#publishing services

by Boni Wagner-Stafford from the Self Publishing Advice Center of ALLI (Alliance of Independent Authors)

In response to a continuing misapprehension in certain quarters that paying for author services means a self-published author is vanity published, Boni Wagner-Stafford  of Ingenium Books makes the case for effective deployment of paid services as essential for serious authorpreneurs and explains why it’s not a black and white situation.

I participate in a number of indie author forums on Facebook. In some I’m a lurker, in others I will poke my digital head up once in awhile if I feel I have something to learn, or less often, to contribute. Recently someone posted a question (no, not on the ALLi page) ‘on behalf of a friend’ who had just been offered a ‘publishing contract’ and would need to pay a sum on

Recently someone posted a question (no, not on the ALLi page) ‘on behalf of a friend’ who had just been offered a ‘publishing contract’ and would need to pay a sum on execution of said contract. The question was, “Should he do it?”

It wasn’t clear but I assumed the contract in question was for assisted self-publishing. The comments, nearly one hundred of them, raged on about whether an indie author should EVER pay ANY money related to the publishing of his/her book.

All comments except mine were a resounding ‘no’.

Let me explain.

Why My Advice Went Against the Flow

Full disclosure: I’ve just launched a hybrid/indie publishing company called Ingenium Books. We help non-fiction self-publishing indie authors centralize all those little and not-so-little tasks every indie author needs help with:

ghostwriting

a range of editing services

proofreading

cover design

formatting

liaison with distributors

Our contracts are clear that authors retain copyright, worldwide distribution rights, and full control. We are paid for our services, yes, but not by taking a cut of royalties. I bristle at the suggestion we are a vanity publisher.

Many commenters on this Facebook trail reiterated the tenet of Yog’s law, coined by James D Macdonald, that “money should flow to the author”. Who can argue with that? Many of us feed, clothe and house our families on the backs of our writing and publishing pursuits. Having money flow to the author ensures our families don’t starve.

What I disagree with is taking Yog’s law at face value and adopting a black and white view that the self-published author should never pay for anything. There’s a veritable rainbow on the spectrum between black and white.

McDonald himself admits that when you’re talking about self-publishing, staying true to Yog’s Law requires an attitude sleight-of-hand:

When you write, you’re the author and money flows to you.

When you begin to engage in the publisher’s activity of editing, proofreading, cover design and formatting, etcetera, you don the proverbial publisher’s hat and pay for the services needed to ensure a professional product with the best possible chances of selling.

With these two hats, you can stay true to dear old Yog. However, you know and I know that hat is sitting on the same sun-bleached grey-blonde head.

Another good article by Mercy Pilkington writing for Good E-Reader.

Not too long ago, self-published authors were collectively admonished about the need to invest in their work. Hiring quality editors, proofreaders, cover designers, and formatters before attempting to sell a book was the constant mantra of industry experts. While some hapless writers continued to slap their Word docs up on Amazon and hope to snare a few readers, authors who took their careers seriously made the proper investments.

Around that time, a number of startups emerged, all billing themselves as eBay-like marketplaces for author services. Many of those startups have shuttered their virtual doors, while a few that produced meaningful connections between authors and publishing service providers have managed to thrive. But that hasn’t stopped newcomers to the game from trying to continually undercut the concept of paying for quality work.

“When I first began finding clients through online freelance postings, the self-publishing industry was a different place,” stated one editor who did not wished to be named. “Authors who had done their homework not only knew how much editing might cost, but they also knew enough to have sent their work to their writing group for critiques or even beta readers before declaring it ‘ready’ for editing. Now, I find new job postings almost daily requesting full edits of an 80,000-word book for $100.”

That’s one of the double-edged swords of self-publishing, of course. An indie author without a solid backlist and sales to go with it may not be able to invest thousands of dollars for a full suite of services, but that doesn’t change the income needs of those who are expected to do the work.

“I love spending time with other local authors, but conversations about finding editors and cover designers have become heartbreaking,” said Andrea Patten, award-winning author of The Inner Critic Advantage: Making Peace With the Noise in Your Head. “Poor quality isn’t good for any of us. If we don’t support talented, experienced editors and designers, all that will be left are those who are willing to be the lowest bidder.”

There are a handful of sites that serve as more than just an online “Help Wanted” board, of course. Those sites have managed to remain in business largely because they devote a lot of time and effort towards education about the publishing industry, while also ensuring that both the authors’ and the service providers’ needs are considered.

At the same time, there’s a roundabout way of looking at this problem: authors themselves are expected to work for free, so why not the publishing services providers?

“Charging $100 for editing services isn’t much different than selling a book for .99 cents. Authors are told to do that all the time,” explained M.L. Doyle, who writes about women in the military. “Free book promotions, giveaways, permanently free books as if a price less than a dollar is too much to expect for something you’ve slaved over for months. Unfortunately, supply and demand controls prices in the world of book publishing. There are millions of us out here trying to scrape a living together, and until you have a customer base that demands your work specifically, your prices have to be competitive.”

Ebook pricing, indie book pricing, and author services have all been the target of speculation for years, and it seems as though no permanent solution is coming soon. What is reasonably certain, though, is that startups who promise quick work for pennies on the dollar are sure to produce exactly those expected results.

