I'm close to finishing my novel but I don't have someone to read it and I don't know if it's any good. How do I know if it'll be worth sending to a publisher?
In our Workshop Nests, you will share your work with our facilitators, as well as other writers. Workshopping your writing is the best way to 'test' it out before you send it out into the big wide world. Our facilitators will also help you prepare it for submission to a publisher.

I've written my memoirs. Can you give me advice about what to do with it?
There are two directions to pursue with a manuscript of any type whether it be non-fiction, a novel, a memoir or a children's book. You can make sure it is of the best quality and submit it to a publisher, or you can self-publish. We will give you advice about this at no obligation.

What is self-publishing?
This is when you, the author, fund the publishing of your manuscript. The main cost of publishing a manuscript is the printing.

Why would I choose to self-publish?
There are many advantages to self-publishing. The main one being that you have total control of the project: you choose an editor, control the design of the book, retain all copyright and all profits.

What sort of books does Busybird help to publish?
Just about anything that can be printed: poetry, anthologies, family history, manuals, annual reports, novels, non-fiction, memoir, chapbooks.

I've written a fantasy novel. Can you help me get it published by a big publisher like Allen & Unwin?
We can't guarantee that we can get you published but we can help you get your manuscript to a quality that is the best that it can be. We'd start by reading it and giving you a full report on what stage it is. Les is a fantastic editor. We like to call him a manuscript whisperer because he instinctively knows how to fix the structure of a story if there's a problem. Of course, reading a whole manuscript takes time, so we can't do this for free. An assessment of your manuscript would be charged by how many words in length it is. Nowadays, many renowned authors are consulting independent editors before submitting their work to their publishers.

I've got a collection of short stories that I'd like to publish. Can Busybird edit it?
We have a special team of editors at Busybird who are great editors and short story writers. We can edit at any stage of a manuscript, whether it needs help with story structure or just a check for grammar. We can also proofread the final manuscript for any typos or other errors.

I've written a children's book but I think it needs some illustrations. Can you find me an illustrator? Kev is our master illustrator. He does the covers of our bi-annual anthology [untitled]. He's also a photographer, so can help with images for book covers too or take a great picture of you for the author pic on the back cover of your book.

I've written a cookbook. Can you get it ready for a printer?
We can prepare any type of manuscript for printing. We have specialist industry software that will layout your pages to a design that you love. Blaise will work with you to create a design for your book that will bring it alive.

My manuscript is ready to publish. Can you give advice on printing?
The first thing to do is get an ISBN (International Standard Book Number). All books that are published need one of these. This will give your book credibility in the marketplace and will also get it into the State Library book deposit. We can advise you on this or get one on your behalf. We can also advise you on a printing company or liaise with them on your behalf. There are so many printers out there, so it can be daunting.