Q. How do you decide which writers to publish?
A. Writers we publish are usually from the Southwestern Ontario, Canada region. The manuscript captures or reflects some different aspects of the literary/cultural life of the region. Since we work rather intensively with the writers, we also have to get along.

Q. Do you publish Children's Literature, Science Fiction, Self-help, Business books, or Religious books?
A. No. So far we have published poetry, local history, memoirs, philosophy, humour, fiction, anthologies, and journals.

Q. Do you publish large books?
A. No. Economies of scale show that we can be successful publishing smaller books (in the 100 page range). We also like this style.

Q. Does a writer have to sign a contract with ERGO?
A. Yes. A contract is signed by both parties when a manuscript is finally approved. We recommend that all our writers check with a lawyer before signing anything. Our contract is fair but it was prepared by a lawyer on our behalf. To date, we have had no legal disputes with our writers.

Q. What does a writer have to do to promote the book?
A. We don't believe in advance publicity. Once the book is in our hands, we expect the authors to participate in Book Launchings, Readings, Bookstore Visits, Press, Radio and TV Interviews, school visits, and other events which seem appropriate. We also actively promote the book through review copies, catalogues, advertising, and media contacts.

Q. How long does it take to get a book published?
A. Once a contract has been signed, there may be a 1-2 year preparation period depending on the complexity of the book, design features, editing demands, and printer/bindery consultations.

Q. How does ERGO pay writers for books published?
A. Author royalties range from 6% to 10% of the retail price for the book. The royalty rate usually increases on a sliding scale as sales increase.

Q. How many titles do you have in print?
A. 14

Q. Are you a printer?
A. No. We deal with a number of printers and bindery companies. We pay them to produce our books. Each project is submitted to different printers for estimates. We do not always take the lowest bid. We try to get the most appropriate printer for each book.

Q. Do you make a lot of money at this?
A. No. But we are not in business to lose money. All our writers have received royalty cheques.

Q. Do you receive Government or other grants?
A. No. But it is not a religion. If a specific project came in which interested us but we could not afford to publish, we might seek some form of grant or subsidy.

Q. How much do bookstores make from books?
A. It may vary from publisher to publisher. We give 40% discount to booksellers with 100% returns of books in excellent condition. We do not offer books on consignment.

Q. How do you distribute your books?
A. We have an excellent regional following of supportive booksellers. In London, for example, Oxford Books, Wendell Holmes, London Regional Gallery Shop, Chapters, and the UWO Bookstore. We also handle sales to libraries across the country either directly or through library suppliers such as John Coutts Library Services. A recent order came from a bookstore in Kelowna B.C.
We are hoping that our new WEB PAGE (ergobooks.com) will generate more interest and mailorder customers.

Q. Do you offer editing and editorial services?
A. Yes. We do not publish books for which we have received editorial fees. However, we have helped writers ready manuscripts for publication and these have been successful. We also recommend a variety of possible printers and publishers. We offer help in design and format. As well, we will work with small or large businesses and students who need our editing and proofreading skills.
We can offer online assistance with small and larger writing problems.