The Book Guild Ltd

Welcome!

The Book Guild is an independent publisher with an eclectic list in both fiction and non-fiction. We accept manuscripts direct from authors or via agents in all genres. Details on how to submit to us are given below – we prefer electronic submission, but accept submissions by post. Information on The Book Guild and how we work is given opposite.

How to Submit

Electronic submissions

Your manuscript text should be saved in MS Word with all chapters in one document; or we accept submissions in PDF format. As well as your book’s manuscript, please send a synopsis and a biography about you. Please email your submission, synopsis and biography to us at [email protected] (with the subject line marked as ‘submission’, followed by the title of your book) or send a USB device by post. Please bear in mind that our email servers cannot handle very large attachments, so if you have photographs or illustrations to accompany your work please send them via a file transfer site like wetransfer.com or on a USB device by post.

Print Submissions

Printed manuscripts should preferably be typewritten. Please do not send the only copy of your manuscript or photos as we cannot be held responsible for loss or damage of any material. If you would like us to return your manuscript, please enclose an SAE with the correct postage. Please send your manuscript to:

The Book Guild Ltd

Unit E2 Airfield Business Park

Harrison Road

Market Harborough

Leics LE16 7UL

We shall acknowledge receipt of your manuscript within 72 hours and will reply within two to three weeks of submission with feedback.

The company is well respected by retailers and other publishers alike, and our books are sold UK-wide through bookshops as well as online retailers. The Book Guild Ltd is part Troubador Publishing Ltd, an independent publishing house with a solid reputation for quality, so all Book Guild authors benefit from the market penetration and publishing expertise of an established trade publisher.

Publishing with The Book Guild

The Book Guild has acquired a solid reputation for publishing books across all genres since its establishment over 35 years ago. As a trade publisher, we take on new titles that we feel have commercial potential only. The company operates both traditional publishing and partnership publishing models, but always with an emphasis on quality of production and achieving sales. Authors are invited to submit manuscripts in all genres for consideration. Submissions from agents are accepted but an agent is not essential, we accept author submissions direct. All submissions will first be considered for a traditional publishing model; if we do not feel that a manuscript is suitable for our traditional publishing programme, we will then consider it for some form of partnership publishing. Details on how to submit are given opposite.

Traditional Publishing

Under our traditional publishing model, we bear all the expense of publishing a book, and we may pay an ‘advance’ on royalties to the author. Due to the high level of risk in conventional publishing, books generally have to be considered to have great market potential. Each year, The Book Guild brings out conventionally published titles that we think will sell well in the mass market, and we have an excellent record of sales. Traditional publishing enables us to maintain a position in the marketplace that benefits all the books that we publish.

Partnership Publishing

If we can’t offer a traditional publishing arrangement for a new manuscript, we may offer a partnership publishing arrangement, but only if we believe the manuscript has commercial potential and is of a suitable standard. Our partnership arrangement usually includes a financial contribution from both The Book Guild and the author towards the cost of publishing, with the author financing anything from 25% through to 75%, depending on the level of risk we can take on a manuscript. If we are prepared to take on a book as a partnership project, we shall make a proposal that includes the financial contributions from The Book Guild and the author. The Book Guild will always fund some of the costs of publishing under our Partnership Publishing arrangement, we do not offer a wholly author-financed option (i.e. self-publishing). Note that our Partnership proposal costings are based on the costs of self-publishing through our sister imprint, Matador; authors thus have the assurance that any author contribution reflects accurately the costs involved. This is a unique publishing arrangement that gives authors (especially unknown authors) a combination of a book published, distributed and marketed by a professional publishing house coupled with part author financing. Our partnership publishing model combines the best from commercial publishing and self-publishing, where we bring an experienced publishing and publicity team, a commercial infrastructure and market penetration, and you invest a proportion of the overall costs in your manuscript. Note, though, that we still only make an offer to publish under our Partnership model for about 10% of submissions made to us. Because we also have a vested financial interest in any partnership project, we need to ensure as far as possible that titles are commercial, giving us and the author the best chance of recouping the investment made.

What The Book Guild Do…

The following outlines the range of activities that we may undertake (depending on the project) to publish, distribute and market a book, whether it be under a traditional or partnership arrangement.

Title Set-up

The application of an ISBN to your book, and management of the associated bibliographic data. Curation of metadata to make the book as visible as possible to buyers.

