There are dozens of questions to be answered along the journey to becoming an author or self-publisher. We can help answer those and most other questions that pop up as you move from "brainchild" to "best-seller." You alone define what success means for you, but you don't need to travel solo.

Becoming an author or a self-publisher is like starting your own business. One of the first things you need to consider is your market, your audience, your reader. Another key decision is production: is your book going to be an e-book, downloadable from your website? A paperback? A hardcover?

What about the book itself? Who's going to edit it? Will your cover design capture the potential reader's attention in just a couple of seconds? Is the interior designed with your reader in mind? Where will your book be printed? What about warehousing? Distribution? Shipping and handling? Are you going to set up your own publishing company, submit query letters to large publishers, or work with a custom publisher?

Book consulting can help save you money, time and frustration, and in many cases, book consulting can be deducted as a business expense. The goal of book consulting is to help you create high-quality, attractive, successful books and subsidiary products, like audio books, e-books, marketing tools, and much more.

Book consulting with The Publishing Institute is customized to meet your needs, schedule and budget. It includes:

1. A practical, step-by-step system to help you deal with the business of being an author or self-publisher.
2. Guidance in the formation of your own publishing company
3. Assistance in working with proven vendors (editors, typesetters, designers, printers, distributors, and others
4. Support in building a business tracking system for the self-publisher
5. If appropriate, exploration of funding sources and collaboration with cause-related organizations
6. If appropriate, direction on writing a book proposal for submission to agents and publishers

The first step: Schedule an initial 30-minute consultation by phone, online or in person to discuss your book idea, your goals, and your challenges, at no charge. You can do this by calling 608-576-9747 or emailing Kira@thepublishinginstitute.com.

Coaching agreement (pdf)