.

Want to go DIGITAL? Check out our new Digital Publishing Centre to see how your book can be economically published on the Kindle Reader, the iPad or the other new eBook Readers out there!

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Updated 1 August 2012

Testimonials

Thanks IP for doing a 'first read' on my early manuscript. It put me
on track to pull together the story that was in there somewhere. I
took a lot of the advice and completed my first novel and I've just
been invited by Dymocks of Carindale to do a launch and signing. Many thanks for the insights once again. Keep up the great work!
– John Beamish, author of The Addiction Concerto

As an author of three works of fiction, a former journalist and editor of some 15
years experience, it is still the professional editorial advice from IP that I have to thank for moulding my ideas, techniques and talents into quality publishable work. In fact, with the experience of having one of my novels put out by a reputable publisher abroad, I would say that, beyond a doubt, it has taken
IP's expert and highly skilled input to make me realise the true worth of fiction writing as a craft. As a creative writer, I cannot thank them enough.
– Barry Levy, author of As If! and Shades of Exodus

Even with many years of teaching experience, I knew I needed help getting my children’s book to a professional standard. IP’s readers’ reports targeted both general and specific problems in my manuscript and, thanks to their positive feedback, my story has now been accepted for publication.  I will definitely be using this service again and would highly recommend it to other writers.
– Janet Reid, author of The Ruby Bottle and Winner, IP Picks 2012 Best Junior Prose Award

IP's reader's reports were a godsend. I was really pulled up short (politely) and shown how to clarify my writing. Directions for improvement were clear and concise. I've enjoyed getting to know my patient editor. We can't be experts at everything. Even those of us who are tolerably intelligent (!) will need assistance if we enter a new field such as creative writing.
– Lois Shepheard, author of The Rag Boiler's Daughter

An earlier draft of my book was long-listed for the FAW Jim Hamilton award
so I knew it was worth further effort. I hired a professional assessor to have a look but it wasn't until I invested in an IP reader's report that the book started to take shape. I had three reports all up before it made publication but the process was crucial in its success.

As a welcome surprise, many of the editorial suggestions have been implemented in subsequent writing projects, further proving the value of assessment. Publishing standards are getting higher as are the quality of submissions seem to be competitive. I feel it's vital to have professional advice.
– Olwyn Conrau, author of The Importance of Being Cool