Though you are welcome to submit your work to be considered for publication with Starwhale Books, at this time we are very limited on the number of stories we are able to publish ourselves. However, our team is available to help you to self-publish your book. In this way we aren't acting as a publishing house, rather we are offering our knowledge and services on a case-by-case basis at an hourly rate. This includes illustration, cover design, editing, layout, book design, as well as assistance with the self-publishing process itself (ISBNs, LCCNs, building an author platform, and Print On Demand publishing requirements).
you pick and choose
This isn't an all or nothing deal. You choose what services you want help with. Perhaps you understand the publishing process, and only need help with proofreading and cover design. Perfect! We're more than happy to have our in-house editor and artist work with you on exactly what you need. Have a look at our services below to find what is right for you, and if you have any questions, we are more than happy to discuss your project with you!
editing
cover & illustration
layout & design
author platform
publishing process
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Editing is an essential part of publishing any book, and is even more essential for self-published books, which often face the stigma of being unprofessional and low-quality (though this is far from true). Our in-house editor offers editing services to help your words have the most impact and your story achieve its full potential.
We offer two separate stages of editing: developmental and proofreading.
Developmental editing is to smooth out structural problems such as plot holes, character motivation (or lack thereof), issues with consistency, timeline, and the overall story arc.
Proofreading is the final step, after the story structure, scene, and arc have been finalized. This is to polish and addresses issues like grammar, punctuation, style, voice, word-choice, and flow.
We will work with you to create artwork that not only represents your story, world, and characters, but is also up to the standards of traditionally published books, and will engage the readers of your genre.
Our in-house artist is available for illustration services such as:
cover design
chapter page art
poem illustration
character concept art
fantasy maps
scene illustrations
or any other artistic additions to your story
Writing a book is one thing, but in order to publish you also have to layout the text, chapters, page numbers, images, and cover according to industry standard. You must also follow the Print On Demand company requirements (which is different for each company) in order to have a printed book that is free from formatting errors.
Our in-house graphic designer can help layout and design a professional manuscript, including:
cover design
designing layout for both ebook and print
layout for images or artwork within your text
understanding Print On Demand document requirements
optimizing artwork and images for print
and troubleshooting and understanding common print problems such as color balance and bleed
If you are interested in building a loyal readership for your books, it is crucial to begin the process of building your author platform early. This will not only build your credibility online, help you connect with your readers, and build friendships, it will also allow you to successfully market your book.
An author platform includes:
designing a custom personal author website
starting a blog and ideas for content creation
creating an Amazon Author Page
building a Goodread's author profile, and listing your book in Goodread's database
building a Facebook page (for you as an author and/or for your individual book) and a linked Instagram profile
and creating a Mailchimp mailing list to build a readership
This platform will give you the ability to promote your book through ad campaigns, interviews, merchandise, giveaways, fan art contests, and author signings or release parties. We are also available to assist you with your marketing plan with services like creating a book trailer (such as the one found here), designing marketing copy (like Instagram posts), and writing book blurbs and advertisements to promote your book.
The process of self-publishing your book can be overwhelming. We are available to help walk you through any step in this process. In order to be successful, you need to understand the industry and what it takes to publish a book, including:
purchasing and assigning an ISBN
applying for a Library of Congress Control Number
understanding Amazon's or Ingram Sparks' publishing requirements (and the differences and limitations of each)
wide distribution vs limited distribution (specifically with Amazon's Kindle Select policies)
how to reach the largest number of markets (Amazon, Walmart, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, iBooks, and Nook as well as bookstores, libraries and other databases).
choosing the most effective meta-data and keywords
and understanding the different rights you are publishing under and deciding on a price point
In addition, we have a comprehensive Self-Publishing Checklistavailable as a downloadable and printable PDF to help any and every author who is struggling on the path to self-publishing their book. Our ultimate goal is to help you through this process so that you can find readers who will connect to your words, characters and ideas in a meaningful way, and to help your book achieve the impact and reach that it deserves.