Before you ask
Frequently asked questions
Does Rio Books pay to publish my book?
In most cases, no — and it is worth understanding why. In the model where the publisher carries every cost, it has to recover that investment: the author typically receives 5% to 10% of the cover price, gives up creative control, and waits around twelve months. In Rio's model, the author invests in production and keeps 100% of royalties and the work itself. Both are legitimate routes with different costs — one charges in money, the other in rights. Rio does fund a small number of titles in full each year, by editorial decision after reading the manuscript.
Can I just buy the Rio Books imprint?
No. The imprint is not a service, it is an endorsement — it means the work went through our editorial process and that we stand behind it. Selling it separately would hollow out what it means for every author on the list, including you. Books we produce for publication on the author's own account carry no imprint, and the contract says so plainly.
So what does it cost to publish?
Full production runs from £897 to £4,997 depending on scope, across four fixed packages. What changes between them is the level of editing, the kind of cover, the number of copies, and whether translation, audiobook or a launch is included. But you do not need to decide that now: the map shows the step you are on today, and it is almost never production.
Do you use artificial intelligence?
We do, in parts of the process, and we say so openly. It is what lets us deliver faster and charge less than a traditional publisher. What we do not do is deliver a book made by a machine: every text goes through human editing, most often Sandro's own. The "How we work" section on this page explains it in detail.
I am not in the UK. Can you still publish my book?
Yes. Rio Books is registered in England and Wales and distributes to 96 countries. We work in English, Portuguese and Spanish, and we publish authors living anywhere. Prices on this page are in pounds sterling; if you are in Brazil or Portugal, tell us your country in the map and we will quote in the currency that makes sense for you.
How long does it take?
From approved manuscript to publication, between 30 and 90 days depending on the package. If the text does not exist yet, the timeline depends on the route — mentoring, consultancy or ghostwriting — and is set out in the Executive Document before any production contract is signed.
Is my text protected?
Yes. A confidentiality agreement covers every project, and intellectual property remains entirely yours, from the first email to the published book.