Editorial

Manuscript editing on screen carried out in MS Word using ‘track changes’, checking grammar, spelling and punctuation, consistency and repetition and, if necessary, the editor will suggest changes to structure, characterisation and narrative (fiction only).

Production

All functions necessary to produce a high quality bookshop-ready title. This includes text design and layout, typesetting, commissioning illustrations (if appropriate) and cover design. This is everything required to turn your manuscript into commercial-standard files that are ready to print your book.

Ebook Conversion

If we feel that an ebook edition of your manuscript is also a commercial reality, we convert your book files into both ePub and Mobi ebook formats. The ebook is then distributed to retailers worldwide through our extensive distribution network, which includes not only Amazon, but Apple, Kobo, Srib’d, Barnes & Noble, OverDrive, Gardners and Google Play, among others.

Printing

We set very high standards for our printing, and usually our books include some sort of special cover effect to make them stand out to retailers and readers alike (eg. spot UV, foil, embossing). We warehouse books to ensure retail distribution, with copies initially sent to you for your immediate use.

Trade Marketing and Sales Representation

We carry out marketing activities well in advance of publication to UK retailers using industry-standard communication channels to ensure retailers are able to pre-order your book. In the weeks leading up to publication, our team of regional sales representatives will actively hand-sell your book to retailers, both locally and nationally.

Distribution

All our titles are distributed to retailers through our supply chain, supplying wholesalers and library suppliers. Independent bookshops, online retailers and bookshop chains place orders through our distribution chain or via the Nielsen PubEasy ordering system. We also have distribution of titles through retailers in other parts of the world.

A Focused Publicity Campaign

Each of our titles has a tailored publicity campaign centred around those aspects of the book that will attract the most media coverage. Our team coordinates a focused media campaign that may involve serialisation, feature articles, reviews, author profiles, blogs, social media and signings. Prior to the publication date, you will be invited to meet with the team to go through the proposed campaign in detail.

Author Royalties

Authors receive anything from 10% up to 75% of the net receipts from book and ebook sales, depending on whether they have made any initial financial contribution to the publishing project. We pay author royalties every six months in January and July, assuming that there is more than £50 owing to the author from sales.

What Next?

If you are interested in submitting your work for consideration by us, then please follow the submission guidelines opposite. We are always happy to discuss possible projects with authors.

Alex Thompson

Managing Director

Alex is an experienced leader with a demonstrated history of working in SMEs. He is skilled in marketing strategy, new business acquisition, business process development and leadership. Alex works with the whole Troubador team to coordinate existing business development initiatives and programs, streamline our internal business processes and coordinate new business development initiatives to ensure that we work with as many authors as we can. Alex loves nothing more than finding deploying a new bit of technology that helps us streamline the way we work, and loves cooking, being outdoors and Leicester City FC.

Chloe May

Operations Director

Chloe studied English Literature at Cardiff University. After graduating, she worked at Osprey Publishing (part of Bloomsbury) in Oxford, where she performed a variety of roles in publishing administration and editorial. In 2017, she joined Pan Macmillan’s Editorial Management department, working on a variety of fiction and non-fiction. Authors she has worked with include Louis Theroux, Adam Kay, Elizabeth Macneal, The Secret Barrister, David Nott, Toby Wilkinson and Megan Hunter. Chloe has many years of experience working alongside authors and across departments to see books through to successful publication.

Rosie Lowe

Publishing Manager

With her many years of experience at Troubador, Rosie heads both our in-house Editorial team where she is responsible for maintaining the high editorial standards that our authors expect, as well as being the Publishing Manager for our Sister company, The Book Guild, working directly with authors publishing through it. Being creative is one of Rosie's passions, along with working with our wonderful authors.

Chelsea Taylor

Head of Production

Chelsea heads the busy Production Department, which takes authors from final manuscript to printed book. With her vast experience, she ensures production staff are supported, timescales and high production standards are being met, and that a high level of customer service is being delivered. Chelsea is an experienced cover designer and loves creating across a wide range of genres.

Holly Porter

Senior Production Controller

Holly studied English Literature at Swansea University, the place in which her love of literature was cultivated and, subsequently, where her desire to work in publishing was sparked. She has a vast knowledge of the book industry since interning for The 2021 Swansea University Dylan Thomas Prize, working as a Bookseller and at Parthian Books, an esteemed independent Welsh publisher. Holly joined Troubador in 2023 as a Production Controller and endeavours to provide her authors with the best publishing experience possible.

