For writers

Expectations

A publishing partnership works when both sides know what to expect. This page describes what authors can expect from DX Varos and what we ask in return.

What our authors can expect from us

We will operate under a contract with the author. Here are the high points.

• We assume the responsibility and cost of all editing, formatting, producing and distributing your book. This includes cover design. We also pay for wholesale marketing to bookstores and national book review boards, as well as social media advertising.
• We will offer small advances on royalties. After the royalties collected exceed the amount of the advance, we will pay royalties quarterly, and we pay 50% of what we bring in from sales. In real dollars, this translates to approximately $1 to $2 per paperback and $0.75 to $1.25 per e-book.
• You will receive 10 free copies of your finished book to sell or give away. You can purchase unlimited copies after that at 60% off the cover price.
• We will hold the exclusive rights to the printed book and e-book for a period of five years. After that those rights revert to the author, although we will continue publishing your book until you ask us to stop. The author retains all ancillary rights such as audio, movie and stage performances.

What we expect from our authors

• Be good writers. This does not mean we expect you to be grammatically perfect, but you should be able to demonstrate a capable use of the English language.
• Be willing to work to promote yourself as a writer. As a publisher, we can hawk your book until we are blue in the face, but if the author is not engaging with readers, the book will not sell, no matter how good it is.
• Have a social media presence. In this day and age, this is essential for novice and experienced authors alike. At the very minimum we require authors to have a Facebook page. It is a good idea to have two pages, one for personal friends and family and another to be your professional page where you can interact with your readers.
• Join writers’ groups. You should be at least a member of your local author’s organization and perhaps one national genre-specific organization. These groups are invaluable sources of writing tips, marketing ideas and, often, opportunities to sell your books.

Next steps

If this sounds like the kind of partnership you want, read the submission guidelines and our advice on writing a query letter. To see how a finished book looks, browse the catalog or meet the authors.