Publishing Guidance

 

Do you have a manuscript in the works, or already complete, that you want to publish but aren't sure which type of publishing is best for you? Whether you think trad is rad or you're more of a DIYer, PostScripts Editing can help you plan your publishing path and and save you time and money by providing guidance at various steps along way.

📚 Publishing Path Guidance



📚 Publishing Query Reviews

Query Letter Review | Novel Synopsis Review/Proof | Query + Synopsis Review/Proof | Book Proposal Review/Proof | Query + Proposal Review/Proof

📚 Publishing Resources

Self-Publishing | Traditional Publishing | Author Marketing

Publishing Path Guidance


Choose-My-Path Consultation

If you're not sure which publishing path is best for you or your book, the Choose-My-Path Consultation is designed to help you decide. This one-on-one consultation is divided into two separate 50-minute sessions, either via phone, video chat, or in-person (in Seattle). In the first session, we will discuss your publishing goals and options, the pros and cons of each type of publishing, and which path fits best with your personal strengths, abilities, time, and budget. During the second 50-minute session, we will discuss the editing stages and other specific steps necessary for your chosen publishing path.

After our two sessions, you will receive a customized Project Publishing Plan with a detailed checklist of specific tasks, with estimated time frames for each, plus resources for further guidance with those tasks, all giving you the knowledge and confidence you need to complete your manuscript and pursue your publishing dreams.

Rate: $189

If you are ready for a Choose-My-Path Consultation, please CLICK HERE to schedule your first session.

Traditional-Pub Planning Session

If you already know that you want to be traditionally published, but would like some guidance on the steps necessary to make that happen, a Traditional-Pub Planning Session may be just what you need. We will meet for one 50-minute session to discuss the editing stages needed to get your manuscript ready and other steps required for querying literary agents and acquisitions editors for traditional publishing houses.

After our session, you will receive a customized Project Publishing Plan with a detailed checklist of specific steps, plus resources for further guidance with those steps.

Rate: $139


If you are ready for a Traditional-Pub Planning Session, please CLICK HERE to schedule your consultation.

Self-Pub Planning Session

If you already know that you want to go the DIY route and self-publish your book, but would like some guidance on the steps necessary to make that happen, a Self-Pub Planning Session is designed just for that. We will meet for one 50-minute session to discuss your project, publishing goals, and the options available for various steps, to determine the manuscript editing stages and other tasks for your publishing path.

After our session, you will receive a customized Project Publishing Plan with a detailed checklist of specific steps, plus resources for further guidance with those steps.

Rate: $139


If you are ready for a Self-Pub Planning Session, please CLICK HERE to schedule your consultation.

Self-Pub Project Management

If you know that you want to self-publish your book, but would like more than just a little guidance along the way, a project manager can provide extra support at every step of the book-production process. To set up Project Management, we will start with a PM Setup Session, similar to the Self-Pub Planning Session described above, but more in-depth, to create your customized Project Publishing Plan, including a flat-rate fee based on your specific needs. To ensure each task on your checklist is accomplished, I will send out reminders and notifications, schedule and coordinate with other professionals of your choosing, as needed, review all work after each step, and assist with setting up accounts with any publishing services. I will provide options, resources, and guidance at each step, and will be available for questions throughout the project.

Rate: $189 - $1,200, depending on publishing path and task list


If you are interested in Self-Pub Project Management, please CLICK HERE to schedule PM Setup Session.

Ask-the-Editor Consultation

Do you have general questions about writing, editing, or publishing? Are you overwhelmed by all the different publishing options? Are you unsure about which type of editing your manuscript needs? Are you curious about what it's like to work with a freelance editor or trying to decide which editor to work with?

Do you wish you had a professional in the industry to check with before paying for services you might not need, hiring an unqualified freelancer, or taking wrong turns on your publishing journey? Save time and money by getting all your questions answered by a freelance editor with a decade of experience guiding authors through self- and traditional publishing paths. This one-on-one 50-minute Q&A session is designed to give you the tools and knowledge you need to pursue your writing and publishing goals with clarity and confidence. 

Rate: $89


If you are ready for an Ask-the-Editor Consultation, please CLICK HERE to schedule your session.

