Are there any fees involved?
Dreams and Duas is an independent publishing company. This means it does not charge authors any fees. After signing a contract, all fees for editing, illustrating, formatting, publishing, printing and promoting are covered by Dreams and Duas.
Hybrid publishers on the other hand do charge a fee to cover the costs of getting the book published. The publishing fees and royalty rates and whether royalties are paid from the profit or sale price will vary.
Vanity publishers also charge a fee but tend not to offer any support or marketing after publishing. It is best to avoid these publishers! Instead of paying them, you could do it yourself – Rabia Bashir can teach you how – see Author Support for more information.
Traditional publishers tend not to accept submissions directly from authors. You need to submit to a literary agent first and then if they decide to represent you, they submit your work to the publishers and attempt to get you a publishing contract. Authors do not pay the publisher any fees but a percentage/fee will be taken by the literary agent. The author is often paid an ‘advance’ which is paid off from the initial sales of the books. Once the ‘advance’ is paid off, the author begins to receive royalties thereafter.
TOP TIP: Always check your options before committing to publishing contracts and do what is best for you and your future goals. It can feel exhilarating to be offered a publishing contract, but don’t let your heart rule your head. Take your time, check the fine print and get advice if needed. Ask questions and negotiate terms with your publishers. If they love your work enough, they will be willing to listen to you. If you never ask, you will never know.
Some questions for you to think about…
Is there a review date on the contract – when you are offered the chance to look at the terms again (in 1-5 years)?
What if you are not happy with the publisher and want to switch to a different publisher? This is where the review date comes in handy!
What happens if the publisher closes down or the publisher passes away? What happens to you and any printed books?
What is the royalty you will receive? Will it be worked out after the cost of each book (from the profits) or will it be worked out from the price that the book was sold for (and the publisher pays for any costs)?
If I use the Author support service, will my book automatically get selected for publication?
Some authors have been offered a contract following a guidance call or editing feedback package with Rabia Bashir. However, using the Author Support service does not automatically lead to a publishing contract with Dreams and Duas.
The Author Support service is offered as part of Dreams and Duas for ALL authors. Those who want to self-publish, those who want to get traditionally published, and those who want to approach independent publishers.
For more information, click here.
What are the Dreams and Duas publishing options and processes?
Dreams and Duas offers two publishing options:
- Manuscript Option
The author has written, edited and polished the story and submits a word document. If Dreams and Duas loves it, the author is offered a ‘manuscript’ contract. We then edit further if need be, hire an illustrator, format and publish, print and promote the book worldwide.
The author does not pay for any of these services. The author receives a royalty payment every 3, 6, or 12 months for each book sold at a set percentage of the sale price (not from the profit).
- Print-Ready Option
The author has written the story, edited it and had the book illustrated. It is ready for printing. The author submits the PDF book and if Dreams and Duas loves it, a ‘print-ready’ contract is offered. The royalties percentage is higher to account for the illustration costs being covered already. Dreams and Duas then edits/formats further if needed and publishes, prints and promotes the book worldwide.
The author receives a royalty payment every 3, 6, or 12 months for each book sold at a set percentage of the sale price (not from the profit).
I already have a book published by another publisher, can I still submit my story to Dreams and Duas?
Yes. BUT only if your contract with the existing publisher does not stipulate that they have ‘first refusal’ rights. If your existing publisher has first refusal rights it means that you have to show the manuscript to them first. If they decide they don’t want to publish it, then you are free to approach other publishers including Dreams and Duas. If they decide they want to publish it, you have to remain with the existing publishing company.
In the case that the publisher decides your manuscript is not suitable for them, please get this in writing (an email is fine) and submit your manuscript to Dreams and Duas along with the written proof.
Some publishers (including Dreams and Duas) do not tie authors in to the publishing company for future books. There is no ‘first refusal’ clause in our publishing contract. We suggest you read your contract thoroughly and ask your publisher to confirm where you stand if it is not clear due the wording/terminology being different.
