From parchment to pdf, publishing is an important activity that has been around for generations. Every writers’ dream is to one day see their work published. Publishing is the act of creating and distributing information. Book publishers set in motion, the editorial and commercial processes for companies who wish to publish material into public media.
The History of Publishing
Publishing arose from the amalgamation of several smaller, yet equally important inventions. These inventions were that of writing, paper and printing.
Writing
Writing has been present in human culture since the dawn of time. With evidence of prehistoric writing dating back to as early as the use of the cuneiform in ancient Mesopotamia, we can be sure that writing has always been an important part of the way people create information and distribute information.
Paper
Ancient Egyptians invented the first product that we now know as paper. Made from the papyrus plant, Papyrus was a fundamental writing tool in human history and acted as the first paper product used to record writing. Years after the Papyrus came a new means of recording writing. This new form of paper is accredited to a Chinese court official, from the Han Dynasty, named Cai Lun. Cai Lun invented a way to make paper by weaving plant fibres and old rags. When production using cloth became too expensive, paper mills switched to solely using plant fibres instead, arriving at what we know and use as paper today.
Printing
Historians have discovered that printing was invented as early as the 6th century in China. The Chinese used a method known as woodblock printing. Woodblock printing, also known as block printing, refers to the act of printing where the writing is carved into a wooden block, dipped in ink and stamped onto various sheets to record the inked words. This was how the first copies of texts were made, without having to write them from scratch individually.
The Modern Printing Press
Printing in Europe was introduced by Johannes Gutenberg in Germany in the 1440s. Gutenberg invented a whole new system of movable metal type printing press in Europe. His invention allowed for multiple copies to be printed rapidly, reducing both the time and financial cost required for printing and publishing. This made books affordable and accessible to people of all walks of life and income levels, when initially books were a luxury item only available to the wealthy. Gutenberg’s invention has thus been accredited to the rise in literacy levels in Europe, contributing immensely to various literary movements such as the Renaissance and the Restoration in England.
Turn your Words into Stories
We have compiled a list of Singapore’s Top Publishers for your perusal. If you are an aspiring author with stories to tell, send your manuscript to a publishing house today and get their advice on how best to convert your drafts into books.
Company |
Ethos Books |
| About | Ethos Books is an independent publisher of literary fiction, non-fiction, and poetry.
Giving voice to emerging and exciting writers from diverse backgrounds, we help foster an environment in which literature and the arts not only survive, but thrive. In short, we nurture the growing literary community in Singapore and throughout the region. |
| Website | https://www.ethosbooks.com.sg/ |
| Address | 28, #06-131 Sin Ming Lane, Midview City, 573972 |
| Telephone | +65 6659 1749 |
| [email protected] | |
| Operating Hours | Monday – Friday: 9:00AM to 6:00PM |
Company |
Epigram Books |
| About | Epigram is a Singaporean independent publisher offering a full suite of publishing solutions.
Founded in 1991 as a communications design firm, Epigram found our place in publication design when our founder Edmund Wee was conferred Singapore’s most prestigious design honour—Designer of the Year in the 2008 President’s Design Award. Over the years, we’ve had the honour to work with countless outstanding local talents. Having put out more than 150 commissioned projects, we started our trade imprint, Epigram Books, in 2011, to provide a platform for local creatives and champion homegrown literary talents. Currently, Epigram Books publishes fiction — novels, short stories, plays, graphic novels, chapter books, picture books — and non-fiction books from Singapore and Southeast Asia. |
| Website | https://www.epigram.sg/ |
| Address | 1008 Toa Payoh North #03-08 Singapore 318996 |
| Telephone | +65 6292 4456 |
| [email protected] | |
| Operating Hours | Monday – Friday: 9am – 6pm |
Company |
Asiapac Books Pte Ltd |
| About | Established in 1983, Asiapac Books is Singapore’s leading independent publisher of educational comics and illustrated books designed to enhance lifelong learning. Asiapac Books publishes books in many genres, mainly philosophy, history, literature and culture. Our titles also include non-Asian themes. |
| Website | https://asiapacbooks.com/ |
| Address | 410 North Bridge Rd Singapore 188726 |
| Telephone | +65 6392 8455 |
| [email protected] | |
| Operating Hours | Monday – Friday: 10:00am to 6:00pm |
Company |
Balestier Press |
| About | Founded in 2015, Balestier Press is an independent publisher proudly presenting the hidden gems of contemporary world literature, picture books, comics/graphic novels and memoirs, with a focus on Asia, Pacific and Africa. We enable a greater variety of original voices to be heard by collaborating with writers, translators, and illustrators worldwide, with the belief that the beauty of literature, stories and thoughts can connect different cultures and people across borders. |
| Website | https://balestier.com/ |
| Address | 1010 Dover Road #01-800-V Singapore 139658 |
| [email protected] | |
| Operating Hours | Monday – Friday: 10am – 5pm |
Company |
Pan Asia Publishing Pte. Ltd. |
| About | Pan Asia is a publisher of English, Chinese, and bilingual English-Chinese children’s illustrated story books and educational books. |
| Website | https://shop.panasiabooks.com/ |
| Address | 167 Jalan Bukit Merah, Singapore 150167 |
| Telephone | +65 6316 1788 |
Company |
Candid Creation Publishing |
| About | Founded in 1999, Candid Creation Publishing is an independent English-Chinese bilingual publishing house based in Singapore.