Almost three years after the business was devastated in a fire at Cathedral Buildings Belfast media and marketing company Excalibur Press has revealed they’ve brought back their publishing department thanks to a Queen’s graduate. Following the blaze in their Donegall Street premises, caused by arsonist Patrick Gough who was jailed for the devastation, the company were forced to retire their small…

Almost three years after the business was devastated in a fire at Cathedral Buildings Belfast media and marketing company Excalibur Press has revealed they’ve brought back their publishing department thanks to a Queen’s graduate. Following the blaze in their Donegall Street premises, caused by arsonist Patrick Gough who was jailed for the devastation, the company were forced to retire their small…

In a competitive publishing landscape, a strong manuscript alone is no longer enough. Authors, publishers, and institutions need reliable, experienced partners to bring their content to life across formats, platforms, and markets. At WORDIUM, we specialize in delivering the best publishing services, combining editorial excellence with production precision to help your work stand out, both in quality and presentation.

Whether you are an academic author, independent publisher, research institution, or corporate content team, WORDIUM offers the comprehensive publishing support needed to produce professional, publication-ready output.

Why Professional Publishing Services Matter

Publishing is more than just printing or uploading a document. It involves a series of specialized steps, editing, formatting, typesetting, design, conversion, and production, all of which require technical knowledge and industry experience.

Working with a qualified partner offering the best publishing services ensures that your content is:

Accurate and consistent across formats

Compliant with publishing standards and guidelines

Readable, accessible, and visually engaging

Ready for distribution in print and digital environments

Mistakes in publishing can lead to rework, reputational damage, and reader dissatisfaction. A professional service provider like WORDIUM helps you avoid those pitfalls while elevating the final product.

What Makes WORDIUM The Best Publishing Services Provider

At WORDIUM, our strength lies in our multi-disciplinary expertise and detail-oriented approach. We handle each project with care, ensuring that quality is maintained from start to finish. Here’s how we deliver on our promise of offering the best publishing services:

1. Complete Editorial Support

Our editorial team includes skilled copy editors and proofreaders who work on academic, scientific, corporate, and general trade content. From language correction to clarity enhancement, we ensure your content is polished, professional, and publication-ready.

2. Expert Formatting and Typesetting

WORDIUM provides formatting services for both print and digital outputs. We manage layout, consistency, styles, fonts, spacing, and alignment to create structured, reader-friendly content. Our typesetting services follow global publishing standards and are tailored to the specifications of your target platforms.

3. Design and Illustrations

We offer in-house graphic design support for book covers, infographics, figures, tables, and illustrations. Every visual element is developed to enhance readability and maintain brand or subject relevance.

4. Multilingual Composition

Our multilingual capabilities allow you to publish content in multiple languages with precision. We support typesetting and layout for right-to-left, double-byte, and complex scripts while preserving the structure and intent of your original content.

5. Digital Conversion and eBook Services

WORDIUM handles conversion to EPUB (reflowable and fixed-layout), HTML, XML, and accessible digital formats for compatibility across e-readers, websites, and learning platforms. Our conversion processes ensure technical accuracy and accessibility compliance.

6. Print and Production Support

We offer print-ready file preparation, quality checks, prepress support, and print file delivery tailored to offset and digital printing standards. Our production team ensures that your files are ready for seamless handoff to any printing service.

Who We Serve

WORDIUM provides customized solutions for a wide range of clients:

Independent authors seeking professional self-publishing support

Academic publishers and institutions producing journals, theses, and monographs

Corporate teams developing reports, white papers, training manuals, and communication material

Nonprofit organizations and research bodies requiring multilingual and accessible publishing

Publishing houses looking for a reliable production partner to manage volume and scale

We adapt our services to meet your timelines, quality benchmarks, and distribution goals.

Our Process: Structured, Transparent, Collaborative

Every publishing project at WORDIUM begins with a thorough understanding of your needs. We assess the scope of work, build a tailored plan, and assign a team of specialists to execute each stage of the project. Our project management workflow emphasizes communication, version control, feedback loops, and final quality assurance.

You retain visibility at every step while we ensure your content is developed to the highest professional standards.

Why Clients Choose WORDIUM for the Best Publishing Services

Clients across industries trust WORDIUM for several key reasons:

End-to-end capabilities under one roof

Consistent quality control and compliance with global standards

Dedicated project managers and subject-specific editorial teams

Timely delivery and transparent communication

Scalable solutions for both single-title and large-volume projects

Our goal is not only to execute your publishing tasks but to support your long-term success by delivering content that performs and endures.

Final Thoughts

Publishing is more than a process, it’s a partnership. Choosing the right team can define the success of your project and the credibility of your brand or authorship. At WORDIUM, we deliver the best publishing services by aligning editorial accuracy, design integrity, and production reliability.

Whether you’re preparing your first book or managing an entire publishing program, WORDIUM is equipped to support your vision from draft to distribution.

At Shane Almgren MultiMedia & Entertainment, we designate authors by delivering top-quality self-publishing services that bring their stories to life. We seek to make a community of vibrant and talented people who support and encourage each other to share diverse and impactful narratives with the world. Our commitment to invention, imagination, and excellence drives us to repeatedly improve our services and provide a seamless publishing experience for every author we work with. We are earmarked to be one of the best self-publishing companies.