We have officially reached our two-year mark as a publishing house. We have learned a lot over the last two years, and with that experience under our belt, we have compiled a list of frequently asked questions from our authors and prospective authors alike.
How long is Sutherland House Expert’s publishing process typically?
Depending on how polished the manuscript is, the editorial process (which encompasses everything from cover design to formatting your manuscript to look like a book) can take anywhere between 1-3 months. Plus 2-4 weeks for printing, then another 1 month for the books to populate in our warehouse before going live. So, on average, around 5-6 months from the receipt of the final approved manuscript (which includes sometimes 2-3 line edits) to the start of book pre-order sales.
How many pages should my book be?
Nonfiction books can vary in length, but a standard length is between 50,000 – 75,000 words. We also take on shorter books, when appropriate to the content, in the range of 35,000 words. We’ve had books as short as 150 pages to as long as 500 pages.
Can I use this image/photo in my book?
Images can be used in our books; however, they must be taken by the author, public domain, or the author has express permission to use them. We also suggest having the source listed as well.
How will AI affect publishing? Is it bad to use AI to help me write?
There is a lot of discourse on this subject with creatives and those in the publishing world, as AI is constantly learning and evolving. There are even a few ongoing lawsuits between writers suing OpenAI and other platforms for copyright infringement. Our consensus is that AI can be a helpful research and ideation tool but should not be used to replace an author’s own written word or identity. Readers connect with stories because they are innately human, and AI will never be able to replicate that. In fact, one of our factors in evaluating whether to take on an author’s submission is whether or not the story itself can even be effectively told through AI. We want authentic works of connectivity and expertise only our authors are qualified to tell, not an LLM.
What if I find a typo after my book is published? Can you fix it?
Yes. For eBooks, we can easily reupload the corrected file; we can address the errors in the physical book when we do another print run.
Do I need a social media presence as an author?
It is helpful to have a social media presence so that readers can connect with you. Instagram, Twitter (now X), or a personal website are some platforms to consider. Even if you are just active on LinkedIn, that can help drive new prospective readers to your book.
We are active on LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube, and like to shout out our author’s accounts when we can.
I want to narrate my audiobook. How can I do that?
We unfortunately don’t have the capacity for audiobooks as a standard offering at this time, as the audiobook landscape is not our area of expertise. However, there are plenty of studios available where they can assist in recording. ACX is a great platform that helps connect your audiobook online. You can read more about the process here.
Should I submit my book to awards, and when?
Yes! We do support our authors by paying a portion of their submission fees. We take care of the submission process on the author’s behalf, and we always encourage authors to bring any award submissions forward for us to consider. A lot of awards have their own specific requirements and deadlines, but we don’t start submitting an author’s book until it is released.
How is your business model of co-publishing evolving?
Sutherland House Experts (“Experts”) operates a performance-based hybrid publishing model—a co-publishing approach that rewards measurable success while lowering financial barriers for authors. Unlike traditional hybrid models with fixed publishing subsidies for editorial services, Experts adjusts aggregate author costs downward as titles perform in the marketplace. Our model combines trade-level selectivity with transparent partnership incentives.
What we’ve learned is that our authors succeed commercially. For established authors with near-complete manuscripts or new authors who can demonstrate strong sales potential, we require minimal or no author subsidy, and instead adjust our profit share accordingly. We treat each author like an independent small business with a distinct risk appetite.
Experts’ titles are distributed worldwide through Independent Publishers Group (IPG), gain access to mainstream review outlets and popular podcasts, and we maintain unwaveringly high, professional editorial standards. We accept only a selective portion of submissions (now less than 10 percent), consistent with our philosophy of shared risk and shared reward.
Increasingly, a substantial portion of our revenue comes not only from author agreements but also from editorial advisory services, marketing partnerships, and events—proof that our incentive-based model supports a sustainable and serious publishing program for experts.
We operate within the publishing industry’s “selective partnership” or “shared-risk” space—a model that merges the high standards and selectivity of traditional publishing with the flexibility and engagement of hybrid partnerships.
Unlike rate-card hybrids, our author agreements vary based on project viability, author reputation, and market potential. Because every story—and every author—is unique and deserves to have their voice heard.
