Deanna Lang and Steve Shipley have spent their corporate careers honing their technology and project management skills, which have been invaluable over the past fifteen years in our journey as authors and managing our own independent publishing company.
We acknowledge, however, that many authors may not share this background or possess the inclination to acquire such skills. As an author, your primary focus should be on your craft - the writing.
The rest, the support and guidance you need, can be left to us. We can do it for you, or coach and train you to acquire the skills to do it yourself ongoing. The choice is yours.
InkIT Publishing Author Services provides writers of all kinds a unique haven where your authorial dreams and aspirations are not just recognized but actively nurtured. While our services are of value to traditionally published authors as well, our main intent is to equip authors who are pursuing an independent self-publishing journey, and may have some, but not all of the knowledge and skills to be successful.
The publishing landscape has evolved significantly, with more authors contemplating the independent self-publishing route over traditional publishing paths. This shift is largely due to the increased control, potential for higher royalties, and the speed to market that self-publishing offers.
The rewards are large, but so are the challenges. The decision to be independent or traditionally published is not one-size-fits-all and requires careful consideration of several factors.
Control and Creative Freedom: Traditional publishing involves multiple stakeholders, which can mean compromises on your creative vision. Self-publishing offers complete control over content, cover design, and marketing strategies.
Time to Market: Traditional publishing can be a lengthy process, often taking years from manuscript acceptance to bookshelf. Self-publishing can significantly shorten this timeline, allowing authors to publish on their own schedule - more often and more frequently.
Financial Investment and Rewards: Self-publishing requires the author to invest upfront in editing, design, and marketing. However, it also offers higher royalties per sale. Traditional publishing typically involves no upfront costs for the author, but offers lower royalties.
Distribution and Accessibility: Traditional publishers have established networks for distribution, making it easier to get books into brick-and-mortar stores. Self-publishing often relies on online distribution, which requires a different marketing approach.
Validation and Prestige: Being selected by a traditional publisher can add prestige and validation. Self-publishing lacks this gatekeeping, which can be both an advantage and a challenge depending on your perspective and your skill set.
Marketing and Promotion: Regardless of the path, marketing and promotion largely fall on the author's shoulders. However, traditional publishers can provide resources and established channels for promotion, whereas self-published authors need to build and leverage their platforms from scratch.
Higher Royalties: Self-publishing platforms offer up to 70% royalties on sales, significantly higher than traditional publishing.
Geography and Channel Control: Authors retain all rights to publish and distribute globally and through other channels such as audio books, screenplays, gaming and other rights.
Complete Creative Control: From the writing process to book cover and marketing, authors retain full control over their work.
Agility: Authors can respond to market trends, update content, and manage pricing and promotions directly.
Direct Reader Engagement: Self-publishing allows authors to build a direct and more intimate relationship with their readers through social media, email newsletters, and personal websites.
Upfront Costs: Self-publishing requires an initial investment in professional editing, cover design, and marketing.
Marketing and Distribution Efforts: Authors must navigate the complexities of marketing their books and securing distribution channels, tasks that are traditionally handled by publishing firms.
Quality Assurance: Without the support of a traditional publisher's editorial team, self-published authors must ensure their work meets professional standards on their own.
Overcoming Stigma: Despite its growing acceptance, self-publishing still carries a stigma, and authors may have to work harder to prove their credibility.
The choice between traditional and self-publishing depends on the author's goals, resources, and desired level of control over the publishing process. Independent publishing offers significant advantages in terms of creative freedom and potential financial gain but requires a substantial investment of time and effort in marketing and quality control. Authors should weigh these factors carefully to decide which path aligns best with their aspirations and capabilities.
InkIT Publishing author services, courses, and resources, help the author achieve the benefits and overcome the challenges of self-publishing.
In the vast ocean of publishing, it's easy to find oneself adrift, especially when navigating the murky waters of vanity publishing. Let's be crystal clear: InkIT Publishing is not a vanity press. The world of vanity publishing is fraught with tales of dashed hopes and exploitative practices, a realm where the unwary writer can easily be ensnared, costing them thousands of dollars and delivering nothing of value. If an unknown publishing house reaches out to you, beware the vanity press's siren call.
