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AUTHOR ENQUIRES
Although DUNTROON PUBLISHING has a large catalogue of its own products we still field an ever-increasing number of enquiries from outside sources who are looking to have their book either printed under our imprint or for general help in this difficult field.

In the past we have CONTRACT PUBLISHED for outside clients and are still pleased to be able to offer that service. This means that, in that instance, we come in with whichever specialist service a client requests and charge a straight fee.

However, we are also interested in adding outside authors to our own imprint (as well as on our sister recording label, ARGYLL MUSIC) and can offer this service for both TEXT BOOK and MUSIC BOOK enquiries. Please note that our immediate plans for 2010-2011 will see us focus on Scottish traditional performing arts, with a specific interest in piping.

The following may offer some guidance ...............

There are two routes if you wish to have a piping book published;
1. Self Publishing (which also usually means self selling)
2. Publishing House

SELF PUBLISHING
Most pipers these days self-publish their own music books (this might be because there are virtually no piping publishers any more) and then they invariably find that their bedroom is stuffed with cartons and cartons of books and their bank account is empty - because while getting to print is possible although difficult, selling the books is a nightmare of ones and twos, heres and theres, and endless trips to the post office for one book. The shops rarely want to know because dealing with a single book publisher is too time consuming. Self-publishing is a daunting path and these days we diplomatically refuse to give any advice other than 'do not go there'. So you spend ages preparing your book, spend thousands getting it printed and usually end up with far too many copies, and then when you do get sales it comes in the form of a few dollars here, a few pound there.

A final word on self-publishing; just because you have a computer do not think that the files you create are ready for a commercial printer - cmyk, tiff, scan quality and dpi, pdf parameters, print stock, finish and even size are all potential stumbling blocks to successful production. Our advice: what you see on YOUR computer screen only matches what will be printed if it is professionally set.

The firms of just a few years back like Bailey & Fergusson, Pattersons, and even further back to Logan and David Glen just do not exist anymore. The successor to Pattersons only contract publish these days which is a totally different ball-game. At least as far as pipe music is concerned there are no others which has allowed DUNTROON PUBLISHING (with 30 titles as of Summer 2010) to claim an integral position as the world’s specialist independent piping publisher.

PUBLISHING HOUSE
DUNTROON PUBLISHING is a specialist piping house and one of the aspects we cover is a complete publishing service which could include all or any of the following;
a. Sales and Distribution - selling your book to the trade
and/or b. Music/Text Setting - type setting the tunes and then laying the pages out in a fashion that it can be printed without the notes falling off the page (this can also include aspects of design)
and/or c. Complete Publishing - taking your book from the idea stage to getting it on the shelf, or to your address so that you can sell it yourself

We also run our own piping distribution business supplying direct to shops and web businesses and as well as our own material represent a growing a number of small piping businesses. That was the part of the chain which was once missing but now it means that we have a constant flow of product which is selling quite nicely.

In the first instance if you are interested in publishing with us we require to see a copy of part your project in the rough, or failing that a synopsis complete with tune/text index with some examples of the original tunes/text. We would then examine its viability as a project and guarantee 100% confidentiality whether or not we become involved in the process.

We advise on all of the tricky subjects like copyright, legal issues, printing and reproduction and guide you through every step from start to finish - with opportunity for you to proof sections as the project moves along.

DUNTROON PUBLISHING will then offer one of three options;
1. We arrange to print your project under your own imprint/title and provide professional services as required. This will also include an offer to distribute your project.
2. We publish your project ‘on your behalf’. You would pay professional services (as required) at a reduced rate, we would ‘take the project to print’ and also arrange distribution and selling, but you own all of the stock and the full production rights.
3. We publish your project under our imprint and pay you a royalty based on sales. An agreement is struck whereby we have a license to publish and sell for X years.

Books which are either 'published on your behalf' allow you to retain the rights to your own book. If that is the case then we would have the tunes typeset, the book designed, the price structure arranged, the copyright and legal issues dealt with, the tunes laid in and the entire project then set for print. We would also negotiate to have it printed at the best possible price and then take on the role of distribution to the trade leaving you to sell individual copies and bank your proceeds.

We are also keen to publish under our imprint which would mean that you have no financial commitment but instead would receive an ‘on-publication’ payment plus regular six monthly royalties based on sales. Note, that in this instance we would own the publishing rights.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO PUBLISH A MUSIC BOOK?
Time frame is usually an early question and depends on a million things. But you get to proof every page (usually in sections because it is easier that way) and the job will not print until you sign off. Selecting and positioning the music usually takes 2-4 weeks, designing the frame takes 1-2 weeks, typesetting the tunes can take about 6 weeks for a book of 150 tunes, laying it all in can take another 2-3 weeks - and that is all stretched by any changes that you will make and also proof reading (which is done in stages so that another stage can be worked on while you are checking the previous one. Proofs need to be returned within 7 days of receipt). Finally, allow another 4 weeks for printing and pre-marketing to the trade. So you are looking at about 16 weeks from start to finish - once an agreement is reached which with us would be in the form of a printed and signed-off document.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO PUBLISH A TEXT BOOK?
This isn’t a great deal different from a music book and again will take about 16 weeks to have printed - subject to proofs being signed off promptly.

There are other considerations such as ‘market force’ and ‘time of the year’ which may see a project either sped up or delayed slightly - but the quicker it is agreed the quicker it will come into the market. It can all start with just an email ...