Publishing Query Reviews

If you're planning to submit your book manuscript to traditional publishers, you will need a query letter to send to prospective literary agents and/or acquisitions editors before submitting your full manuscript. For fiction (and sometimes memoir), you may also need a novel synopsis, and your manuscript should be complete and ready to send upon request. For nonfiction works, your manuscript does not have to be finished prior to soliciting representation; instead, you will use a book proposal as your sales pitch (with the exception of memoir, which is often sold on the strength of the writing). Below are the editorial services available for these essential documents. (If you're planning to self-publish, these are not necessary.*)

Query Letter Review | Novel Synopsis Review/Proof | Query + Synopsis Review/Proof | Book Proposal Review/Proof | Query + Proposal Review/Proof

Query Letter Review & Proofreading (Fiction or Nonfiction)

A query letter is a one-page document that is sent to an agent or acquisitions editor to entice them to read your manuscript, with the ultimate goal of getting a book deal with the publisher. A Query Letter Review will offer feedback on the efficacy of your content and check to ensure your document contains the required elements and adheres to proper formatting guidelines. The flat-rate fee includes a second review after any revisions made based on recommendations, a document clean-up after the second review, and a final proofreading to check for typos, spelling, punctuation, and capitalization.

Prerequisites: I highly recommend reading this article for fiction and this article for nonfiction before writing or submitting a query letter for review (to me or to an agent/publisher).
Estimated Time: 3 - 10 days, or longer, depending on time and extent of author's revisions.
Rate: $129 (maximum 500 words)


If you are ready for a Query Letter Review, please CLICK HERE to schedule the project and submit your document.

Novel Synopsis Review & Proofreading (Fiction)

A synopsis is a one- to two-page document that summarizes the entire narrative arc of your story. Not all agents or publishers require them, but it's good to have one ready to go if it is requested after your query letter or if submissions requirements call for one. A Novel Synopsis Review will offer feedback on the efficacy of your content and check to ensure your document contains the required elements and adheres to proper formatting guidelines. The flat-rate fee includes a second review after any revisions made based on recommendations, a document clean-up after the second review, and a final proofreading to check for typos, spelling, punctuation, and capitalization.

Prerequisites: I highly recommend reading this article before writing or submitting a synopsis for review (to me or to an agent/publisher).
Estimated Time: 5 - 14 days, or longer, depending on time and extent of author's revisions.
Rate: $259 (maximum 1000 words)


If you are ready for a Novel Synopsis Review, please CLICK HERE to schedule the project and submit your document.

Combo Query Letter + Synopsis Review & Proofreading (Fiction)

If you would like both a query letter and synopsis reviewed and proofed, I offer a discount when scheduling the two documents at the same time.

Prerequisites: Same as above for each document.
Estimated Time: 7 - 14 days, or longer, depending on time and extent of author's revisions.
Rate: $359 (maximum 1000 words)


If you are ready for a Combo Query Letter + Novel Synopsis Review, please CLICK HERE to schedule the project and submit your documents.

Book Proposal Review & Proofreading (Nonfiction)

A book proposal is the nonfiction version of the synopsis--the document used to "sell" your book idea to an agent or publisher. The content of a book proposal, however, is very different from a novel synopsis, and the document is much longer (10-25 pages or more) and requires research in order to discuss comp. titles, target audience, and your marketing plan. It will also include an author bio, an overview, an outline and/or table of contents, and sample chapters. A Book Proposal Review will offer feedback on the efficacy of your content and check to ensure your document contains the required elements and adheres to proper formatting guidelines. The edit also includes a second review after any revisions made based on recommendations, a document clean-up after the second review, and a final proofreading to check for typos, spelling, punctuation, and capitalization. (Please note that the initial review will not apply to the sample chapters, only to the proposal content; proofreading may be applied to sample chapters upon request.)

Prerequisites: I highly recommend reading this article before writing or submitting a book proposal for review (to me or to an agent/publisher).
Estimated Time: 2 - 3 weeks, or longer, depending on length of document and time and extent of author's revisions.
Rate: Base rate of $350, plus $0.03 per word 


If you are interested in a Book Proposal Review, please CLICK HERE to schedule a time to submit a Book Proposal Inquiry to provide details about your document, preferred timeline, and publishing goals.

Combo Query Letter + Proposal Review & Proofreading (Nonfiction)

If you would like both a Query Letter and Book Proposal Review, I offer a discount when scheduling the two documents at the same time.