We provide a one-stop publishing service that takes individuals and organizations from idea to market. Our objective is to lower the barriers to getting published and to make professional publishing accessible to all and with a personal touch. In contrast to self-publishing services, every book by Candid Creation is carefully curated by experienced professionals to ensure all titles meet the highest quality standard. Our professional services include consultancy, coaching, conceptualization, planning, project management, writing, translation, copyediting, design, illustration, typesetting, proofreading, printing, e-book publishing, distribution, sales and marketing. |
| Website | https://candidcreation.com/ |
| Address | 167 Jalan Bukit Merah Connection One, Tower 4 #05-12, Singapore 150167 |
| Telephone | +65 9474 6270 |
| [email protected] | |
| Operating Hours | Monday – Friday: 9am – 6pm |
Company |
KITAAB International |
| About | Headquartered in Singapore, Kitaab International Pte Ltd provides a rich publishing platform to emerging and seasoned writers, and offers a slew of services, ranging from copyediting to publishing, designing and printing, and media and consultancy services.
Services: |
| Websites | https://kitaabinternational.com/
https://kitaab.org |
| Address | 10 Anson Road, #27-15, International Plaza, Singapore 079903 |
| [email protected] |
Company |
Marshall Cavendish Education |
| About | As the leading national and regional provider of K–12 educational solutions, Marshall Cavendish Education integrates its distinctive research-driven approach into its curriculum and professional development, while leveraging technology to facilitate effective teaching and active learning in the classroom and beyond. With over 60 years of expertise in the industry, we have been consistently providing a comprehensive range of quality academic enrichment publications, boosting multilingual content to more than 60 countries. Our highly regarded brand has gained recognition worldwide for our outstanding work in ensuring educational excellence. |
| Website | https://www.mceducation.com/sg |
| Address | No.1 New Industrial Road Singapore 536196 |
| Telephone | +65 6213 9300 |
| [email protected] | |
| Operating Hours | Monday – Friday: 8:30am – 6pm |
Company |
Raji Publication (S) Pte Ltd |
| About | Local publisher for English and Tamil Assessment Books. |
| Website | https://rajipublication.com/ |
| Address | 48 Serangoon Road #02-25 Little India Arcade Singapore 217959 |
| Telephone | +65 6273 5523 |
| [email protected] | |
| Operating Hours | Monday – Saturday: 9:30am – 7pm |
Company |
Crimson Earth |
| About | Crimson Earth (CE), established in 2005, is a publishing firm specialising in content development for the education and literary sector in Singapore. Besides mainstream print titles including – EduGuide, Kids Health Guide, Kids Dining Guide, PSLE Guide and Educators, CE provides custom as well as academic publishing services. In the literary field, CE has produced titles, including the works of Cultural Medallion Recipients, SEA Write Award Recipients, Royal Commonwealth Society Essay Competition Winners, thanks to the support of the National Arts Council, the National Book Development Council of Singapore and the Lee Kuan Yew Fund for Bilingualism. CE titles have been featured at the Asian Festival of Children’s Content, Beijing Book Fair, Chennai Book Fair, Frankfurt International Book Fair, London Book Fair and New Delhi World Book Fair. |
| Website | http://www.crimsonearth.com/Home.aspx |
| Address | 1 Scotts Road, #24-10, Shaw Centre, Singapore 228208 |
| Telephone | +65 6858 5052 |
| [email protected] |
Company |
