What is self-publishing?
Generally, self-publishing refers to an author managing everything in the publishing process themselves. This usually includes using their own resources to proofread, edit and format their manuscript, design their own book cover, register for an ISBN, as well as print, market and sell the book themselves and/or distribute their book to bookstores.
We understand that self-publishing can be quite intimidating, especially if you may not have the appropriate skills or resources to manage every step in the publishing process. That’s why we’re offering a Self-Publishing Package to writers who want to self-publish their work, but need some help to do it.
But why should you self-publish? Here are some of the main advantages of self-publishing your book (in contrast to traditional publishing):
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Creative control and freedom – Unlike with traditional publishing where authors don’t always have full control over the creative process in producing their book, self-published authors have complete freedom to decide exactly how they want their book to turn out, from the title of the book, the cover design, the content, the blurb and where their book will be sold. You also get 100% of the rights to your creative work.
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Choose your own timeline – While traditional publishing often takes many months (usually 12-36 months) until a book finally hits the shelves in bookstores, with self-publishing, you can choose your own timeline and have your book ready in a shorter amount of time, sometimes as early as within a week.
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Higher royalty rates - This is the best part! You get to keep 100% of your book’s profits. In traditional publishing, authors usually get very little royalty from the publishing house, usually only between 7 to 25 percent.
However, there can also be some downsides to self-publishing. One of the disadvantages includes needing to manage everything in the publishing process all by yourself.
This is the main reason why Meraki Press is offering our Self-Publishing Package.
We want to make it easier for you to self-publish your book by offering services to get you started.
Our basic package includes giving general feedback and recommendations to improve the quality of your book, guiding you through ISBN registration, providing end-to-end management of the printing process, and sending you a physical sample copy of your book.
We also offer some useful add-on services such as book formatting, content editing, line editing, book cover design, illustrations, and digital real estate.
The fee for the basic package and the add-ons can be viewed below.
Ready to get started?
Please note this is different from the books published under Meraki Press as all rights (distribution, marketing, content) remain with the author. In addition, this service is only available for authors based in Malaysia. We are unable to offer this package internationally for the time being.
Self-Published authors we have worked with:
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Indecipherable by Naadhira Zahari (October 2021)
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Words You'd Whisper by E-Lynn Kok (November 2021)
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are you offering this package?
We frequently receive enquiries from writers asking to publish their work with us. Because we are still a small company, we do not have the resources to publish every promising manuscript that comes our way.
However, we do not want this to limit your options in getting your book out there. Hence, our intention is to help local writers who want to self-publish their book but need some guidance in the self-publishing process. We charge a reasonable fee for our services in the basic package because of the time and energy put into helping you prepare your manuscript to be ready for printing.
Is the Self-publishing Package actually "vanity publishing"?
Vanity publishing is where authors pay for their book to be ‘published’ and where ownership of the book passes to the publisher as part of the contract.
We don’t think our Self-publishing Package is vanity publishing, and here’s why:
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Ownership of the book will remain 100% with the Author.
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The Author will keep 100% of the royalties they make selling their book.
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We are transparent with Authors about what they can expect from us, and we give them freedom to decide the final outcome of their book.
Can we discuss more about my publishing needs before any payments are made?
Absolutely! We are more than happy to have a chat with you to see if our Self-publishing Package is right for you. Even if you haven't made up your mind on whether you would like to use our Self-publishing Package or not, you can still fill in this form to get in touch, and we will get back to you soon to discuss your needs and requests further.
Can I choose add-ons without the basic package?
Yes, of course! If you would like to choose the other services we offer without the basic package (i.e. book formatting, book editing, book design), drop us an email at merakipresspub@gmail.com with your inquiry. Please include a copy of your manuscript if you are interested in book formatting or book editing so that we can prepare an accurate quotation for you.