Questions to ask any publisher or printing service before you start
Before you agree to work with anyone on your book, a list of plain questions that make the arrangement clear for both sides.
The QuillBees team
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·3 min read
When you are excited about a book, it is easy to say yes to the first person who sounds confident. A few questions up front prevent most of the misunderstandings that come later.
About the work
What exactly will you do? Ask them to list the services in their own words. Editing, typesetting, cover design, printing and listing are separate jobs. Some people offer all of them, some only one.
Who does each step? Is it a person in the company, a freelancer, or an outside vendor? You are entitled to know.
What will you give me at the end? Files, printed books, a listing, reports. Ask for the list in writing.
Can I see examples? Books they have made, not just pictures on a website. If possible, hold one.
About the rights
Who owns what? Your text belongs to you in almost all fair arrangements. Check who owns the cover design, the typeset files and the ISBN, since those can be held back later.
Can I take my files and leave? If you want to move to another printer in a year, can you? Do they hand over the final files?
Is the agreement exclusive? Some arrangements stop you selling the book anywhere else. Understand this before you sign.
About the process
How many rounds of changes are included? And what happens when you want one more?
How long will each stage take? Ask for rough dates and for what could delay them.
Who is my contact? One name and one way to reach them, so you are not chasing a general inbox.
About the book itself
How will you handle mistakes? If a page is printed wrongly or a file is corrupted, what happens? Ask before it occurs, not after.
What do you need from me, and by when? Many delays start with an unanswered email on the author's side.
About selling
Where will the book be listed or sold? Who handles orders, packing and complaints from readers?
Who deals with returns and damaged copies? It sounds small, but it comes up.
Write it down
Whatever you hear, ask for it in an email or a document. A friendly conversation is not the same as an agreement. Keep the replies.
Trust your sense
If someone dodges a straightforward question, pressures you to decide quickly, or promises big results without explaining how, slow down. A good partner will be happy to answer.
For legal terms such as contracts and rights, it is sensible to have a lawyer look at anything long or unusual. This post is only a list of questions to start the conversation, and it is not legal advice.
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