Got questions?

Authoright is the leading author services company. We provide excellent and affordable editing, cover design, website design, marketing and publicity services for both self-published and traditionally published writers.

Marketing and publicity are techniques that assist in the promotion of a new book — spreading the word about its publication, raising its profile (and its author’s), and generating reviews, features and interviews across print, broadcast and online media. Marketing tends to focus on behind-the-scenes preparatory work: marketing plans, title text and metadata, media lists and newsletters. Publicity is the front-of-house work: contacting journalists, placing articles and arranging radio and TV interviews.

There are lots of things authors can do to help promote their books, but publicity is largely out of reach for most writers. It is a specialist activity involving extensive media contacts. Journalists are not used to dealing with authors directly — they expect to deal with a professional publicist when considering new titles for review or feature.

Yes you can. We live in an image-driven world and readers like to see the author behind a favourite book, but we always balance the right professional advice with our clients’ specific requirements. Some writers remain completely hidden from view; others adopt a pen name but share photographs and participate fully in promotion. There are drawbacks to anonymity that we’ll talk you through — it may put some journalists off connecting with your story.

Be as flexible, timely and forthcoming as possible. Your publicist will set up interviews, arrange articles for you to write and organise blog tours — and they’ll pass on specific briefs from their media contacts. Follow those briefs to the letter: if a newspaper asks for a 1,000-word article on the themes of your book, don’t send 4,500 words on what inspired you to write it. Deliver what’s asked promptly, check with your publicist when in doubt — and remember, promoting your book should be fun!

Yes, of course — though most of our client meetings take place over the phone or via video call, as this tends to be most convenient for everyone concerned.

Publicists spend a lot of time on the phone and email, often waiting for answers from journalists, producers and bloggers before they can update clients. You’re always welcome to get in touch, but most publicists prefer an email first — and can then schedule a time to speak if a call is needed.

Publicists are influencers, not enforcers. Our role is to pitch books, stories and writers in creative, dynamic and engaging ways — but the final decision always lies with the journalist, blogger or reviewer. We don’t trust any publicity or marketing firm that guarantees results, because you unequivocally cannot.

We can never guarantee how a book will be received. If a reviewer doesn’t enjoy a book, they’re entitled to write an honest review. That said, most reviewers we work with are generous and respectful, and will often decline to publish a review rather than share a poor rating.

Journalists are time-poor and deadline-heavy, so many interviews are conducted by email or phone. Radio and TV interviews are more often in person or from a studio near you. Newspapers will usually ask us for photographs — an author headshot is standard — and occasionally arrange their own photoshoot.

Of course! A first interview can be scary, especially live radio, when you’re talking about something as personal as your own book. We provide media training tips to help you relax, deliver warmly and confidently, and make the most of a terrific opportunity.

Paid interviews are actually quite rare these days, reserved for high-profile interviewees or very commercial, newsworthy stories. When you promote a book, the media is giving you a free platform in front of thousands — or millions — of readers. Demanding a fee usually means losing the opportunity altogether.

Occasionally a newspaper feels a book is strong enough to run a section of it in print — a page, an edited section, or a series of chapter selections over a number of days. This is called serialisation.

Sometimes a newspaper or magazine wants to secure an article or interview before its rivals. Exclusivity can be total, limited to one platform (print or broadcast), or simply an agreement not to approach direct competitors with the same story. An exclusive usually translates into a larger piece of coverage — and once it has run, other outlets can produce their own versions.

Absolutely not! Our media relationships are very important to us, and sharing journalists’ details would breach both data protection regulations and industry best practice. You’ll always be informed of the media contacts we’re in touch with on your behalf, but contacts cannot be shared.

Please don’t. Journalists receive tonnes of unsolicited mail, most of which goes straight in the bin. We make sure our media contacts actually want a title before we send it — so when it arrives, they can’t wait to start reading it.

No — advertising is a separate discipline and usually an extremely expensive one; only very large publishers advertise books on public transport and in bookshops. However, we’re sometimes offered affordable advertorial and online advertising opportunities which, if reasonable, we’ll always offer to our authors — though this isn’t covered by the publicity campaign fee.

Yes we do. We aim to offer authors the best of both the self published and traditionally published worlds.

No, we are semi-selective. If a book needs a lot of work and the author isn’t interested in improving it, if the book is offensive, or if it contains libellous material, we won’t publish it. We want to publish well-written, commercially viable books professionally, and support them with extensive promotional activity.

We pay royalties twice a year — every six months. Publishers receive sales information and revenue from retailers in arrears, so we have two accounting periods: May–October and November–April. Royalties for the first period are sent the following February; for the second period, the following August — in each case on or by the month end.

Statement processing is a very busy period for any publisher. If you haven’t received your statement by the start of the following month, please email us at info@authoright.com.

In short, no. As is typical with any publisher or literary agent, we can’t be responsible for material given to us by clients or prospective clients, and we don’t return manuscripts, synopses or supporting material. Please do not send us the only copy of your manuscript! Keep both electronic and printed copies, and back up your electronic copies regularly. We cannot be held responsible for lost or damaged materials under any circumstances.