Editorial
Guidance. We review your manuscript, and provide tips on making
your book a sales success.
Market
Positioning. We review the other books on retailers' shelves
to determine which ones your book is competing against. We then
determine how your book can be be successfully differentiated
from the other titles in that genre.
Production
Schedule and Milestones. What are realistic time lines for
each step of the process? These milestones are identified and
we then do what it takes to keep the project on track.
Chain
Presentation Materials. We carefully prepare a presentation
for the crucial sales calls on major bookstore chain accounts,
(Borders, Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million, etc.) that will
result in maximum impact during the visit. We present your book
to warehouse stores (Costco), to mass merchants (Wal-Mart, Target),
and to specialty wholesalers.
Marketing
Copy. We write professional marketing copy that can be used
for back cover text, press releases, flyers, and industry announcements.
Press
Kit. We create a press kit including Press Release, Author
Bio, Table of Contents, Sample Chapter and other supporting materials.
If you have an existing kit, we work with your publicist to strengthen
it.
Marketing
Plan. In collaboration with you and your publicist, we develop
a marketing plan describing how the book will be launched.
Copy
Editing. We copy edit the manuscript to correct style, spelling
and grammar.
Cover
Design. We assess the strengths and weaknesses of the covers
of competing titles. We create mockups of several different possible
cover treatments, selecting the best, then refining it for a quality
final finished print-ready cover. If you already have a cover
designer, we work collaboratively with that person.
Title
and Subtitle. We check out similar books already in print
in that genre, and work with you to find a title and subtitle
that clearly convey the marketing message, as well as differentiating
your book from others.
Incorporating
Trade Feedback. We solicit feedback from sales reps and/or
chain buyers to help refine cover, title and marketing materials.
Industry
Database Work. We obtain ISBNs for you, complete Bowker's
ABI (Advance Book Information) forms, Library of Congress CIP
(Cataloging In Publication) data, Copyright submission, and the
other information required for your book's copyright page.
Typesetting.
We use a proven template from an award-winning type designer
to typeset your book. Your book is typeset to the highest professional
standards.
Print
Bid Solicitation. We draw up print specifications designed
to save you money on print costs, then we get estimates from ten
to twenty printers, and the lowest bids consistent with quality
are selected.
Print
Scheduling and Quality Control. We interface intensively with
the printer to make sure the print job stays on track, to solve
any print problems as they arise, and ensure high quality of the
finished product.
Order
Fulfillment and Warehousing. The book goes from the printer
to our warehouse, which handles all your invoicing, picking and
packing, shipping, customer service, billing and collections.
Publicity
Coordination. When finished printed books are ready to ship,
we coordinate between distribution and publicity for 30 days to
make sure that the books arrive in the stores on time for initial
publicity appearances.
Bound
Galley Production. We produce 20 bound galleys for pre-publication
reviewers.
Pre-Publication
Review Copies. We assemble a professional pre-publication
package to go with the galleys, and we mail this package to the
top 10 to 15 reviewers (Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, NY
Times, etc).
Translation
Rights Sales. We send copies of the finished book to many
foreign publishers, and offer the book to them for translation
rights sales. Authors typically earn from $1,000 to $10,000 for
each language sold, however there are no guarantees of success;
some books will sell a dozen foreign language rights, others will
sell none.
