Frequently Asked Questions

The following are frequently asked questions but if yours isn’t answered please use the contact form.

What security do I have if I send you my manuscript?

We receive hundreds of enquiries and select those that we would be willing to invest in with the author. Obviously, to enable us to do this, we require the manuscript, which is stored securely. If either we or the author elect not to proceed with publishing the manuscript, it will be automatically deleted from our files or destroyed.

Do I keep the copyright?

The author retains the copyright throughout.

Where do you distribute the books?

We make all our books available through online channels including Amazon, Waterstones, W. H. Smith, Blackwells, etc. All books are also available through High Street retailers by simply quoting the ISBN. Obviously, we cannot guarantee a particular retailer will take it into stock.
E-Books are distributed worldwide through over 100 wholesalers who, in turn, supply retailers in over 60 countries.

Do you design the cover, or do we have to do that?

We will do a simple front and rear cover design as part of the basic package. This can be either just the title and author name, and, if required, we will incorporate an image supplied by the author or from our extensive database that the author considers depicts the storyline. We also have a bespoke cover design service whereby one of our illustrators will produce a unique cover design, costs for this service will be provided in your quotation.

Will you incorporate my own cover design?

Yes, we will do that free of charge.

Do I need to buy a bulk amount of books from the outset?

No. We do not force our authors to purchase a large minimum quantity, our minimum order quantity is 10 for personal use and 12 for the legal libraries and retailers. We work on a print-on-demand basis whereby only sufficient quantities are printed to meet demand and we service all retailer orders.

What help do you give to first time authors?

One of the things we pride ourselves in is the help and support we provide our authors. They also control the budget from start to finish. We believe the testimonials we have received attest to this. See here

Do you supply orders from you own stock or do I have to provide the stock?

We keep a small stock at our expense to meet initial demand. Once the pattern of sales is established, this stock is adjusted accordingly.

What is the time scale to publish my book?

We normally take 4-6 weeks from receipt of the manuscript and full details to the production of a proof copy. This will obviously be extended if editing or proof reading, internal or book cover illustrations, etc. are involved. A further 2 weeks is required following receipt of final author amendments.

What are the approximate costs?

If no distribution is required, the cost is just £399 excluding author book copies and postage (Option 1). If retail distribution is required, this costs as little as an additional £400 plus 12 book copies for the legal deposit libraries and retailers, as detailed on our website (Option 2).

What help do you provide authors to help market their books?

We provide a great deal of help and advice to our authors to help kick-start their book sales.This includes targeted press releases to a database with over 150,000 UK media book specialists and over a million worldwide. We also provide both standard and video-based book reviews and a tailored author web page with online purchase facility to enable our authors’ books to be sold at special discounted prices. Postcard-sized promotional cards can also be provided.
Our full range of marketing services can be viewed here.

Can the author purchase the book at cost?

Yes, the author’s price will be provided on quotation and, unless any amendments are made or the price of paper or printing fluctuates, this price should not change.

When and how are royalties paid?

We notify all our authors of their royalties every 3 months or more frequently depending on book sales. More details here.

Do you provide e-book publication?

We provide e-books in all formats to suit all types of reader, including Kindle. This is covered extensively on our site here.

Do you proof read books?

We review all books, and if we think it necessary to have the book professionally proofread, we advise the author accordingly. We are also frequently asked or strongly recommend it is edited to ensure it reads as though it was written by an experienced author. Both these services are explained on our website here.

Which genres do you publish?

Over the years that ShieldCrest has been publishing books we have published practically every genre including novels, factual biographies, historical books, language, educational, poetry and children’s books. Of these poetry and children’s books have become a speciality.

You mention payment is by PayPal. What if I don’t have a PayPal account?

You don’t need a PayPal account as they take all types of credit and debit cards and all currencies. We also deal with a range of other card acceptance organisations. However, our preferred method of payment is by bank transfer (BACS). The reason we use card payment companies is because our business comes from all over the world and it enables our customers to make their payments in any currency and without disclosing their card details to us. In other words it is an entirely secure way for our authors to make their payments.

Where can I see your Terms & Conditions?

You can download our terms and conditions here.

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