Fairfield Book Publishers Pte. Ltd |
| About | Fairfield Book Publishers Pte Ltd is a leading independent publisher established in 1986 founded by Al-Haj. S.A. SHAIK DAWOOD. We are an establishied publisher in Assessment & Reference guide books serving the community for more than 35 years. Our Series of Educational Books range from Preschool to advanced level. The specially designed books are written to cater for children from Preschool level to the General Cambridge Education Advanced Level (GCE ‘A’), IGCSE as IB Examinations. |
| Website | http://www.fairfieldbooks.com.sg/ |
| Address | No.10 Ubi Crescent #05-34, Ubi Techpark (Lobby B) Singapore 408564 |
| Telephone | +65 6848 2471 |
| [email protected] |
Company |
Partridge Singapore |
| About | Partridge Singapore is an imprint of Author Solutions LLC. Through this self-publishing imprint, authors now have access to the services they need to realise their publishing goals. Partridge Singapore has a wide range of purpose built publishing packages and additional services to give every writer the means to be a self-published author. |
| Website | https://www.partridgepublishing.com/Singapore/ |
| Address | 1 Fullerton Road #02-01, One Fullerton Singapore |
| Telephone | +65 3165 7531 |
| [email protected] | |
| Operating Hours | Monday to Friday: 10am – 7pm |
Company |
Armour Publishing Pte Ltd |
| About | With over 300 titles in the market, Armour Publishing is one of Singapore’s leading independent publishers, with distribution networks in Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Europe and the United States. |
| Website | http://www.armourpublishing.com/ |
| Address | Block 1003 Bukit Merah Central #02-07, Singapore 159836 |
| Telephone | +65 6276 9976 |
| [email protected] | |
| Operating Hours | Monday – Friday: 9am – 6pm |
Company |
Shing Lee Publishers Pte Ltd |
| About | Shing Lee Publishers Pte Ltd is a leading publisher of educational books, interactive books and digital platforms in Singapore and in more than 40 countries worldwide.
Founded in 1935, we are dedicated to creating and publishing quality teaching and learning materials with global standards. Through 82 years in the publishing and book trade, Shing Lee has adopted a philosophy of quality products, excellent services and competitive prices. |
| Website | https://www.shinglee.com.sg/ |
| Address | 120 Hillview Ave #05-06/07 Kewalram Hillview Singapore 669594 |
| Telephone | +65 6760 1388 |
| [email protected] | |
| Operating Hours | Monday – Friday : 9am – 5pm |
Company |
English Corner Publishing Pte Ltd |
| About | English Corner Publishing Pte Ltd is a Singaporean owned company based in Singapore. We are the company that popularised the Young Scientists magazine, distributing to primary school students in Singapore, up until the end of 2012. |
| Website | https://www.englishcorner.sg/ |
| Address | Blk 1003, Bukit Merah Central #03-05 Technopreneur Park Singapore 159836 |
| Telephone | +65 6225 5770 |
| Operating Hours | Monday – Friday: 9am to 8pm Saturday & Sunday: By appointment only |
Company |
Flame Of The Forest Publishing Pte Ltd |
| About | FLAME OF THE FOREST PUBLISHING has been focused on entertaining readers since its founding in 1989. It’s very first book, Russell Lee’s “True Singapore Ghost Stories Book 1”, was an instant hit not only in Singapore but also across Southeast Asia. |
| Website | https://www.flameoftheforest.com/ |
| Address | Blk 5 Ang Mo Kio Industrial Park 2A #07-22/23, AMK Tech II Singapore 567760 |
| Telephone | +65 6484 8887 |
| [email protected] |
Company |
CASCO Publications |
| About | Established in 1984, Casco Publications is one of Singapore’s leading educational book publishers.
