Swift Publishing

WELCOME TO SWIFT PUBLISHING

If you've been considering how to self publish a book, Swift Publishing is the premium, UK-based, book and eBook self publishing company.  We offer speed, control and flexibility, coupled with personal attention, to guide you through your self publishing journey.  Our publishing packages are comprehensive and have been designed to make self publishing a book or self publishing an eBook as easy as possible for our authors.  Click on the buttons on the right to find out more about the Swift Print Package and eBook Package, or scroll down to find out more about self publishing...

Who self publishes?

Self publishing is fast becoming the favoured route to publishing a book or eBook for both experienced and first time authors in the UK.  Some authors use self publishing as a stepping stone to a contract with a traditional book publishing company. Some are professional speakers or trainers who want to self publish a book, or self publish an eBook and make it available to their audience.  The majority of authors who self publish, however, are people who just have a story to tell... a novel, a childhood memoir, a family history, an autobiography, a children’s book, a poetry collection, or a religious book.  

Why self publish?

“Self publishing is a serious option for new writers... This new route to market is becoming a viable alternative to the old submission and rejection merry-go-round ... It's undoubtedly easier for writers to get their books out and for readers to find them today than it was just a few years ago,” says a self published author featured in an article entitled 'How self publishing came of age' in The Guardian, 26 June 2011. The article continued: “It's the internet, and the inexorable rise of eBooks, say authors, that have been the game changers.”

Even JK Rowling has finally bowed to the inevitable, announcing recently that she and her book publishing company, Bloomsbury, would be launching eBooks on her new website, ‘Pottermore.’ 

Self publishing companies vs traditional book publishing companies

Traditional book publishing companies and UK literary agents no longer accept ‘unsolicited manuscripts’ from unpublished authors; the ‘slush pile’ is a thing of the past. Unless you have contacts within a book publishing company, or you are a celebrity author, your chances of getting a traditional publishing contract, with or without a literary agent, are remote.  

Since the invention of print on demand in the nineties, however, there is now an alternative and much easier way to answer the question, 'How to get published?'.  Self publishing a book or self publishing an eBook is now an accessible and cost effective way of getting published and with Swift's premium and comprehensive self publishing services, it's now easier than ever before to become a published author.  

eBooks

eBooks are electronic, downloadable books that can easily be purchased and read on a wide range of eReader devices and platforms, including the Kindle, iPad an Kobo.  Millions of readers discover new ways to read eBooks every day.  By self publishing an eBook, you are empowering yourself to share your ideas with readers all over the world – anywhere, anytime.

The UK eBooks market

The UK represents 52% of the entire EU eBooks market. There are currently around 400,000 eBook titles available, representing 7% of 'general' sales, up from just 2% this time last year. In the USA, it's currently 22%. (It's widely considered that the UK is around 15 months behind the USA.)

In a recent BML online survey of 4000 UK readers, 26% owned iPhones, 13% owned a Kindle and 10% an iPad. It is anticipated that this will increase to 38%, 26% and 26% respectively, by August 2012.  59% of eBooks bought in the UK are purchased from Amazon and 14% from the Apple iStore. (Given that only 13% of UK readers own a Kindle, Kindle owners are clearly the heaviest readers.)

'Traditional' UK book publishing companies report strongest eBook publishing growth in 'genre' fiction (including crime, SF, historical, romance), 'commercial' fiction (including chick-lit), literary fiction (including poetry), and non-fiction (including biographies, memoirs, military).  

Our services

Unlike many other self publishing companies, Swift provides, or can advise on all the services you need to publish a book, including book editing, print on demand and book marketing. We've tried to provide as much information as possible on our website; we hope you enjoy it! 

Imagine holding a copy of your book. Contact us to find out how to get published.