FAQs

Does Sampaguita Press manage marketing?

No, Sampaguita Press does not manage marketing. Due to the fluctuations of our all-volunteer staff, we are unable to provide individualized marketing for our Authors. We are unable to provide a publicist or promoter either. Planning a book tour, outreach to other performers to schedule a line-up, and communicating with venues will shift to the Author’s responsibility. Should the Author have a graphic created, we are able to post it on our social media. While we aim to still champion every Author’s work with our social media presence and publication release announcements where possible, we are unable to provide advanced marketing services such as those provided by big house publishers who have the capacity and multi-scale budget to provide massive distribution and marketing power. 

Does Sampaguita Press provide advances?

Unfortunately, Sampaguita Press does not provide advances at this time. Due to our limited budget and staff, we do not have the funds nor bandwidth to provide this.

Does Sampaguita Press provide royalties?

Yes, Sampaguita Press provides royalties on a 50/50 structure after production costs. Royalties are disbursed twice a year, after 6 months and after 12 months.

Do Authors keep their subsidiary rights and what are they?

Yes, Authors keep their subsidiary rights, which means Authors are free to create multiple income streams from film, audio, foreign translation, and merchandise, which Sampaguita Press will not gain extra income streams. Due to the limited bandwidth of Sampaguita Press as an all-volunteer staff, we simply do not have the budget to keep or exercise an Author’s subsidiary rights. We fully believe it should be within our Authors’ power to exercise those rights, especially if it affords them the opportunity to build a wider audience and create extra income for themselves first and foremost. Authors will have sole discretion to directly benefit from or license their subsidiary rights, at their own expense, if they so choose with the help of their own agent or specialist.

How long does it take for a book to get published with Sampaguita Press?

Because we are an all-volunteer staff, we have a longer production timeline. Our BuliLit chapbook zines may take a year, and full-length titles may take a year and a half. These estimates are idealized, meaning this would be the fastest timeline. Production timelines may be longer, depending on the work and the capacities of the Author and staff.

Where can I find your contract?

Our contract is available for view here, but contracts do become individualized depending on an Author’s needs. This is kept confidential between Author and Publisher. Available here is the foundational contract that is shown and used for all Authors.

Can I choose my own cover artist?

Yes, Sampaguita Press supports Authors finding their own cover artist. We ask that the cover artist not depict anything racist, sexist, xenophobic, bigoted, or hateful in any way. We have a separate contract for cover artists, which may be found here.

Why publish with Sampaguita Press?

Despite our limitations as an all-volunteer staff—made up of writers, poets, and artists ourselves—our purpose, first and foremost, is to uplift underrepresented voices and communities who may not have access to traditional publishing spaces. As a fierce literary advocate to uplift stories that can oftentimes be marginalized and overlooked, we do not charge reading or submission fees. We are a traditional press in that all editing, production, and distribution costs are covered by Sampaguita Press, and all work published are chosen on its own merit. Authors are never charged upfront fees to publish their work. While Authors are given the option to purchase their own author copies at a deeply discounted rate, and are free to sell their own author copies recouping 100% of those sales, Authors are never required to purchase these author copies, and are free to solely rely on the income derived from their royalty payments. Last, for those we choose to publish, we strive to champion your work among several distributors.