We specialise in English, Mathematics and Science supplementary materials for preschool, primary and secondary level (from 4 years old to 16 years old). For the past three decades, our company seeks to understand and align the needs of schools, teachers, parents and learners providing them with practical, creative and engaging supplementary educational materials and assessment tools that support and enrich the core curriculum. |
| Website | http://www.casco.com.sg/ |
| Address | 53 Ubi Ave 1, Paya Ubi Industrial Park, #05-54, Singapore 408934 |
| Telephone | +65 6748 3101 |
| [email protected] | |
| Operating Hours | Monday – Friday: 9am – 6pm |
Company |
Alston Publishing House |
| About | Established in 2009, Alston Publishing House is a leading education content provider with deep understanding of the international textbook market. Located in Singapore, a hub for excellence in education, our core focus is to develop and distribute textbooks and educational resources for the K-12 schools globally. |
| Website | https://www.alstonpublishinghouse.com/ |
| Address | 44 Kallang Place #04-04 Four Star Building Singapore 339172 |
| Telephone | +65 6291 0018 |
| [email protected] | |
| Operating Hours | Monday – Friday: 8:30am – 5pm |
Company |
Educational Publishing House |
| About | Educational Publishing House Pte Ltd, the publishing arm of POPULAR HOLDINGS LIMITED, was incorporated in 1952 under the name United Publishing House Pte Ltd. It began by publishing Chinese textbooks, readers and supplementary materials, and then moved into publishing supplementary and assessment books as well as textbooks in the English language. Today, EPH is a leading player and respected publisher of quality educational books, ranging from assessment and textbook titles to children’s and general books. From the success of its first Chinese textbooks, the company has expanded its publication list to cover nearly all the core subjects taught in schools and in doing so, has established a strong foothold in the pre-primary, primary and secondary markets. Our vast library of titles serves the wide-ranging needs of the student population. With a pool of qualified authors and a strong team of editors and designers, EPH has built up an impressive publishing track record. The company’s mission is to continue producing top quality and affordable educational materials to meet the growing demands of the educational market. |
| Website | https://www.eph.com.sg/ |
| Address | 15 Serangoon North Avenue 5, Singapore 554360 |
| Telephone | +65 6462 9603 |
| [email protected] | |
| Operating Hours | Monday – Friday: 9am – 5pm |
Company |
Write Editions |
| About | Write Editions® is one of the leading book publishers in Singapore. We craft noteworthy and exquisite books that engage and enliven readers. Foremost, our book publishing focus is to create substantive, thought-provoking and inspirational contents – ultimately – to inspire personal growth, organisational excellence and social vigour. |
| Website | https://writeeditions.com/ |
| Address | 1 Scotts Road #24-10 Shaw Centre Singapore 228208 |
| Telephone | +65 9675 3577 |
| [email protected] |
Stages of Publishing
A publishing house is a very busy place. There are multiple facets and stages to publishing. Here is a summary of how an idea from an author’s imagination becomes a book on a shelf:
Editorial Stage
The first stage, editorial, begins with the author’s manuscript. A manuscript is the author’s original hand written or typed text that they wish to publish. At the editorial stage, the manuscript undergoes rigorous checks and revisions. Such revisions include Developmental Editing, Copy Editing and Proofreading.
Developmental Editing
Developmental Editing critiques the flow of ideas in a manuscript. Components such as structure, organization and writing style will be assessed and edited, allowing the author to shape their manuscript in the best way possible.
Copy Editing
Copy Editing targets grammar mistakes. This process includes correct spelling, grammar usage as well as punctuation. Copy Editing is crucial in ensuring that the manuscript reads formally and looks professional, free of avoidable errors.
Proofreading
Proofreading is the final aspect of the editorial stage. Proofreading involves sweeping the manuscript thoroughly for any mistakes or inconsistencies left unchecked as well as correcting components such as formatting.
Design Stage
We have all heard the phrase “Do not judge a book by its cover”, but in this stage of publishing that is exactly what happens. The design stage focuses on how the book will look, not only on shelves but between the covers as well.
At this stage, the author may decide how they would like the cover to look. Contrary to the popular saying, a well-designed cover can increase the book’s marketability drastically. The author may wish to commission a work from a photographer, or work with a digital artist to illustrate an appealing design for their book cover.
We may not notice the minor details, but the font size, colour, style as well as page layout contributes greatly to our reading experience. The right visual formatting allows for a smoother and more enjoyable reading experience.
Production Stage
Once the design has been finalized, the book slowly begins to take a solid form in this next stage. The production stage is all about printing and binding the books in multiple copies. Before the actual printing of multiple copies begins, the author is given a pre-press proof, which is a sample of how the book will look once printed. This is the author’s final chance to go through the book for any final mistakes or discrepancies. Once the pre-press proof has passed inspection, physical printing begins. However, production does not end with physical printed copies. Publishers also aid authors in publishing their books in digital formats such as eBooks and audio books.
Marketing Stage
This is the stage where things get exciting. The author finally gets to see their work displayed on shelves in bookstores and libraries. In the marketing stage, the publisher works with the author to find the best possible way to connect the book to its target audience. This usually starts with a Book Launch to celebrate and promote the release of the book into public media. Marketing strategies may vary from small events such as a private reading or a book signing to large events such as conferences and book awards. The goal is to ensure that the author’s story can be accessed and enjoyed by millions.
Editor’s Note:
While every precaution has been made to ensure the accuracy and fairness of this listing, we acknowledge that they may be inaccuracies. Therefore, we urge you to contact the service provider above for the correct information and/or contact us with the correct information.
If you are a service provider and wish to be featured in this listing (MediaOne reviews are read by hundreds of thousands of Singaporeans), please contact us at [email protected]. There is no charge! Please allow us up to 3 working days to review before adjusting the information or including your entry.
