Are you thinking of writing a book but aren’t sure where to start?

“From a small seed, a mighty trunk may grow.” 

Aeschylus, the Greek tragedian writing around 460BC, came up with that piece of wisdom. And of course he was right. Every new project starts with an idea.

Three years ago, two traditionally published authors, Claire Dunn and Sue Russell, were having a chat. “What would it look like if writers set up their own small press and had complete control over their books?” they asked. Claire and Sue were multi-published and had become tired of being told what to do. The idea of a small press run by authors appealed to them. When they approached me at the British Christian Writers’ conference and asked if I’d like to join, my answer was: “Yes, of course.”

Claire continues the story: “I’d been happily traditionally published with Lion Fiction (Lion Hudson) for my first series, so was delighted when they offered me a three-book contract for my second series, ‘The Tarnished Crown’. However, when Lion Hudson sadly folded and contracts passed to SPCK, I was at a crossroads. Should I stick with SPCK, consider a hybrid publisher or publish independently? None of these options appealed to me. Self-publishing can be a lonely road; traditional publishers offer minute royalties and control content and cover design; and hybrid can be a minefield. I wanted the freedom to make the best choices for my books, the support of like-minded authors, the quality control offered by professional editors and designers and the social media reach of a bigger group. After a great deal of prayerful thought, I felt a distinct nudge. I knew other Lion authors were in the same boat, so I contacted Sue Russell and Paul Trembling with the idea. Then, as Ruth and other members joined, we transitioned from concept to genesis, and Resolute Books was born.”

Starting out

In the early days, the group met on Zoom twice a month to hammer out their ideas. By April 2023, there were six members. It was agreed right from the start that, although many of the Resolute Books members are Christian, it would not be a faith-based small press but would welcome authors who shared its ethos. Nonetheless, we agreed that there were lines we didn’t want to cross, and books with gratuitous sex or violence and anything to do with the occult would not be part of the Resolute Books group. 

I wanted the freedom to make the best choices for my books

We launched in May 2023 on a brilliantly sunny day in Dorset at Claire’s house. Our first two books were Local Killer by Paul Trembling and Wheel of Fortune by Claire Dunn. From the start, we agreed that we would be offering advice, encouragement and technical know-how in-house. With the arrival of Liz Carter, we had an accomplished editor, book cover designer and formatter in the group and, as the months went by, we invited several more authors, always with an eye to genre, quality and suitability to work collaboratively.

Uniqueness and quality control

So, what makes us different? Each member must agree to pay for a professional edit and book cover. Each new book must be peer reviewed by three fellow members and feedback given. Marketing doesn’t finish when the book has been out for a certain length of time. We all promote and support each other on social media and via direct book sales. With the vast range of experience in the group, there is always someone who can help with a query.

Membership is by invitation only and from the start, we agreed that we would limit the number of members to keep it manageable. We meet monthly on Zoom and there is a lively WhatsApp group for the everyday discussions. A good sense of humour is a vital requirement for a Resolute Books author.

As time has gone on and our numbers have grown, so has our catalogue of books. We were careful not to have too many people writing in one genre, as we wanted to offer potential readers a good choice. As I write, we have published 15 books, in genres as diverse as crime, historical fiction, poetry, memoir, YA [young adult] dystopian, science fiction, YA historical fiction, Jane Austen fan fiction and Cold War thrillers.  

From the start, we wanted to offer the very highest quality books to our readers, ones that would grip and engage them. The Resolute Books logo ensures that a book will be a good read, properly edited and formatted. 

Personal experience

My ‘Isabella M Smugge’ series is published with Instant Apostle and I’ve found them to be extremely supportive and encouraging. However, when I was asked to join Resolute Books, for me it was an answer to prayer. I had half-written A Great Deal of Ingenuity, my collection of short stories around minor characters in Pride and Prejudice, and was not confident enough in my own abilities to self-publish it. Being invited to join Resolute Books meant I had the flexibility to publish while being supported in all the new things I had to learn. Most of us publish on KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing), and I had no idea what to do! Liz was able to provide me with advice on how to upload my book, set prices, bring out a paperback and eBook and answer my myriad questions about which boxes to tick. It would all have been a lot more stressful without her support, and that of my fellow authors. Once I’d published, after much prayer, I felt it was time to be vulnerable and publish my poetry in the same way. 

With the vast range of experience in the group, there is always someone who can help

When I became a fiction author in 2021, my fellow Christian authors were so incredibly generous with their knowledge. They told me things I didn’t know, helped me to avoid pitfalls and made the whole process so much easier. I would always advise new authors to seek professional advice on their covers, editing and formatting and to join at least one writing group. It’s a lonely business being an author and feedback is essential. Resolute Books gives me that.

Making our name known

From the start, our authors’ collective has engaged in direct selling. All the authors are responsible for their own books and sell them through their websites and on Amazon. However, I already had a calendar full of events at which I sold my books to the public, and several of my fellow East Anglian ‘Resolute-ers’ decided to join me. As a group, we bought a pull-up banner, business cards, bookmarks, branded tablecloths and stickers for our packaging. Now, the Resolute Books stall is a regular fixture around Suffolk. Dorset member Janet Hancock sells everyone’s books at events locally and further afield. Getting out and about and meeting potential readers is a great way to build relationships, hone selling skills and get our books out to a new audience. 

But don’t take my word for it. Member Sarah Nicholson won the Ink Book Prize for Non-Fiction with her debut publication, the memoir In Search of Lost Glitter, while Claire was shortlisted for the Fiction Award for Wheel of Fortune. Liz, Sue, Sarah, Janet and I are all up for the ACW Book of the Year Award, I won the Page Turners Award for Romance last year and Claire has been a Page Turner finalist. We must be doing something right. The seed is growing.

resolutebooks.co.uk and @resolutebooks