"That's quite a story," said her mother. "It's not a story, it's true!" said Josie.
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Let the Hermit tell your story
Welcome to The Hermit Book Company.
We specialise in taking your book from a Word file on your computer to a print-ready format that book printers can use. We can also create e-book files for your book.
Let's work together to bring your story to life.
The common problem
You've spent months, even years writing your book ...
And it's finally finished.
But now what?
How do you get your story that's now on either MS Word, iPages or Google Docs into a paperback or e-book?
Publisher route?
Everyone wants to see their book on the shelf of some large bookshop chain. The sad reality is that the road to fame is hard and long. There are lots of hoops to jump through and a lot of rejection letters to accept.
Online Publishers?
While this may seem an easy option - BEWARE!
There are numerous pitfalls to be careful of.
They often charge a small fortune to 'publish' your book, and £5,000 is not uncommon. We have heard of one publisher asking for £10,000 to publish a client's book.
Many online publishers can retain rights to your book title, meaning you don't actually own your own book.
Many also lock you into a rolling contract that's hard to exit.
Self-publishing option?
Self-publishing has really taken off in recent years and the preconception of this being only for 'wanna-be' authors has been dispelled. Many self-publishing authors are generating £100k PA. Some are earning in excess of £1m a year.
But the problem is still not solved
Even though Self-publishing has become easier, the process can be quite confusing and complicated to many.
There are formats, ISBNs, gutters, margins, bleed lines, copyright jargon, and an array of book sizes. The list goes on and on.
This is where The Hermit comes in
James Hywel has been writing for over twenty years and has written 48 books, 35 of them for children so he knows a bit about writing and book production.
Over that quarter of a century, he has also seen and heard the horror stories of people trying to write their first book.
He already runs online courses on becoming an author to help new writers but recently felt more needed to be done.
So he launched The Hermit Book Company.
What can the hermit do for your story?
Help getting started
Print-Ready PDF files
Help getting started
The Hermit will help you write that story that's been rattling around your head for years. The Hermit will advise you on the best writing platform, and coach you on story structure and layout.
The Hermit has an array of resources to help you with direct access to James.
Book formatting
Print-Ready PDF files
Help getting started
The Hermit will take your story in either MS Word, iPages, Google Docs or PDF and upload it onto our own software platform called The Hermit.
We can then transform your 'single file' into individual book sections including the Title Page, Copyright Section, Dedication, Contents and Chapters. We can even create footnotes.
Print-Ready PDF files
Print-Ready PDF files
Print-Ready PDF files
Our print-ready PDF files of your book can be given to any book printer so you can create your finished paperback.
E-book ready files
E-book ready files
Print-Ready PDF files
The Hermit can deliver ebook-ready files for all platforms, including:
- Kindle
- Apple
- Nook
- Kobo
- Generic versions
Book cover
E-book ready files
Book cover
Creating a paperback cover can be a daunting process for anyone.
The Hermit makes it easy and painless.
We create a book cover for you that is ready for any ebook platform or paperback creation.
ISBN's
E-book ready files
Book cover
If needed we can assist in ISBN's.
Remember:
Ebooks do not legally require an ISBN.
Other Advice
Other Advice
Other Advice
The Hermit can also advise you with:
- Getting your book title on Amazon.
- Unlocking worldwide distribution of ebooks.
What does all this cost?
Albert Mouse often says ...
"The only free cheese is in a mouse trap!"
So The Hermit only charges a very affordable one-off payment per book title.
You, the author, own ALL rights to your book.
Reviews
"A beacon of human kindness and generosity"
"A beacon of human kindness and generosity"
"A beacon of human kindness and generosity"
Dear James, you have been an answer to my prayers. In this world of not knowing who to trust, you are a beacon of human kindness and generosity. Your inner child is alive and very busy playing, creating and helping others create. You are a great blessing to all children and to all child-like adults who enjoy your books and your creativity. Thank you for sharing your time, energy and creativity with me today.
__________
This client was trapped in a rolling contract with an online publisher. The contract was riddled with clauses that meant she couldn't get out and to make matters worse, they held the title rights to her book.
We helped to release her from the contract and she now has a book she owns.
"With much Gratitude"
"A beacon of human kindness and generosity"
"A beacon of human kindness and generosity"
Hi James it's so inspiring to have met you! It was one of the greatest gifts of 2022. Your kindness and generosity have saved my day and changed my world. I wish you continue to inspire and help others too. With much gratitude.
__________
This client had paid an online publishing company £1,875 to produce her book. For this, she received twenty-five copies of her book in paperback. If you do the maths, each paperback cost her £75!
She was heartbroken.
With our help, she now has a book that she owns outright and receives 100% of royalties.
"I felt reassured"
"A beacon of human kindness and generosity"
"I felt reassured"
My first book was extremely important to me so when I received the first couple of chapters back from the Ghost Writer I was distraught. I didn’t even recognise the story as mine. After several years of nervous hesitation, I finally contacted James for help. With his first telephone call, he calmed my anxiety and I felt reassured that my book would become a reality. He suggested I step away from the Ghost Writer and write my story myself; saying all it needed was an hour a day, in my words. With this renewed confidence I soon wrote 16,000 words, and when I showed James how far I had got in the two months since I had spoken to him, he gave me an insight on what the finished ‘book’ would look like, and I was pleasantly surprised and pleased!
__________
We are still working with this client and know this book will go on to help others, so it's wonderful to be part of it's journey.
Mary's Story
Over the last 18 months, James Hywel has been the catalyst in me changing direction completely from one in which I was bound by a publisher's contract with no real return on my investment of time and money, to one in which my time and efforts are being generously rewarded. He got me onto the online self-publishing route in which you retain the rights to your writing and control the whole process from beginning to end. Since this January I have sold six times as many books as I have sold over the last four years through a boutique publisher (which I mistook for a proper real publisher).
I have no words to convey the sense of gratitude and joy that this journey, guided by James has taken me on. Whenever I load up an epub online, I feel empowered knowing I own the whole process. More importantly, I retain my rights to my content, which I wasn't aware I had lost when I handed my numerous manuscripts over to the publishing house to be printed and marketed. That process left lots to be desired, whereas this works - tried and tested, by yours truly - and is very fulfilling.
I can confidently say that any time or fiscal investment spent in a consultation with James taking you down this path is worth every penny! He will guide you through the process, with the expertise he has amassed over the years in a gentle, yet firm and compassionate manner. He is an inspiring author who has succeeded and would like others to succeed too. A social conscience, wanting to leave the world a better place is also expressed through his writing of children's books which inspire children and adults alike to rediscover the joy in life.
Anyone spending time with James feels much more inspired, confident and empowered. I know I have.
Mary Mallia
Let The Hermit take the stress out of becoming an author
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By Appointment to children's imagination