Prerequisites: Same as above for each document.
Estimated Time: 2 - 3 weeks, or longer, depending on time and extent of author's revisions.
Rate: Base rate of $439, plus $0.03 per words


If you are interested in a Combo Query Letter + Book Proposal Review, please CLICK HERE to schedule a time to submit a Query/Proposal Inquiry to provide details about your documents, preferred timeline, and publishing goals.

Publishing Resources

Self-Publishing | Traditional Publishing | Author Marketing

Self-Publishing

There are many reasons why more and more writers are choosing to self-publish their books; even authors who have been previously published through traditional houses are switching over so that they can have more control over various aspects, such as book title, cover design, production schedule, and pricing. There is no shortage of assistance with this process on the world wide web. Here are some of the main services that you will need if you choose to DIY:

General Self-Publishing Info:

Books:

Print-on-Demand (POD) & E-Book Publishing/Distribution Services*:

*Note that no single publishing path is "right" for everyone, and each service has its pros and cons. Some you work with directly, others act more like middlemen, and you may use a combination of two or more. You have to choose which path best fits your skills, experience, budget, and publishing goals. But some are rated more highly than others, so before using any self-publishing service, check them out thoroughly, read reviews, and see how they compare to each other. Also note that the industry is constantly changing and services with poor reviews may make changes to remedy negative customer feedback, so it's important to read the most current reviews. Here are a few links that review, compare, or recommend various services:

 Book Formatting:

  • IngramSpark Book-Building Tool--A FREE, robust program for creating interior layout and cover designs for books self-published through IngramSpark; print and ebook files are automatically generated to meet the specifications requirements for uploading to the platform
  • Pressbooks--Create your document directly within this online word-processing software program or upload your already-created files; converts your document into all publishing formats (MOBI, EPUB, and PDF); one-time fee per book: $19.99/e-book; $99/PDF+e-book (no longer available through Seattle Public Library)
  • Adobe InDesign--Subscription-based software for book formatting and interior layout; recommended for graphic-heavy or other specialty layouts (definitely NOT free; you may want to hire a professional)
  • Scrivener--A powerful word-processing software that allows you to write and organize your project, then convert to various publishing formats; low-cost, one-time fee; available for Mac or Windows
  • Draft2Digital--FREE file conversion to EPUB for e-books and print-ready PDF files to use with POD, even if you don't use their distribution services
  • Reedsy Book Editor--FREE interior book layout tool; converts files to PDF for print books or EPUB for e-books 
  • Vellum--Software for creating e-book and print-ready files; unlimited books for a one-time fee; available for Mac only
  • How to Prepare Your eBook Files--Free downloadable PDF booklet from BookBaby on how to format your Word document for conversion to e-book

Cover Design Services & Professionals:

Readers can and do judge a book by its cover, so, unless you are one yourself, this is one aspect of self-publishing where you should seek the assistance of a professional graphic designer to create an eye-catching, genre-appropriate book cover--whether for an e-book or a print version. Here are a few websites where you can connect with freelance artists from around the world; I've also listed individual designers in my network or who have done work for some of my clients (many who also do formatting and interior layout design as well). 

ISBN Info & Purchase:

  • Bowker--Buy a single ISBN or a discounted bundle package of 10 or 100 (you'll need one for each format of your book, so the 10-pack is usually recommended if you plan to have your book available in more than one format, such as e-book, paperback, hard cover, or audio)

Traditional Publishing

Although self-publishing has become increasingly popular over that last couple decades, many authors would still prefer to get their book published through a recognized publishing house, where they are paid an advance and receive all the other support and perks of a traditional publishing deal. Here are some resources for taking that publishing path:

General Publishing Info:

  • Start Here: How to Get Your Book Published--If you want to get your book traditionally published, you have more choices than ever to accomplish your goal. This post by industry expert Jane Friedman lays out the process in the simplest terms possible, and is regularly revised and updated.
  • Traditional Publishing 101--FREE 10-day Reedsy course on the steps of traditional publishing, in quick, 5-minute lessons delivered to your inbox each day.
  • List of US Literary Agents--FREE list from Jericho Writers, regularly updated, with guidance on working with agents too.

Books:


Author Marketing

Whether you're planning to self-publish or go the traditional route, having an author platform to market and promote yourself and your book(s) is essential. And if you are planning to DIY, having a web presence is nonnegotiable! It's also important to get started before your book is published to get readers excited about your forthcoming book. Here are some links, tips, and resources to help get you going:

 Free Website/Blog Hosting:

Books:


Articles, Podcasts & Websites:



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