At INKITPUB, we pride ourselves on being different, on standing out from the crowd – we are a hybrid publishing house dedicated to independent authors like you. You might be brimming with creativity and prowess, perhaps even a fair bit of technical know-how, yet find yourself stumbling over gaps in your toolkit. That's where we step in, not to overshadow your journey but to illuminate the path ahead. We are deep, but focused on the missing skills many authors need, but do not have.
Whether you seek to fill those gaps using our expert assistance or prefer to master the tools of the trade yourself, the choice is yours. Our hybrid model is designed around flexibility and customization, adapting our vast array of services to fit your unique needs and skills, ensuring a collaborative partnership aimed at equipping you with a comprehensive suite of skills and knowledge for success.Our expertise spans the literary creation spectrum, from the intricacies of plotting and drafting your manuscripts to the nuances of editing, publishing, and marketing. Guided by seasoned writers and technical experts like Deanna Lang and Steve Shipley, we offer an unparalleled depth of knowledge in both the art of storytelling and the technical mastery required for self-promotion, including image, video, and audio tools essential for today's author t attract new readers.
INKITPUB is committed to providing an expansive selection of author services, courses, and resources, tailored to meet you at any stage of your writing journey. Whether you're an aspirational writer taking your first steps, on the cusp of publishing, or a seasoned author seeking to learn or delegate, we're here to support your growth and success.
Embark on a journey of discovery and empowerment with INKITPUB. But we only take on selected clients where our partnership delivers great value to you. We invite you to request what help you may need, and if we think we can help, then we will invite you to a complimentary 30-minute consultation to explore how to assist you to achieve your goals. Reach out to us via email or schedule a session through our online calendar at your convenience. Or if you're just looking for the right tools to use to improve your writing, editing, or marketing, then check out the tools we use in our business and can highly recommend on our Writing Apps page.
In a landscape often dominated by uncertainty, InkIT Publishing Author Services stands as a beacon of hope and empowerment for authors. Your story deserves to be told, and we're here to ensure it's heard. Let's craft your success story together.
Steve Shipley is a novelist, non-fiction writer, and writer of numerous IT research reports and IT vendor content marketing materials. His first crime thriller, "FALSE TRUST", part of the Blake Willis series, was released in August 2022. The next two books in the series, "FALSE START" and "FALSE HOPE", are set to be published in the latter half of 2024.
With over 45 years of experience in technology, Steve is an IT innovator who has not only implemented technology but also written passionately and extensively about it. His technological prowess extends to mastering writing apps and workflows and helping authors understand and utilize their tools and processes.
He has developed two online training courses for writers: "Scrivener for iOS" and "Scriptwriting With Scrivener", both of which will be relaunched on this site in the near future.
Steve's services include:
Scrivener, Plottr, and other app coaching and training
Formatting and publishing printed books and eBooks
Book video trailers
Coaching in the ethical and responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI) in writing workflows for research, world building, and social media marketing
Website, design, creation, maintenance and management
ChatBot development and maintenance
Deanna is a well-known authority in the romance industry. She and her team have helped many authors successfully manage their publishing businesses through customized author support services. She tailors her service offering to meet each client's unique needs. Whether you require assistance with editing, book launches, marketing strategies, or operations coordination, her experienced team is here to serve as your trusted partners. Together, she can develop personalized solutions to help you be productive and efficient, while freeing you up to do what you do best - WRITE!
Below is a high level snapshot of the services her team provides within the author publishing lifecycle:
General operational support
Book launch planning and release
Book video trailers
Social media scheduling and content creation
Newsletters
Beta and ARC release management
Website maintenance and management
Manuscript critiques, alpha, and beta reading and analysis
Developmental, content, and line editing
Proofreading
For a more detailed explanation of services, and client testimonials and examples, please refer to her author services website page.
For an initial consultation to explore how InkIT Publishing may help, you may contact either Steve or Deanna by sending an email to:
Steve Shipley: shipleyaust@gmail.com, or
Deanna Lang: deannasworld1@gmail.com
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