Please be aware that, due to the volume of submissions received, it may take up to two weeks to respond.
We are only able to consider books that are in Word format and double spaced. If your book is incomplete and you need support in writing it, please visit the Arkbound Foundation at www.arkfound.org
What is your publishing procedure?
See above and the Publishing Procedure Page.
What sort of books do you publish?
We consider any genre, with the exception of erotica. We particularly like publishing in the thriller, sci-fi, crime, horror, autobiographical and literature genres. For non-fiction we are interested in popular science, social studies, politics, history and local interest. We can also publish graphical books. If your book touches upon environmental or social themes, which may encourage the reader to make positive changes in their life or raise awareness over an important issue, then we are especially interested.
What makes Arkbound different from other publishers?
Where will my book be distributed?
Arkbound books can be distributed both online and offline. We can make your book available from Amazon and most other online retailers. For offline distribution we work with BookVault, Gardners, Bertrams and several other companies to make your books available in book shops across the world, which can also order copies directly. We have links with Waterstones, The Great British Bookstore, County Libraries and many others so that your book can not only be stored but effectively promoted (see below).
How will you promote my book?
Arkbound uses a number of different tools and techniques to get your book promoted. These include press releases to our expansive contact list, an exclusive partnership with Arch Communications, features and reviews on Arkbound’s media and our affiliates, book signings and readings, festivals and events, direct marketing materials (t-shirts, bookmarks, flyers, etc), digital marketing methods (elements of SEO and backlinks), plus some other stuff that we are keeping under wraps. In short, we leave our competitors in the dark ages when it comes to promotion!
Where are you based?
Bristol and Glasgow.
What is sponsorship?
Sponsorship is where a third party covers the publishing costs of a book, because the author passes certain eligibility and where we could not take their book on otherwise. Sponsored books can be funded via crowdfunding campaigns and grants, of which the Arkbound Foundation is one option. We will advise an author if we think their book may be suitable for sponsorship and aim to provide assistance in securing funding where possible. In general, sponsored titles come from authors who are disadvantaged – this could mean someone who has faced (or is facing) significant hardship on their writing journey, which may otherwise prevent them from getting published. Homelessness, unemployment, imprisonment and disability are typical examples. As much as we’d like to, we cannot always sponsor everyone who is disadvantaged. We need to see talent and evidence of hard work – a driving story that has the potential to be made into a masterpiece (or it may already be one!). For those without a finished manuscript, we can sometimes refer people to creative writing and mentoring support (done by the Arkbound Foundation).
What about printing?
Sometimes you cannot beat the feel of turning a page and all the sensations that go with reading a printed book. This is why we believe that each book we publish should be available both digitally and in hard copy. Like a lot of independent publishers, we utilise print on demand (‘POD’). This means that we can provide you with affordable copies – from 10 to 100 or over – as well as making your book available to anyone who wants to buy it. Whenever someone orders a copy, POD ensures that it is quickly printed and delivered as if there was already a warehouse full.
How will I get paid?
Arkbound takes a standard royalty of 33% for each book – authors receive 66%. These returns come after the costs of printing, distribution and any retailer discounts. Thus, on average, a £7.99 book would see a 90p (per sale) return for an authors. For sponsored books, we can reduce our royalty depending on the terms of sponsorship. Likewise, authors who enter into a partnership publishing agreement can expect to see a higher return – up to 90%, with the Arkbound royalty being reduced to 10%. This takes into account that an author has already covered some of the publishing costs. Each author will sign a contract and will be paid royalties biannually, accompanied with a payment report showing a breakdown of sales. If you want copies of your book to sell directly through your own channels, we just charge the print costs.
Who does the proofreading and copyediting?
This depends on whether you are being sponsored or not. We have a number of freelancers who are able to provide proofreading and copyediting services. Each has been fully accredited and reviewed – the reason their quoted prices are so low is because they believe in the social enterprise remit of Arkbound. We can also proofread and copyedit books ourselves, working in partnership with other publishers and those on the Arkbound Publishing Network.
What if I’m not happy?
Arkbound is proud to have consistently excellent reviews and feedback from people who use our services, but in the event that someone is unhappy then we would seek to work with them to solve the problem.
