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I don't have email. Can I mail you a copy of my manuscript?No. We do not accept unsolicited manuscripts. Full manuscripts will be discarded. Certified, registered or signature required mail that comes from unrecognized sources, will be refused. In order to work with us, you will need an email address. There are many free email providers.
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How long will it take to receive a response to my query?Our response time varies anywhere between 2 days to 8 weeks. If you send a query/proposal and haven't heard from us, it's fine if you want to check in. While we try to respond back to all inquiries, it's not always possible.
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What will improve my chances of getting selected?We are impressed by authors who take time to do their homework. That means a well-written query, synopsis of the book, and authors bio. You have a vision for your book and are able to articulate it. Your manuscript should be complete and ready for review if we ask for it. If you haven't finished your manuscript, you aren't ready to submit to us.
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Do I need an agent to submit.No, authors may query without an agent. Although we do accept full manuscripts from an agent.
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What spells rejection at Arabelle Publishing?We are a small publisher and release fewer than a dozen books per year, so we must choose wisely. We take time to consider all authors as we are looking for new talent that some of the bigger publishing houses may not be willing to risk. However, some things will immediately send your submission to the slush pile: Handwritten inquiries sent via snail mail, requests with grammar and spelling errors, and apparent inquiries from authors who don’t do their homework. Please don’t ask us questions that are clearly answered on our website or try to submit books that are not Christian-themed or non-fiction.
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What are my chances of getting a publishing deal with Arabelle?If you have thoroughly reviewed our FAQ and are submitting according to our requirements, you have taken the first step to catching our attention. There is no way to talk about your chances, as each book must stand on its own. While there are many wonderful books that come across our desk, we cannot publish them all. We are also not the publisher for everyone. While we may request to learn more about your book, we cannot guarantee a publishing contract. We carefully considered each book selection on many levels before we offer a contract. If you feel that Arabelle Publishing is the right choice for your submission, be sure that you’ve answered these questions. Does your story align with the type of books we have already published? If you are submitting a genre we have not published in the past, we may not be interested. Are there competitive titles on the market for the topic you are writing about? If there are other books on your topic and people are buying them, chances are there is reader interest. Have you sent us a well-written (not a first draft!) manuscript that is free from typos and grammar errors? If you have not taken the time to prepare, you are not ready to be published.
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What is the difference between a self-publishing and traditional publishing?Self-publishing is just that—you, the author, publish your book under your name as the publisher. You do everything to ensure that your manuscript is ready, manage the process, upload your documents, and pay for all the expenses. Some companies will help you do this under your name or their publishing imprint. They will charge you to manage the process for you. Although they rarely edit your work, for a fee, they can do anything from editing the manuscript to ghost writing, designing the cover, interior formatting, purchasing your ISBN, marketing, and other tasks. Whatever you pay them to do, they will do, a little or a lot. If you are interested in self-publishing, our partner company, Faith Writers Bridge. Traditional publishing differs in that the publisher pays ALL the expenses. We do not ask you to pay anything. Does that mean you can send in a poorly written manuscript with a great idea and expect the publisher to take it on and clean it up? No. While that may be true of celebrities, it is not for the average unknown author. Even when a manuscript is beautifully written, we must make additional edits at the publisher’s expense. Once we accept your manuscript, we then oversee the project management and pay for all the expenses to get your book published and distributed at no cost to you.
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I have a good idea. Can I submit?Unfortunately, we do not accept incomplete manuscripts. To submit to Arabelle, publishing your manuscript must be complete. That means you have finished your first draft and have edited and rewritten your manuscript to where it is ready for publication. Even at that point, there will be additional work for us to do as publishers. However, we still want to hear your ideas. If you send us an intriguing idea and we are interested in publishing it, we may ask you to submit it once you’ve completed your work. That is not a guarantee of publication. Sometimes we may direct you if we think changes may make it a better fit for our list. This may include a shift in genre, style, and other ideas that will enhance your concept and make it publishable for our list.
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Do you offer editing services in your coaching programs?Yes. our Committed Writer program includes editing and collaborative writing support to help you refine your manuscript. We also provide written feedback on up to 12 pages per week.
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Do you publish books from new authors?Yes. We seek undiscovered talent. If you’re a debut author and passionate about your story, we want to hear it. We publish people, not paper. Yes, we want a quality book, but more than that, we look for writers who will work hard to see their dream come to life.
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Do you offer a partner publishing option for those who want to self publish?Yes. Faith Writer's Bridge offers publishing services to help authors who only need limited services. We offer book cover design, interior book formatting, sell sheets, author pages, editing, and coaching. Through this imprint we also offer a full-service partner publishing option. With this option you are essentially hiring us to be the project manager to guide the book publishing process. We do everything from assigning the ISBN and managing the creative process to the final step in publication. To learn more about this option, email us at arabellepublishing@gmail.com to schedule a call to discuss your book.
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How can I connect to your authors?To protect the security of our authors, we do not give out their personal email or physical addresses. If you reach out to us, we can forward your message to the author. You may also connect directly through the author's website, which is located on our website.
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Some publishing companies say that if I go with a traditional publisher, I will lose all my rights as an author. How much creative vision will I be entitled to if I sign a contract with Arabelle Publishing?"We encourage creativity. One right we feel strongly about is your creative vision. We never hinder that. However, we will work with you to develop that vision. Yes, true, the publisher is the tiebreaker, and we will have the final say. But never at your expense. The creative direction of your book’s development is and always will be a partnership. We’ll work together to create a fantastic product we will both be proud of.
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Can I design my own book cover?We are happy to work with authors who are enthusiastic about all phases of the publishing process. Your creative input is important to us. However, the final cover will be approved by our team. If you have a design in mind, you may share it with us, and our designer will use it as inspiration and a starting point to work from.
