Q: Does Castledown offer titles in hardcover, paperback, and e-book?
A: Yes, Castledown offers all three of these formats, although hardcover titles will only be published as an option due to the higher costs in producing them.
Q: Do I need to have sufficient sales of hardcover books before Castledown will publish paperback editions?
A: Many publishers release hardcover editions first and will not print paperback until a certain number of copies have been sold, mostly to libraries. We disagree completely with this method, especially given that hardcovers are very expensive. There is often an enormous mark-up on hardcover that is very lucrative for publishers, and we will not use that method to boost income. If we do release a hardcover edition, we will do so at as reasonable a cost as possible, and only as an addition to other formats, usually at the request of the authors.
Q: Where will people be able to purchase my book when it is published?
A: All titles are available through thirteen different Amazon international marketplaces, as well as through Barnes & Noble, Kobo, and other major online retailers on publication. Titles are available as paperback, and optionally as e-book or hardcover format. Our published titles can currently be purchased locally in the USA, the UK, India, Canada, South America, and across Europe, Asia, Africa, and Oceania. International shipping is available to almost all other regions around the world.
Q: How will my book be marketed?
A: We have offices in Melbourne, London, Tokyo, and New York, which means that we have a strong international network through which to market all titles that we publish. We will be sending reps to conferences where we can, and we will try to maintain a presence where people will get to know us and what we publish. We will also be producing catalogues (both paper-based and online) that we will distribute to relevant academic associations and also as leaflets in conference bags regarding some of our latest titles. In addition, we will also use social media widely to publicise all books that we publish.
Q: How much will it cost me to have my book published by Castledown?
A: As a regular publication, it will not cost authors anything to publish their books as all of the production costs (reviewing, editing, copy editing, proofreading, typesetting, marketing, issuing of ISBN, etc.) are paid for by Castledown.
Q: What is open access publishing of an academic book?
A: Authors may choose whether to publish their book as open access after it has been accepted for publication if they wish, but this has no impact on the selection process whatsoever. Publishing a book through open access means that the book is available in digital form for free to anyone in the world. The production costs for publishing the books are borne by the authors, and as a result the book is freely available immediately on publication. Please check here for more information.
Q: How long does the review process on my proposal take?
A: The amount of time taken to complete the review will depend on the content to a degree, but it is expected to take between six to twelve weeks before we can give you a decision on your manuscript.
Q: Who does the review of my proposal after I submit it?
A: We will typically conduct an internal review by our own staff, many of which hold higher degrees in relevant fields. If the proposal passes this level, we will seek out academics with expertise in the specific area to give their feedback on the proposal. The authors may be required to resubmit the proposal based on the feedback from the reviewers.
Q: How long does it take for my book to be published after I submit the final manuscript?
A: After a completed manuscript has been received, it will typically take around four to six months for the book to be published. This is because we go through an internal check of the content (and in some cases a secondary external check), followed by copy editing, proofreading, and layout. The production process may take more time if authors do not produce their own indexes. If the book is already under contract, this may take as little as two to three months.