SilverWood Books - Frequently asked questions about self-publishing

Frequently Asked Questions

A general guide to the most frequently-asked publishing questions.

1 What is an ISBN?

An ISBN, or International Standard Book Number, is a product code which assists booksellers with processing and ordering. Our publishing packages include the use of a SilverWood ISBN, although some authors ...read more

2 Do I really need an ISBN?

Not necessarily. An ISBN isn't a legal requirement. It's a product code which doesn't affect an author's copyright, or the ability to retain control over all aspects of their work (from ...read more

3 Will my book be listed on Amazon and other online retailers?

If your book has an ISBN, it will automatically be listed on Amazon (and most other online retailers). However, this doesn't mean it's also automatically stocked in Amazon's warehouse. Amazon will ...read more

4 How does Print On Demand (POD) work?

Print on Demand is very flexible. It works behind the scenes, keeping your book in print and producing books to meet the specific demands of readers without you having to tie ...read more

5 What is SilverWood's Empowered Publishing and how can it help me?

Empowered Publishing helps self-funding writers to produce high quality books, designed to the highest industry standards. Our aim is to empower you as a self-publishing author and work collaboratively with you ...read more

6 What's the difference between vanity publishing and self-publishing?

Old-style 'vanity' publishers are likely to assure you that your writing is wonderful, even if it isn't, just to get you to sign up to an often expensive publishing deal. They ...read more

7 How much does it cost to publish with SilverWood Books?

We firmly believe that there's no such thing as a 'standard' book, or a one-price-fits-all. Every project is unique and brings its own challenges. Book production can be divided into three ...read more

8 How much is copy-editing and proofreading?

Fees would vary according to the complexity of the text and the condition of the manuscript, or whether English is the writer's first language. Text with academic, legal or medical content ...read more

9 Does SilverWood Books give value for money?

We certainly think so, and if you choose to work with SilverWood you will soon realise that you get much more than you pay for. Our research shows that a conservative ...read more

10 Why does SilverWood retain a percentage on books it sells?

We manage our authors’ book sales through a wide range of trading accounts around the world with POD, and within the UK with our trade distributor when a bulk print run ...read more

11 I'm publishing my book to make a profit - is that a good idea?

Publishing can be profitable if you have a clear business plan and you've written a book that is likely to be in demand (non-fiction usually does well, as do local or ...read more

12 Do I need to officially copyright my work?

Your work is automatically copyrighted when you create it. Your copyright is not in the idea itself, but in the expression of the idea - so the exact words written in ...read more

13 Why do amendments have to be kept to a minimum at the page proof stage?

We strongly encourage all our authors to submit final text so that only small changes are necessary at the print proof stage. By final text, we mean that your manuscript should ...read more

14 So I've published my book - what do I have to do to promote it?

If you've done your research, you'll know that selling a book you've published yourself requires hard work, lots of energy and drive, and a certain amount of ingenuity and originality. That's ...read more

15 What is Legal Deposit?

The Legal Deposit Libraries Act of 2003 allows the British Library to request a copy of every book published in the UK. In addition, the deposit regulations of the Copyrights Acts ...read more

16 Tell me about Cataloguing in Publication (CIP)

British Library's CIP programme provides records about new and forthcoming books to the library book buying market in the UK. Libraries are then alerted to titles of interest to their users, ...read more

17 Tell me about Public Lending Rights

Public Lending Right (PLR) is the right for authors to receive payment under PLR legislation for the loans of their books by public libraries. If their book is eligible, authors can ...read more

18 What happens if I'm not happy?

The SilverWood team strives to give the very best service we can at all times, and we work in partnership with our authors. Good communication at each stage of the publishing ...read more

19 Does SilverWood Books have an Environmental Policy?

Yes, we do. We recognise that our operations have an environmental impact and that it is our responsibility to minimise this and to operate in an environmentally responsible manner. From the ...read more

20 If I order books from your online bookshop, do you ship internationally?

We do ship internationally. For more information about where we deliver and the cost, please add items to your basket and select the correct shipping option. You're not committed to the ...read more

Have a question you don't see here...?

Check out The Learning Zone where we feature a range of free articles about publishing and promoting your work.

If you're ready to publish in partnership with SilverWood then please see our Quick Start Guide here.

If you still can't find what you're looking for, simply drop us a line and we'll respond as quickly as possible.

“If you’re thinking of self-publishing, I hope you don't go at it alone. With a team like SilverWood behind you, you have the support you need to publish the best work you believe in.”

J A Higgins

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

A general guide to the most frequently-asked publishing questions.

Have a question you don't see here...?