Blot Publishing - Book Publishing (Introduction)

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Book Publishing - Introduction

Why Publish a Book Yourself?
If you have already tried, and failed, to have your work published elsewhere you might feel that your work has been passed over because you're not famous, your subject matter is not in fashion, or because the editor was having a bad day. However, large publishers are most interested in big production runs of material with a wide public-appeal; not every family history, 18th century academic study, or book of verse, falls into this category. Whatever your subject matter is, remember that there is no stigma attached to paying for your own publishing - if it is worthy of being in print, it doesn't matter how it gets there.

What Makes a Book Worthy of Publication?
There is a lot of snobbery surrounding vanity press, but there is no harm, to begin with, in a bit of self-indulgence. Wanting to see your book published is a perfectly good reason to have it published, but it must not be the only reason. Blot once received a manuscript of 200,000 words written without punctuation. The author was wealthy, and keen to see his work in print, but we did not publish it.

Contrary to popular belief, not every vanity publisher will 'publish anything for the money'. Every book we publish carries our imprint, and stands as a record of our work as well as that of the author; so, we are also keen to see that the final result is reputable.

A worthy book needs to be grammatically correct (for a start), and written with a good use of English. If the subject is factual then it must be well-researched, interesting (if perhaps only to a few people) and well-structured too. If the subject is fictional then opinions of it will only ever be subjective and who can say if it is good or not? Just because we like a book doesn't mean that it will sell, and just because we don't like a book doesn't mean that someone else won't either. We will not publish work containing references to gratuitous violence, pornography, paedophilia, or other such distasteful subjects.

Your Ambitions
We are flexible in our approach to our work and the projects we undertake; nothing need be fixed in stone. If you would like to telephone for a chat, or even visit us, before making any commitment, you would be most welcome to do so.