A Guide to Self-Publishing with Siobhán Prendergast

Who the workshop is for

Many authors now choose to self-publish and this workshop is designed to introduce self-publishing to the independent author and provide a step-by-step guide to publishing a professional and beautifully produced book to the highest publishing standards. This workshop will explain how publishing works, outline how to avoid the common pitfalls and guide you on the path to becoming a successful, published independent author.

What the workshop covers

•  The publishing process, including editing, design, proofreading and printing.
•  Why it is so important to publish to industry standards and how to achieve it.
•  Copyright law: What is copyright and why and how do you need to consider it when publishing?
•  Accreditation in publishing: How to find a publishing professional to work with: editor, designer, printer.
•  Book sales and distribution: How to sell and distribute your book and an exploration of the hidden costs.
•  Self-publishing options for the independent writer: online, print and hybrid publishing.
•  Finance: The cost of self-publishing.
•  Traditional publishing vs self-publishing: What are the advantages and disadvantages of self-publishing versus being published by a publishing company?
•  Avoid the pitfalls: There are many, but they are easily avoided by being aware of them and taking the necessary steps.
•  Checklist for the independent publisher: A vital checklist before you begin your self-publishing journey.

Workshop Leader – tutor

Siobhán Prendergast, BA, MA, AFEPI, CIEP, has almost three decades’ experience in publishing and now runs Dingle Publishing, www.dinglepublishing.com, which she set up in 2014 to help independent authors to self-publish their books to the highest professional publishing standards. In 2020 Siobhán was shortlisted for an International Excellence Award by the Association for Publishing Education for her research on self-publishing and invited to speak at the London Book Fair. Devoted to the Arts, she is a Director and founding member of Dingle Literary Festival and a committee member of Féile na Bealtaine.

During her career Siobhán has worked with some of the most prestigious publishing houses including Harvill Press, Brandon Books, Irish Academic Press, Collins Press, Currach Press, Columba and Edco and some of the most dynamic writers including Booker Prize winner Anita Brookner, Noble Prize winner José Saramago, W.G. Sebald, former President of Ireland Mary McAleese, award-winning crime writers Ken Bruen and Peter Høeg; prominent politicians Gerry Adams and David Ervine; and captivating authors such as Alice Taylor, William Wall and Timothy O’Grady.

Siobhán has a Master of Arts with Distinction in Publishing, a PGDip in Publishing and Book Production and an honours degree in English and German. She is an Advanced Professional Member of the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP) and is a Full Member of the Association of Freelance Editors, Proofreaders and Indexers of Ireland (AFEPI Ireland). Siobhán has facilitated publishing workshops for many years to both English and Irish-language writers. She is a regular guest speaker at the University of Plymouth on the Masters in Publishing programme. Many participants of Siobhán’s workshops have now independently published.

Cancellation/Refund Policy

You are entitled to a refund within one week of your payment, (less card processing fee of 2.00% of the workshop fee) provided that the workshop has not already started.
We cannot refund fees in respect of cancellation after this time. We cannot offer partial refunds to students who do not finish the workshop.