How does Bacon Press Books work exactly?
We work with our authors through all stages of publishing. We have several excellent, experienced freelance editors and designers we work with regularly. They provide editing, proofing, cover design, interior layout, and eBook conversion.
Authors contract directly with our freelancers - this gives you the opportunity to make sure the book is exactly as you envision it. And it saves you money.
Are you a “vanity publisher”?
No. Definitely not. We do not take every manuscript that is sent to us. We do not take advantage of eager authors. We do not force authors to buy their own books, and we do not charge outrageous fees for copies of the authors' books. And if we don’t think a book has merit, we won’t publish it.
As mentioned above, the author pays for editorial and design services. To compensate for that, we offer a very generous royalty based on net revenue. In addition, the author keeps copyright and all subsidiary rights. While the author is included in all steps of the process, we won’t publish a book that doesn't meet the high publishing standards we’ve set for Bacon Press Books.
The real label for what we do is still up for debate. We like Partnership Publishing - since we work together with our authors to produce their books and share some of the costs.
We'd offer advances if we could, but right now, that's not possible. To ensure authors are compensated for their hard work, we offer 70% of net revenues and 10 free copies. Authors can purchase additional copies at 40% off the list price for paperback.
There is no upselling. We go over costs in detail before we offer a contract. There are no surprises or hidden fees.
Why shouldn’t I just do it myself?
That’s a question you’ll need to answer. Some writers don’t want to spend their time on all the details. It’s not rocket science--anyone can learn to do it. In fact, we’re happy to walk you through the process if you want to do it yourself.
We believe that while writing is a solitary process, publishing isn’t. Whether you do it yourself or work with us, you will still need to call on professionals if you want your book to read well and look good. Working with us, you have the benefit of a team that is already vetted and can make the process go more smoothly.
What kinds of books do you accept?
As of July 2024, we’re accepting well-written original fiction, memoir, and nonfiction.
We’re probably not the best place for poetry, science fiction, Young Adult, and erotica.
For a reasonable fee, we can: Give you a great cover; Arrange for you to work with some terrific editors; Create beautiful interiors; Provide all the ISBNs you need; Make your book available on KDP Amazon and Ingram; Offer good advice.
Here's what we can't do: Offer distribution beyond KDP Amazon and Ingram; Guarantee advance reviews; Provide marketing and promotion.
Why don't you do marketing and promotion?
Getting exposure for a new book gets harder every day. We don't have the reach, the budget, the connections to make sure your book will reach a large audience. We’ll offer help in any way we can. But it looks like even the big publishers are asking authors to do more.
Here's what else we've learned: the best person to handle promotion is the author.
Authors are better off saving the money they'd spend with us and either putting it toward their own efforts or hiring a company with experience in book publicity and marketing.
We'll offer guidance and advice. We'll work with any stores or venues where you have readings and signings. We'll make sure you have a beautiful book that's delivered on time.
Wait. You charge for your services. You don't have wide distribution. You don't do promotion. Tell me again why I should work with you?
Good question. This isn't for everyone. We know the drawbacks, and we will go over them with you as honestly as we can. The main benefit we offer is that we can produce beautiful professional books and save you the hassle of taking care of everything yourself.
What should I send? Cover letter? Synopsis? First chapter? The whole manuscript?
Please send a brief letter telling us about your book (briefly) and why you're interested in publishing with Bacon Press Books. Please don't send a synopsis, chapters, or a whole manuscript. We prefer to start a conversation first, before we take a look at your work.
How long does publishing take?
One to two months longer than you think it will when you start out. We say that from experience. Something always happens to cause a delay. But it often depends on how much editing your manuscript needs. Figure three to six months just to be safe.
If I no longer have my original manuscript, will you have my book scanned?
Yes. We’ll need you to provide us with a copy of the hardcover version. We’ll also need to know whether you want the book back or would allow it to be taken apart for more accurate scanning. And we will proof the manuscript after it’s been scanned.
Do you provide ISBNs? Library of Congress numbers?
Yes. We provide ISBNs for print and digital formats and file for the LOC number. The author files for copyright.
Do you publish print and eBooks simultaneously?
We leave that decision up to the author. We have the files formatted for both print and eBook so that they can be released at the same time, but some authors prefer to have the paperback out for a few weeks before releasing the eBook.
How do you print and distribute?
We use print on demand (POD). Right now we rely on Amazon’s KDP and Ingram Spark for paperback printing and distribution. We use Amazon’s KDP for eBooks. It’s up to the author whether we also use Smashwords, Spark or some other eBook distributor or aggregator.
How often do you report sales/royalties? How often do you pay royalties?
We're trying out different systems. If sales are good, we try to report quarterly.
