Major publishing innovation provides PNG authors with a big boost
08 June 2018
KEITH JACKSON
PORT MORESBY – In the most important development in Papua New Guinea publishing since the advent of the Crocodile Prize seven years ago, author Jordan Dean has established a company to produce the work of emerging writers and present a new generation of literary talent to an international audience.
JDT Publications Ltd was established to provide an avenue for PNG and Pacific writers to publish their writing in the form of quality paperbacks and e-books.
“I believe that our literature survives in great books,” Dean says. “JDT gives a whole new reading experience for authors and book lovers.”
The company offers a range of products for writers including its ‘basic package’ for K100 which provides basic editing and proofreading, cover design and production supervision for a standard book size publication produced as a paperback and e-book and including a free copy for the author.
Other products - the wantok, premium and children’s storybook packages – range in price up to K500, each offering successively increasing benefits. You can download the JDT prospectus here.
“We work with our authors and guide them through various stages, from writing a manuscript to becoming a published author,” says Dean. “We try our best to make publishing as easy as possible and the books we publish will always be available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Goodreads and other outlets.”
The print on demand method means that copies of a book are only printed and shipped when there is a request from the reader or author.
“Authors are responsible for marketing and distribution,” Dean says. “However, we can assist authors with book reviews, social media marketing, promotion and author branding.
“We also provide editorial, design and formatting services to publish high quality books at an affordable price.
“Whether you’re writing poetry, short stories, a novel, memoir, non-fiction, essays, anthologies, literary journals, policies or any book, we have the expertise to help you achieve it,” Dean says.
JDT also provides editorial services, design and formatting, customised illustrations, and branding and social media marketing.
Contact information
[email protected]
[email protected]
(+675) 320 2188
PO Box 591, Port Moresby, NCD Papua New Guinea
This is great, Jordan. Congratulations!
Posted by: Joe Herman | 09 June 2018 at 11:19 PM
All this time I have been imagining lives after Phil Fitzpatrick and Keith Jackson, especially for us PNG writers.
Thank you so much, Jordan. I believe momentous event itself will push more Papua New Guineans into writing. Many I know have just put their writings in the drawer because of the obvious.
Posted by: Mathias Kin | 09 June 2018 at 03:25 PM
Thanks Michael and Rashmii. Rashmii can offer her editorial flair and Michael can use his poetic wand to help assist upcoming writers.
Tok save, my fourth book is now available on Amazon. A total of 10 books published by JDT Publications now. Link below:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/9980901705/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1528519046&sr=8-2&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=JDT+Publications&dpPl=1&dpID=41yxKZBBgYL&ref=plSrch
Posted by: Jordan Dean | 09 June 2018 at 03:15 PM
You are awesome, Jordan!
Posted by: Rashmii Bell | 09 June 2018 at 06:38 AM
Yes.
Jordan has done the best thing ever.
Fantastic!
Posted by: Michael Dom | 08 June 2018 at 08:47 PM
Thanks Phil and Keith. Couldn't have come this far without you both plus Ed Brumby and Chips Mackellar. Eventually, PNG writers will have to rise up to the occasion to write, edit and publish our own work.
Posted by: Jordan Dean | 08 June 2018 at 03:41 PM
This is something that Keith and I have been gently pushing along since we set up the Crocodile Prize.
With Jordan's initiative we have someone who has finally taken up the challenge.
He is a worthy successor of what we started with Pukpuk Publications. And he's better at it to boot!
There is no reason why other writing entrepreneurs cannot do exactly what Jordan has done.
I think I can now gratefully put Pukpuk to bed.
Posted by: Philip Fitzpatrick | 08 June 2018 at 01:45 PM
Thanks Simon. I've been searching for a publisher for years. As a writer, it's discouraging that there's no dedicated publisher in PNG.
Abroad, PNG writers don't stand a chance. I've sent my manuscripts to almost all traditional publishers in US, UK, Australia.
After waiting for months, they respond that they’re unable to publish my work at this time or they do not publish poetry, etc. Almost every publisher charges thousands of kina to self-publish your book.
My novel "Tama'gega - Fatherless Child" was accepted for publication by two major publishing companies in UK: Austin Macauley Publishers and Olympia Publishers.
Comments from Austin Macauley Publishers:
"The Board praised your evocative and vibrant use of language...there were certain reservations put forward. We are unable to ascertain the commercial success of your work. We do however feel that your work deserves to be published and given the opportunity to be launched for the reading public alongside other famous publications."
Comments from Olympia Publishers:
"Thank you for your patience during this process, I understand it can be tedious awaiting responses from publishers regarding your writing. However, we have now completed our evaluations of your work ‘Tama’gega – Fatherless Child’.
"Over the past few weeks my colleagues and I have been discussing various aspects of your book and have agreed that your novella is well-written with an absorbing narrative, we see potential in the work. We believe that it deserves a chance to reach the general readership and this can be achieved with the marketing capabilities we can provide.
"As I’m sure you know – as it is explained on our website – we receive hundreds of submissions each month, many of which are rejected, when we accept a work we can offer either a traditional publishing contract or a contribution-based publishing contract. At this time, I can proudly state that we would love to publish your work under the Olympia banner and wish to make a contribution-based offer for ‘Tama'gega – Fatherless Child’.
"Please consider this offer carefully. This will be a one-off, finite figure. Any future costs, to cover marketing over the lifetime of the book, will be covered by Olympia."
Both publishers offered "contribution based" contracts of GBP2,200 (approx K9,500). I don't have that much money so I couldn't publish my book with them.
That's how I came up with the idea to start a publishing firm for PNG writers. I am offering publishing packages that are affordable and easy on the pocket of struggling PNG writers at the same time produce quality books that are on par with big name publishers.
Posted by: Jordan Dean | 08 June 2018 at 11:17 AM
Jordan - I want to congratulate you for the bold initiative, that you took to set up the publishing house to publish books written by Papua New Guineans.
You are indeed an answer to the prayer of many writers in this nation.
Your effort is the icing on the cake for the work done by Keith Jackson and his associates including Phil Fitzpatrick and others to promote writing in PNG.
Looking forward to publish one of my books with your organisation.
Let’s all dream big, dare the heights and reach for the stars, so that literature produced by PNGeans make their mark in our literary universe.
Solo die Gloria!
Posted by: Simon Davidson | 08 June 2018 at 07:36 AM