Publishing Services
As well as publishing our own titles, we may be able to offer a full or partial publishing service. Perhaps you have a memory full of stories, a village history you are collating or something you've been trying to get into print? We can help – from simple appraisals and copyediting to taking a manuscript through to the print-ready stage.
Writing - If you haven't already completed your manuscript, we can advise on style, content, word count and, most importantly, commercial viability.
Copyediting, proofreading and indexing - Even professional authors and subject-matter experts have their work vigorously checked, and a trained critical eye will pick up errors the author has missed. We have over 25 years' experience working for medium-sized publishers through to industry giants like Oxford University Press, Wiley-Blackwell and Reed-Elsevier, and therefore our standards are extremely high.
General design - We can work with you to design and layout your text, ready to give to a typesetter. From size, format and bespoke design features to processing illustrations and use of colour - all need to be carefully considered.
Typesetting - This aspect of book production is essential to get right, to ensure your text is prepared ready for the printer and the end result looks professional.
Cover design - Most people really do judge a book by its cover, so it's important to get this right. Are the cover and spine eye-catching, and does the back cover blurb convince the buyer?
Printing - We can suggest experienced book printers to ensure you get a book that looks good and lasts, at the best possible price.Overall project management - We can take on any or all of the above tasks and most importantly provide a professional, personal, bespoke service.
Contact us to discuss your project - call Julie on 01300 321531 or Click HERE to send us an email.
Testimonial:
“Many publishers are
thought to be motivated by a love of money rather than a love of books which
discourages the discovery and promotion of new talent, prevents free thinking
and suppresses editorial independence. Fortunately there are exceptions and, in
Dorset, we are lucky to have the autonomous, individualistic Roving Press at Frampton, near
Dorchester. With some 20 books under their belts since 2008, Roving Press
proprietors Julie and Tim Musk are ‘going
no more a-roving’ and are here to stay.”
Trevor Vacher Deane, The Society of Dorset Men
Books published under our 'Step-Up' imprint and others we have helped
Sixpenny Handley - The Story of Our Parish
 | 96 pages, illustrated with 8 line drawings and 60 photos. Published for Sixpenny Handley Village by Roving Press. Available from the Sixpenny Handley Community Fund, priced £5.00. |
‘We arrived on the doorstep of Roving Press full of enthusiasm and with a large collection of material we hoped to turn into a book of our village of Sixpenny Handley. We had no idea how to go about this until we met Tim and Julie who produced a very good quality and attractive book. Sales have gone so well that we are now into our second print run.’
Rosalie Adams, Sixpenny Handley
The Thirteenth Box by J.A. Ratcliffe
 | We helped this new author self-publish her first novel The Thirteenth Box, which was Runner-up in the National Self-publishing Awards 2012 organised by Writing Magazine. The magazine commented: ‘The eventual winners were both ambitious projects with fantastic attention to detail.’ The author says ‘it was your input and assistance that helped me achieve the book I wanted, now award-winning!’ We wish her continued success with her novel. Please CLICK HERE for more information about this book. |
 | ‘Thank you for the efficient way you arranged to get my life story published.’ Cliff came to us because he wanted a lasting testament of his life story. He provided the text and a selection of photos, which we tweaked and edited to produce a 50-page book, which he was proud to give to his extensive family. Originally he only asked for 20 copies, but he had double this number printed as the production costs were so affordable. |
 | Local artist Carolyn King’s highly visual book was supported
using public funding by Arts Council England and Lyme Regis Arts Fest. It is a fun
yet factual little tale that’s told in rhyme with the idea of performance. 32 pages, full colour. Available from Legassick Studio, produced in both hard and softback. Email: [email protected] Tel: 01297 23115 |
English Universities 1852-2012 by Michael Baatz
‘I deeply appreciate having learnt so much about the standards and technicalities of processing a work to publication. I have enjoyed the challenge of the various stages and admired your high standards and tried to emulate them.’
After an appraisal and some editorial advice from Julie (our experienced editor and chief ‘wordsmith’), this author felt confident to go it alone and produce a 128-page text book aimed at academics and those with a general political interest in the subject.