"I thoroughly enjoyed working with Tollington Press to produce my first poetry collection" - Sophia Blackwell
HOW DOES IT WORK?
New authors' questions:
About Tollington Press
Set up in 2008 by Helen Sandler (pictured), who previously ran Diva Books and the York Lesbian Arts Festival, Tollington Press focuses on fiction, poetry, drama and memoir but is always open to new possibilities, whatever the genre.
Tollington Press is a client publisher. Authors who know they have a potential readership approach us to produce their book for them.
This model works well for people who want to sell their books at their own gigs or readings, as well as those with a story to tell to their friends, family and community - for instance, the Jewish community or the LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and queer) world.
Typically, the first print run will be hundreds rather than thousands of copies. A readership of a few hundred may be too small for most publishers, but to our authors, hundreds of eager readers are a very good reason to get that book out there.
New Authors:
We love hearing from new authors. If your work sounds like a good match for Tollington then Helen will have a chat with you about your dreams for your book. And if not, she'll suggest what you might do instead. So please drop Helen a line!
Who pays whom?
The author pays Helen to produce her or his book to a high standard (including editing, layout, liaison with printer etc).
Who sells the books?
The books are delivered to the author to sell.
Will my book be available in shops?
Your book will appear on the Nielsen database used by booksellers. Tollington does not sell into shops but customers and shops can still order the book.
What will it cost to publish my book?
It varies by length and how much work is required. An 80-page poetry collection would start at £2,000 (including a light edit and 250 copies), which you would recoup in sales.
Why should I use Tollington to publish my book?
We offer a cheerful, professional and highly personalised service to make sure authors are delighted with their books. See testimonials.
What if I'd rather try for a mainstream publisher?
We offer a manuscript reading service, giving comments on your work, to help you prepare to approach an agent.
