What is The Independent Publishing Magazine?
We are an online magazine, resource and research portal for self-publishing authors and independent and small press publishers. Primarily we research and review all kinds of paid-publishing services, author solutions services, printers, e-publishers and independent publishers through analysis and objective opinion. We examine and report on many aspects of a changing publishing and retail industry.
Will you publish my next book?
We are not a publisher and have never presented The Independent Publishing Magazine in any such light. However, this year alone, we have received nine proposals/full manuscripts! Our purpose is to report, feature, advise and educate where we can.
We do very occasionally accept submissions of articles for guest postings, provided the subject matter fits with the content of the site and our editorial style. Please see our EDITOR/SUBMIT on the top link bar of our main site.
Is 'so and so' publisher/service a 'scam'?
We do not see it as our role to brand companies we review as saints or scams. We advocate providing reviews of publishers/services which help to best inform and educate authors considering various paid and mainstream paths to publishing.
Our purpose is not to set out deliberately to smear or damage a company name, though, in our reviews, we pull no punches if we believe a service or publisher offers a poor deal or business model, and we will back that assertion and opinion up with research and analysis. Likewise, we applaud innovation, honesty and new approaches in the publishing industry.
We select services and publishers for review and overview by choice. We do not solicit, advertise or endorse services or publishers for the purpose of reviews.
Generally, we do not conduct reviews of services/publishers, if we know the following:
Have founders, owners or directors with criminal records
Have been struck off as a company
Have directors or owners previously connected with companies on our 'red flag list'
Have operated for less than one year
Have a rented room upstairs in Aunt Maple's house and four of their mates' titles on their catalogue
All services/publishers since January 2010 receive a detailed review of between 1500 - 4000 words and a rating out of ten at the bottom of the review. In turn, each publisher/service is linked to our SELF-PUBLISHING INDEX (a points value index rating all the publisher/services we have reviewed). The SELF-PUBLISHING INDEX can be accessed via the top link navigation bar. There is no other online source or print review anywhere providing the extent of analysis we provide. By Autumn 2010, all our backdated reviews will receive this rating system.
I've only just discovered this site. I wish I had come across it before I chose my publishing path. Why don't you advertise more widely?
All of the information on this site is free. We put a lot of effort and research into what we do. We are listed on a number of large blog directories and listed and referenced on a growing number of reputable author and publishing resources including WriterBeware and SFWA.org. Again, we do not endorse nor seek endorsements, though we greatly appreciate any author, association, publisher or organisation who respect and support what we do.
We respect the authors and publishers - who through their own research and savvy - find us, and particularly authors and publishers who are prepared to engage in constructive debate and feedback with us. This is how we all learn.
If you have just discovered us - bookmark us, click SUBSCRIBE or the FOLLOW links on our site. Alternatively, follow and befriend us on our social network links like FACEBOOK or TWITTER.
Who is Mick Rooney?
He is the editor and publishing consultant at The Independent Publishing Magazine. For more information on Rooney, try here or here, or even here.
Can you advise me on the publisher I should choose or how best to go about publishing my books?
No, The Independent Publishing Magazine cannot advise you beyond the published resources and forum we provide. However, our editor does respond to most comments left on the site and he may be able to help you a little further if you would like. He is a publishing consultant. He will gladly email you once or twice and offer advice, but he is also a writer and professional, most probably just like you in the publishing world. After an initial email inquiry - he won't work for nothing!
I'm a small publisher and need some advice. Could you review my company and take a look at what I do, because I could do with the free promotion and business analysis report you will provide?
Yes, we might be able to provide a little advice. But no - we do not provide free consultancy services. Please see above FAQ.
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