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Will I be signing away my rights as an author?No. Unlike traditional publishers who will keep your book rights for the length of the copyright (70 years), we only keep rights if we keep your book in print. If, after three years, if we haven’t reprinted your book, we will return book rights to the author so they can pursue other publishing opportunities or self-publish their book. If we feel the book is a good fit for our list, we will re-release it within 3 years.
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Will I be required to purchase books?No. We give each author 10 complimentary copies of their book. We also allow authors to purchase discounted books, but this is not a requirement.
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How long will it take to publish my book?Each book is unique. We only sign contracts with finished manuscripts to enable us to publish quickly. Typically, we publish books within 10-18 months from the time the contract is signed, but each book is evaluated at the time of acceptance. Although we set estimated release dates, --the actual date will be adjusted during the production phase.
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How much will it cost to publish a book with Arabelle Publishing?Nothing. We run our company with a traditional publishing model, which means we invest in the books we're crazy about. If we offer you a contract, we'll pay to produce your book. We will design the cover and interior and whatever it takes to produce and launch a quality book. There is no upfront out-of-pocket expense to our authors.
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Do you offer payment plans?Arabelle Publishing does not charge authors to publish books. However, if you are interested in a Hybrid option with self publishing options, check out Faith Writers Bridge. We offer payment plans on all our FWB programs.
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When will I receive my royalty payment?Author royalties are calculated each quarter and payment is made 90 days following the last day of the quarter. For example, 1st Quarter (January, February, and March) royalties are paid in June. 2nd Quarter (April, May, and June) royalties are paid in September, and so forth.
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What percentage do you give for royalty payments?Here’s what is standard in the industry. The going rate for a traditional publishing royalty is 8-12%. If an advance is given, the royalty payments don’t start until the advance is paid back. If you go with a hybrid publishing company, you’ll spend money upfront to produce your book. They will offer you a sizeable royalty, but remember, you’ve already paid to produce your book, so you need to pay that back before you see a dime. At Arabelle Publishing, we do things differently. There’s no charge upfront. And we give you a sizeable royalty of 15-20% off the net sales receipts before the production costs are subtracted. For example, if your book sells for $10 to the retailer and they purchase 500 books, the sale is $5,000. Your royalty is calculated off the sale, not the publisher’s commission which is less the printing costs.
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Do you offer advances?We do not offer advances on royalties.
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Can I distribute my book?Yes. We allow authors to purchase books at a 50% discount for book signings and for sale on their websites. You will keep 100% of the proceeds from these sales.
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How many books will I sell?We cannot guarantee the number of books you will sell. However, the more effort you put into marketing, the better you will do. And while selling books is important to us, it might not be the biggest factor of success for you. Becoming a published author will open doors for you and provide opportunities for paid speaking gigs that may be far more lucrative than book sales. Your goal should not be focused on the sales rank or number, but reaching the right buyers who will read and talk about your book, and the rank and sales will begin to fall into line.
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Who is the Arabelle team?We have a team of talented designers, editors, and publicists who work with us. We're always looking to expand our creative team. If you have skills that will serve the publishing industry and a heart for God, send us your resume and let us know why you think you’d be a good fit.
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Why did you choose a bird logo?We love birds! But the Arabelle bird is special. The musical notes represent the singing of praises to God and sharing His message. We believe God has called all our authors to convey a unique message. We are here to broadcast that to the world.
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What is the story behind the name Arabelle Publishing?Arabelle means "answered prayer." After much prayer and an exhaustive search for the perfect company name, we stumbled across the name Arabelle. Learning that Arabelle's meaning is grounded in prayer, yielded to prayer, and prayerful, we knew it was perfect to represent us. Every step we take involves careful prayer. We hope to be led by the Holy Spirit to do God's work in sharing the words of His messengers. Arabelle has been an answer to prayer for us, and we hope we are an answer to prayer for the many authors we will serve.
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How can I support you and your mission?We love that question, and thank you for asking! Our mission is to glorify God through books. To do that requires more exposure for our books. If you love our mission, the biggest way you can help us is to share our content. Read and review our books on Amazon, Goodreads, Barnes & Noble, Target, LibraryThing, and other sites that share books and reviews. Give Arabelle books as gifts. Do you know an indie bookstore owner or a podcast host? Invite Arabelle authors to host a book signing or to be a podcast guest. If you're an influencer and would like to partner with us, drop us an email and let us know how we can work together.
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How can I partner with Arabelle Publishing?We are always open to collaborations that glorify God. We are particularly interested in partnering with bookstores, book clubs, and Christian ministries, such as women's groups and organizations.
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What kind of books do you publish?Our mission is to glorify God through books. We seek to publish books that inspire, impact, and instruct our readers. We are actively seeking Bible studies, devotionals, memoirs, Christian Living, journal books, and other non-fiction books, including cookbooks and business books with a Christian theme. Arabelle Publishing does not publish thriller, horror, violence, science fiction, fantasy, or any book that would dishonor God.
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Do you publish children's books?Arabelle Publishing is soon to launch a children's imprint, Gracelyn Books, publishing picture books for ages 0-8. If you have a completed manuscript you may submit it to hello@gracelynbooks.com. Manuscripts should be complete and edited and no more than 1000 words. We will operate under a traditional publishing model and also offer a hybrid publishing model for those who are seeking assistance for self-publishing.
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How do I submit to be included in one of your anthologies?We usually give first alerts to our email subscribers when we post a call for submissions. If you would like to be considered for our next anthology publication, subscribe to our email list to be first to know when these calls go out.
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