Publishing Consultation

Education, planning, and logistical support for self-publishing authors

The surging popularity of e-books and advances in digital printing and print-on-demand technology means new opportunities for writers who want to forgo the traditional "permissions" model and bring their books and e-books to market directly. But doing this well requires familiarity with a complex and rapidly changing set of tools, technologies, and practices with which many writers may be unfamiliar.

All publishing consultation services are provided by Morgana Gallaway and can be handled by phone or in person at the Tucson office. Herself an author published both traditionally and independently, Morgana brings the voice of direct experience to guide authors along either path to publication. She can offer a high level of personal support with just about any aspect of the planning and publication process and can also serve as a liaison to TED's in-house services for DIY authors, which include cover design, interior layout, original illustration, e-book formatting, and book/author marketing.

Overview

TED's publishing consultation services give our clients access to highly personalized education, support, and guidance through the entire planning and pre-publication process for books and e-books. We can provide a comprehensive introduction to the self-publishing process as well as more targeted feedback on specific questions and concerns, including:

pros and cons of self versus traditional publication
printer and publisher selection
book distribution & order fulfillment
budgeting for self-publishing
how to price your book or e-book
preparing books for retail
imprint setup
interior layout and design considerations
cover art & illustration
e-book formatting
book / author marketing

What to Expect

For Authors New to Self-Publishing: Publishing Primer

We recommend a one-hour publishing primer by phone. This session provides a comprehensive overview of what self-publishing entails, how it works, the decisions to be made at the planning stage, and considerations relating to budget, design, printing, distribution, and marketing. It includes a great deal of Q&A to give authors clear answers to specific questions about what to expect and how to prepare.

This initial consultation includes a delivered PDF with a point-by-point guideline to self-publishing.

For Authors Already Familiar with Self-Publishing: Support Consultation

For directed questions, publishing primer "debrief," or ongoing support (including account set-up walkthrough, pricing strategies, project management, and liaising with the design team), shorter consultations are available by phone or email. These sessions are tailored for detailed project decision-making and highly individual attention throughout the steps of pre-production.

Support consultations include delivered checklists and action items customized to the project and timeline.

Pricing

All publishing consultations services are billed hourly at the rate of $60.

Pricing includes delivered materials to the client, such as guidelines and customized checklists.

For authors new to self-publishing we recommend a one-hour publishing primer. This session provides a comprehensive overview of what self-publishing entails, how it works, the decisions to be made at the planning stage, and various other strategic considerations relating to budget, design, printing, distribution, marketing, and account set up with service providers. It generally includes a good deal of Q&A as well, so authors can get clear answers to specific questions about what to expect or how to prepare.

For authors who have more directed questions or who want ongoing support as needed throughout the publishing process, shorter consultations can be conducted via phone or e-mail.