Book publishing

Forty South Publishing is Tasmania’s biggest book publisher. For more than a decade we have brought Tasmanian fiction, non-fiction, poetry, children’s books and picture books to the world.

We are a highly ethical, fee-for-service publisher. We welcome manuscripts of all kinds, and we do not charge for manuscript assessment. Please note that we only assess completed manuscripts, and ask that submissions are accompanied by relevant information (for example, a short synopsis, sample photos and/or illustrations, author biography, etc).

We offer a full range of services: assessment, structural editing, copy editing, design and lay-out, printing, distribution within Tasmania, marketing support and advice. You may want or need some or all of these services.

Step one is to call Lucinda Sharp on (03) 6243 1003 for a chat about your publishing needs. The chat’s free too. 

Editing

American editor John Adamus said, “Editing makes writing better, creating a mutually beneficial relationship between writer and editor that extends far beyond deadlines or paychecks. Because one of our first experiences with editing comes from a school class where we’re told what’s right and what’s wrong with our work, editing becomes this trial by fire, where writers have to test themselves in mortal combat against story ninjas shooting ice blasts or grappling hooks. There are, sadly, whole schools of thought and training where people are taught to turn the creative process into a steep uphill climb, where scarcity is the watchword and the only shibboleth comes by navigating the caprice of gatekeepers long out of touch. I was trained in that method, and it nearly cost me a career when I went toe-to-toe with a writer (who later went on to be a New York Times best-selling author) because I had to prove how smart I was.”

Adamus concludes, “The writer-editor relationship isn’t about how much smarter one person is than the other. The relationship is mutually supportive, collaborative and productive.”

The more experienced a writer, the more they understand the value of professional editing. Forty South has a list of trusted, experienced structural and copy editors who can create supportive relationships to add value and polish to any manuscript.

Lay-out

Lay-out is the design and creation of the pages of the publication. It is a surprisingly time-consuming and exacting process, even for text-only books. Lay-out involves, amongst other things, consistency of style for paragraph indents, quotation marks and apostrophes. You’d be surprised how often apostrophes are facing the wrong way. Kent, our design guru, admits this is not his favourite job.

Design

Design is the conception and creation of the book’s front and back covers and special inside pages such as title and illustrative pages. Design is Kent’s favourite job.

Printing

Printing of Forty South books is done at full-service, professional facilities. We seek quotes for all individual projects from a range of providers, depending on the job specifications such as print run. We have strong relationships with all printers we use.

Marketing

Marketing or promotion services can be tailored to your needs. We have good relationships with radio and print media journalists who, while nothing can be guaranteed, know our reputation and look favourably upon Forty South approaches. We can also arrange fliers and other promotional programs.

Distribution

Forty South operates a full-service distribution business in Tasmania for any product, not just books. Our experience ensures efficient delivery of your product to your market, and our retail networks mean we have a good chance of finding new outlets for your products.

For books, Forty South can distribute to every book store and newsagent in Tasmania, and arrange distribution packages further afield if appropriate. We also list your book in our own online retail outlet, the 40S Bookstore, and promote your work in our prestigious quarterly, Tasmania 40°South.