Self-Publishing Services
There are dozens of ways to publish a book, from budget covers and AI-generated edits to fully managed self-publishing services. We’re the team serious authors trust when they want their books to look, feel, and function like they came from a traditional publishing house.
Spoonbridge Press is transforming the way authors bring professional books to market and connect with readers. To do this, we focus on three important phases of the publishing process:
This page outlines the core services we believe our clients need to meet their goals. Once you’re ready, get in touch and let’s discuss your project.
Ready to connect?
Book a free, 30-minute author consultation with our lead editor, Sarah, to discuss your self-publishing goals and plan your next steps.
Writing and Editing
Any successful book starts with the right editing. While other self-publishing providers outsource editing to entry-level freelancers, our editorial work is performed by experienced, vetted professionals with years of publishing expertise and personally overseen by our lead editor.
With a full publishing plan, our editorial services include:
- Complete editing plan tailored to your manuscript’s needs
- Robust, proven editing from our trusted team of editors
- Custom back cover copy to inspire readers to buy your book
- Guidance on positioning your book to stand out in a crowded marketplace
- Dedicated editorial manager to guide you through the process and ensure a smooth transition to book design
- Suggestions for a call to action that will drive reviews and reader engagement
Developmental Editing
A developmental edit is an intensive, “big picture” look at the structure and flow of your manuscript. This includes detailed recommendations and other organizational feedback to help ensure that your vision for your book is successfully executed.
Developmental editing includes:
- Editorial memo with overview of notes, structural recommendations, and ideas for connecting with your audience
- Prompts for adjustments, clarification, and additional information as margin comments and tracked changes throughout your manuscript
- Help shaping your manuscript, including front and back matter, so that it engages your intended readers
Line Editing
After the structure and focus of your manuscript are fully developed, line editing helps take everything to the next level. With line editing, your manuscript will be comprehensively edited to enhance voice, language, and flow, all while retaining your own natural voice.
Line editing includes:
- Help smoothing out manuscript development after a developmental edit
- Sentence- and paragraph-level edits for reader comprehension and enjoyment, clarity of information, and engagement
- Edits and suggestions as tracked changes within the manuscript, plus extra notes, questions, and prompts for further explanation or alternative phrasing as margin comments
Copyediting
Copyediting is the crucial last step before a manuscript is ready for book design. It focuses on spelling, punctuation, language, syntax, internal consistency, and style so you can be sure your book meets the publishing standards readers expect. Our copyeditors are experts in the Chicago Manual of Style—the gold standard for the majority of the US publishing industry—and will transform your draft into a publish-ready manuscript.
Our copyediting services include:
- Tracked changes and margin comments with a micro-level focus on spelling, grammar, punctuation, and publishing standards
- Edits for comprehension, clarity, concision, and voice
- Style sheet containing standardized spellings, key terms, and other editorial decisions
Editorial Assessment
If you aren’t quite ready to commit to an editing plan, an editorial assessment will help identify potential story or structural issues so you can address them yourself before you assemble a full editing plan. Think of it like a “light developmental edit.”
Editorial assessments include:
- An editorial memo containing notes on presentation, positioning, structure, and ideas for connecting with your target readers
- Explanations and examples from your manuscript as needed
- Recommendations for next editing steps
Book Design
In today’s competitive market, striking cover design and thoughtful interior layout are crucial to the success of your book. Our team of talented, experienced book designers will listen to your ideas and bring your vision to life. We’ll recommend trim sizes and price points that are appropriate for your distribution plan and commensurate with your market.
Our book design services include:
- Rigorous sample design process that keeps you in the driver’s seat
- A design team that will work with fully licensed images or your own custom artwork
- Our own troubleshooting process to verify your print-ready files
Cover Design
Here’s the truth: readers really do judge a book by its cover. Spoonbridge Press works with trusted editors and designers to create covers that will stand out in a crowded marketplace and be accepted by KDP and IngramSpark.
- Eye-catching, genre-appropriate cover design, including front, spine, and back cover
- Images from respected, legally protected sources
- Print-ready PDFs, including functional barcode, ISBN, and your optional publisher logo
Interior Layout
We don’t shove your manuscript into a template and call it a day. We work with experienced typesetters who understand the design principles behind polished, professional interiors. Every book receives custom design, thoughtful typesetting, and rigorous quality control.
- Stunning interior layouts comparable to traditionally published books
- Essential proofreading by industry-respected proofreaders, plus meticulous text updates and in-house review
- All necessary troubleshooting and design updates
Ebook Conversion
We offer premium ebook design—by a real human—based on your fully formatted and proofread interior. Because of this commitment to excellence, our ebooks reflect the look and feel of your print book and stand out among our competitors.
Premium Formats
We offer dust jacket design and hardcover distribution and help you create durable, high-quality editions perfect for gifts, special editions, and academic uses. And if your project requires color inserts, spot gloss, or other premium offerings beyond what POD can provide, we guide you in exploring traditional print partners to produce premium, elevated editions most self-publishers simply can’t provide.
Upload and Distribution
If you’ve been looking at other self-publishing companies, you know that Spoonbridge Press is different. Our upload and distribution support is designed for authors who want professional execution, brand-aligned strategy, and lasting control over their catalogs.
We ensure that every detail—from ISBN ownership to metadata—is aligned with your goals and enhances your book’s discoverability. And for books that have outgrown the limits of POD, we offer traditional distribution options that allow for greater industry reach.
When you publish your book with Spoonbridge Press, you’ll receive:
- ISBNs owned by you, so you’re the publisher on record (not us)
- Distribution that supports your goals
- Royalties deposited into your bank account directly from the publishers—we don’t take a dime
- Zero markup on POD author copies of your book—you’ll never pay more than we would
- Guidance and important context to help you make the best decisions for your situation
- Full access to your publisher dashboards, sales reports, and tax documents
Smart Book Positioning
- A distribution plan that supports your plans and goals for your book
- Rigorous metadata research to help your book rank highly in the Amazon categories that best target your ideal readers (US market only)
- Optimized book descriptions to enhance your book’s discoverability
- Live book and ebook listings on major online retailer websites throughout the world
- Availability for bookstores, libraries, and gift shops to order your book through traditional channels
Total Project Management
- Purchasing and managing ISBNs on your behalf
- Copyright application submission
- Library of Congress control number acquired
- Full management of book designer and editor relationships
- Comprehensive quality control measures throughout the process
- All necessary troubleshooting, file adjustments, and uploading
Peerless Guidance and Support
- Help choosing a competitive and appropriate list price for your genre
- Regular updates, guidance, and recommendations
- Direct correspondence with our lead editor and project manager—no flaky customer service reps
- Post-publishing guide containing information, resources, and next steps
- Instructions for setting up your Author Central page following publication
- Suggestions for fundamental steps for tracking sales and marketing your book
- Live tutorial demonstrating how to order your own author copies, access your sales reports, and take other important actions in your publisher accounts
Ready to connect?
Book a free, 30-minute author consultation with our lead editor, Sarah, and she will talk over your self-publishing goals and help you plan your next steps.