Fern Bushnell

Senior Production Controller

Fern coordinates and executes the majority of the typesetting work that we execute in-house for our author's books. She also regularly advises those who are producing printed books on all aspects of the production process, including typesetting, cover design and printing. Fern enjoys helping authors bring their hard work to life and loves seeing the beautiful books when they arrive from the printer.

Jonathan White

Sales and Marketing Manager

Before joining The Book Guild in 2017, Jonathan worked for many years, and in many different roles, within the publishing industry. He has previously run several different major bookshops in London, and in the publishing world he has worked for Oxford University Press, Chrysalis Books, Anova Books and Phaidon, with an emphasis on sales and marketing.

Sophie Morgan

Senior Publicist

Since joined The Book Guild's parent company Troubador Publishing Ltd in 2017, working in marketing on a range of titles across all genres. Over the years, she has specialised in media marketing, pitching feature and news articles to the media to achieve as much coverage as possible for our books. She took on her present role as Senior Publicist for The Book Guild in 2023. As well as working in publishing, Sophie is a published author, writing under a pseudonym for a mainly American audience.

Emily Gett

Publicist

Emily works in the publicity department, planning and sending out campaigns, and acting as the liaison between the author and our media network. Having started at Troubador as a Customer Service Assistant, Emily has a friendly and helpful attitude and is committed to giving her authors a high level of customer service. Emily loves watching films and uses her experience of freelance journalism to draft enticing press releases.

Megan Lockwood-Jones

Digital Publishing Manager

Megan leads the busy Digital Services Department at The Book Guild. She coordinates the publishing and promotion of ebooks and audiobooks, is a first point of contact for ebook and audiobook authors, and she advises authors at events such as the London Book Fair.

Stephanie Carr

Digital Marketing Controller

Stephanie coordinates our ebook and audiobook marketing services, as well as being a first port of call for authors looking to publish an ebook with Troubador. She has been a speaker on ebooks and ebook marketing at the Self-Publishing Conference, has advised authors on ebooks at the London Book Fair, and has a detailed knowledge of all aspects of the ebook and audiobook publishing process. She enjoys taking new authors through the ebook publishing and marketing process, and is very happy when an ebook receives great reviews! In her spare time, Stephanie is an avid reader and keen swimmer.

Andrea Johnson

Digital Production Controller

Andrea is our first point of contact for those publishing an ebook as well as a printed book, and she particularly enjoys working with authors to help make their ebooks as discoverable as possible. She enjoys working with authors to create an industry-standard ebook which is compatible with all retailers' systems. She brings particular knowledge of metadata to the Digital Department and a knowledge of how to ensure that a product has detailed, accurate metadata to maximise ebook sales. Andrea also works on audiobook production, helping to match an author with the perfect narrator for their title.

Lauren Stenning

Editorial Assistant

With a decade of publishing, project management and editorial experience, Hannah has helped to bring all kinds of books to life, including children’s picture books, adult fiction and non-fiction, coffee-table tomes, self-help guides and more. Hannah undertakes editorial work on manuscripts and typeset proofs, predominantly copy-edits and proof reads. Outside work, Hannah enjoys family time, walking and (predictably) reading… or as much as four children allow!

Ella Fennell-Monan

Customer Services Assistant

Ella studied English and Creative Writing at Birmingham University. After graduating, she interned at Bounce Sales and Marketing (representatives of over forty independent children’s publishers) and gained valuable industry experience working as a bookseller at Waterstones. Having joined Troubador, and is usually the first point of contact for new authors discovering our self-publishing services. In her spare time, she enjoys performing, reading and socialising with friends.

Amy Shorley

Customer Services Assistant

Amy recently joined Troubador in late October 2024. Her background in science encouraged her interest in reading a range of literary texts, ranging from academic papers to poetry and even high fantasy fiction. She has over 3 years of customer service experience, including working within the magazine industry and has provided excellent customer service for a range of prestigious organisations and clientele. Acting as the first point of contact for Troubador, she enjoys assisting authors with their queries and supporting them through Troubador's publication process. In her free time, she enjoys learning Korean and German, reading and walking her two fluffy dogs.

Matthew Black

Warehouse Supervisor

Matthew joined Troubador in January 2024 as a key part of our distribution team. Following a spell living in the Netherlands, Matthew came back to the UK to continue his progression through the world of distribution and logistics, joining Troubador to help our authors distribute their books.

Gary Marshall

Distribution Controller