Blog

And tips for a good cover design From young, we were told, “Don’t judge a book by its cover”. As in, don’t let the appearance of something from the outside cloud your thoughts on what could be on the inside. But while this is a sound metaphor for most things in life,...

Audiobooks crossed a threshold from being a niche side format to becoming a mainstream reading option. Now, they’re part of the baseline strategy for many authors and publishers.

As 2025 winds down, it’s worth pausing to look up from our manuscripts, our press plans, and our marketing calendars to take stock of South African literature as a living, breathing ecosystem.

If you’re publishing with a small press in South Africa (or doing it yourself with a limited team and budget) marketing often feels like an extra job that you may have not been anticipating.

Independent and small presses continue to shape the publishing industry, both globally and locally. While large publishing houses dominate the market, smaller presses (like Vindigo Press, Imaginary House, and Modjaji Books) remain important for maintaining literary diversity and cultural representation.

You’ve put in the hours. You’ve studied the craft. Maybe you’ve even finished your book. But you’re starting to wonder… what comes next? The truth is, writing a book is only part of the story. The other half is making sure people actually read it. That’s where the...

A Few Things That Set Great Manuscripts Apart, and Our Favourite Inspirational Resources So much of writing is instinctive. Perhaps a sentence arrives unannounced, or a scene unfolds as we sleep. Sometimes a voice seems to take shape all on its own – and if you’re...

So, you’ve finished your manuscript. That alone is a huge achievement, and if no one has told you that yet, we will – well done! Now comes the step that many writers find more daunting than the writing itself: submitting. Whether it’s your first time or your fifth,...

If you’re a South African writer with a finished manuscript, first of all – congratulations! That’s no small feat. The next step, of course, is getting your story out into the world. And that often leads to a big question: Who should you send your manuscript to?