Encourage Books

INQUIRY: Contact us with a summary of your project, where you are in the process, and why you want to publish. Include your thoughts about the audience and any previously published works.

REVIEW: We will respond immediately to let you know we received your inquiry and send instructions for getting your manuscript to us. We will review your information to see if we are a good fit and ask you a few questions. 

TRIAGE: If we can move forward without significant edits, we will send you a suggested production schedule and estimate. If your manuscript needs some developmental support, we will start with author coaching. If you are moving from another publisher or being self-published, we will discuss the transfer process and may start with marketing and distribution.

EDIT: If your manuscript is ready and you accept our estimate, we send it through copy edit, working closely with you on any significant changes. If your story needs work, we send you through the developmental edit process first, where we close gaps, weed out elements that pull your story down, perfect the overall arc of your story, and ensure it is on point with your mission and a great read. Most of our projects need this level of work.

STRUCTURAL FORMAT: We fine-tune the structure, ensure the content meets the mission and reaches the audience, fact-check as needed, confirm ownership of all illustrations and graphics, cross-check any references, and confirm front and back matter are ready to go. 

REGISTRATION: We work with you on a title and preliminary marketing language, secure and register the title's ISBN, Library of Congress number, and copyright. 

PROOFING:  Your manuscript then goes through a fine detail proofing and approval before layout begins.

COVER DESIGN: The title and front cover are extremely important, immediately followed by the back cover and text, and any book jacket flaps.  We will assign your book to a cover designer to work with you on this and assure the cover communicates the content, creates interest and captures the spirit of the audience. 

INTERIOR DESIGN: An interior designer works to make the layout compelling, readable, and consistent. They ensure fonts are compatible and graphics are placed and annotated correctly. They design a format and ensure the contents are laid out correctly.

Sometimes these steps require additional photography or graphics, licensing and formatting not included in the original quote.  

 While your project is in design and layout we gather print quotes, discuss and agree on an initial launch date, marketing plan, distribution method, and optional advertising. We help you decide on initial print runs and advise you on building your audience and launch list. 

 After the project has gone to print we build your materials for listings through the various distribution channels and share language and graphics with you for use on your own social media accounts and marketing campaigns.  We manage digital  and audio project listings.

We continue to manage the project listing and reprints, and if additional projects such as adaptations, translations or other formats arise we manage those for you as well.

Administration of your rights, titles, and ongoing sales is a process that continues until your book no longer needs this kind of support.

We advise you on a plan that meets your mission and makes sense for your budget and the project's potential. We provide initial marketing material and support, and include your project in our online store. We refer you to marketing companies specific to your audience, and help you make wise decisions about marketing and advertising. 

We create press releases and catalog material as needed as long as your book continues to sell.  We request reviews and send ARCs (Advance Readers' Copies) or demos. We craft your initial marketing language, and your bio if needed, which we post on our website. We support your efforts toward setting up launch activities, including book signings and tours, however we do not plan these events for you. 

 We provide support and guidance if you decide to do a pre-launch, book signings and other events, and a live or digital launch. 

Once your project is in stock and the time is right we send out press releases and go live on line. We publishing announcements and perform an initial social media push. We support you by announcing through our channels any marketing activities you initiate. 

Your book will be available for any individual or bookstore to order, worldwide.  We give you options and advice on catalog placement and advertising appropriate for your audience to support those sales, but do not require you to participate. Your book will be listed on Amazon, Bookshop, and most books are also picked up by Barnes & Noble, Walmart, and other online channels.  Most projects need a targeted approach to distribution, and we advise you on this.

We provide fulfillment of direct orders and support event sales.  Fulfillment services will depend on your distribution decisions.

We support online direct sales through our channel and manage shipments for bulk sales, invoicing of vertical market clients, and online retailers such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Walmart. 

We can manage other wholesale and international fulfillment, however these channels will likely be managed through our distribution channel. We provide bi-annual reporting of sales and payouts of royalties meeting minimum volume.

 Most of the time, our authors have important stories to tell and perhaps some writing skill, but need help putting all the elements together.  We assign a developmental editor to help the author shape their story,  fill gaps or reduce drag in the story's flow, meet their mission, and find their audience. You usually do the writing under their guidance.  

Rarely, we may assign a writer to help you with this process. If required, this service will be quoted separately.   Writers may assist with transitions, introductions, texture, and other writing elements the author struggles to write.

 Writers are usually anonymous, but sometimes receive cover and internal credits, depending on the extent of their work and relationship with the author.