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Silver Spring, MD
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Stories To Tell is a full service book publishing company for independent authors. We provide editing, design, publishing, and marketing of fiction and non-fiction. We specialize in sophisticated, unique illustrated book design.

Stories To Tell Books BLOG

Important Choices for Self-Publishing Authors, Part 3

Biff Barnes

If you’re a self-publishing author, you have some important choices to make. In this blog series, we are discussing the pros and cons to help you with the most important decisions you’ll need to know about:

How to hire self-publishing experts without the costs and problems of using a subsidy publisher.

When you hire freelancers they are responsible to you. You maintain control of your book’s production. You decide what kinds of help you need and keep costs down, paying only for what you need, rather than paying for a package of services that you don’t need.

First, you’ll need editing. Know the type of editing you want:

  • Developmental editing is a a big picture look at your book which assumes that you are still open to significant revisions of your manuscript.
  • Content editing assumes that your work is completed and ready to be shaped and refined for clarity, cohesiveness and effectiveness.
  • Copy editing corrects sentence-level syntax and mechanics; proofreading.

Look for an editor with a track record in editing books, not just any text, preferably one with experience and knowledge in your genre. Hold a phone conference to determine if the editor sounds like someone you can work with. Check with some of the editor’s past clients. Get a sample of the editor’s work on your book. Most editors have a low cost offering to allow you to do so.

When hiring a freelance book designer begin by looking at her portfolio. Do you like the kind of covers she has designed? How about the layout of books she has created? If you can refer to things in the designer’s portfolio that you like, then you can be sure it will be possible for her to create a great cover and layout for your book. Again, talk with the designer and make sure she is someone you will be comfortable working with.

Make sure that your work with freelancers is on a project or work for hire basis. The freelancer should have no share in the rights to your book. Make sure to spell this out in a written agreement before the freelancer begins work.

(Full disclosure: At Stories To Tell, we provide the services described. But please do shop around!)