POLOKWANE – Author and occupational therapist Dinah Sekwaila is here to help those who want to publish their own books.
The author of several novels and motivational pieces has been writing for more than 15 years and told the Polokwane Observer that one has to authenticate the legitimacy of publishing houses before taking the first step.
“Do not let them take advantage of you by wanting to be credited anywhere in your book or wanting a 50% share of your profit,” she said.
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Dinah said it is important to be smart in the industry and to do that, one must develop a working relationship with the publisher to ensure a good quality product.
“There are many publishers in Polokwane that one can easily search on the internet and approach. They’re very easy to find and most of them are easy to work with, as long as your book is professionally up-to-date and in order,” she said.
Dinah added that it takes passion, patience and hard work write and publish your first book and gave the following tips:
- Make sure that you edit and proofread your book because one or two typos won’t necessarily sink your writing career, but it will most certainly make you look unprofessional and readers will doubt your writing ability.
- Always identify your target audience/market for your book. Make sure you at least predict who will be interested in reading it.
- Do some research on a publishing company and once everything is in place, submit your book proposal directly to the publisher.
“Reputable publishers in Polokwane include Bokang Publishing House, Creative Books SA-Self Publishing Company and Macmillan Boleswa Publishers to name a few.”
