"A very useful hands-on type of guide for authors, containing many helpful tips and a great deal of practical advice, and also examining the business of publishing from the publisher’s point of view. Part 1 of the book consists of a range of overview articles on the book publishing industry in South Africa and the different areas of publishing, including a chapter on publishing in African languages. Part 2 provides advice on how to find the right publisher and describes how a publisher decides what to publish; part 3 sets out how publishing works (including an excellent chapter on publishing contracts and royalty agreements discussing a standard publisher’s contract on a clause-by-clause basis); part 4 gives helpful advice on how to prepare a manuscript, and how to structure a book, read proofs, and prepare an index (where required); and part 5 is a fully annotated directory of South African publishers giving details of each publisher’s list, and pointing authors directly to the publishing house most suitable for his or her type of book. Although intended primarily for authors and writers in South Africa, this guide provides a valuable companion for authors in other parts of the continent. The first edition (1994) also included overviews of different sectors of the book publishing industry in South Africa, with four contributed chapters on “The Afrikaans Market” (Kerneels Breytenbach), “'Alternative Publishing” (Russell Martin), “Educational Publishing” (Kate McCallum), and “Tertiary-level Publishing” (Mike Jacklin)." (Hans M. Zell, Publishing, Books & Reading in Sub-Saharan Africa, 3d ed. 2008, nr. 2516)