Author Services
Special Services for Self-Published Authors
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Are you self-publishing your own book? Whether it's your first self-published book or one of many, authors these days know that writing is just the beginning. Amalgamated Story is here to help. "Amalgamate" means "bring it all together" and that's what we can do for authors who want to get their books ready for self-publishing. It's a big advantage to have someone helping you who understands all the elements of your book: the content, the purpose, the audience, the design requirements, and all the little details that go into getting your book in front of your readers.
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Start with Editing
Editing helps you be sure you’ve said what you meant to say, and that your audience will get the message you intend. There are several levels of editing. You may want to start at the beginning with a developmental edit, or be far enough along to skip right to content and copy editing.
Developmental Editing
Your developmental editor helps you develop your outline, asks the right questions, helps you figure out things like organization, appropriate style and tone for your desired audience, what's working and what's not working, where you might need to do some more research. A book project can be overwhelming--there's a lot to keep track of. By looking at the big picture, and keeping the reader's point of view in mind, your developmental editor helps you keep track of what you want to say, who you want to say it to, and how to build a book that meets your goals and serves your readers.
Your developmental editor helps you develop your outline, asks the right questions, helps you figure out things like organization, appropriate style and tone for your desired audience, what's working and what's not working, where you might need to do some more research. A book project can be overwhelming--there's a lot to keep track of. By looking at the big picture, and keeping the reader's point of view in mind, your developmental editor helps you keep track of what you want to say, who you want to say it to, and how to build a book that meets your goals and serves your readers.
Content Editing
When your book is organized and written, it's time for content and copy editing. During content editing, we look for logical or organizational errors that may remain or have cropped up after developmental editing. Content editing helps you transform the original draft into the best possible manuscript.
Copy Editing
Copy editing is the point where we correct remaining errors in spelling, grammar, punctuation, syntax, and misused words, and ensure consistent style and formatting. A copy editor also cross-checks references, foot- or endnotes, and index entries to be sure they match the text, and works with you on anything that might not be clear to a reader.
When your book is organized and written, it's time for content and copy editing. During content editing, we look for logical or organizational errors that may remain or have cropped up after developmental editing. Content editing helps you transform the original draft into the best possible manuscript.
Copy Editing
Copy editing is the point where we correct remaining errors in spelling, grammar, punctuation, syntax, and misused words, and ensure consistent style and formatting. A copy editor also cross-checks references, foot- or endnotes, and index entries to be sure they match the text, and works with you on anything that might not be clear to a reader.
Book Design
Print-on-demand (POD) publishers each have their own requirements for the books they print, including standard specifications for sizes, margins, bleeds, fonts, spines, etc. etc. If you don't really know what all of that means, don't worry! Amalgamated Story has the publication experience to determine what your formatting requirements will be for the POD publisher you plan to use. If you change your mind and want to use a different POD publisher, Amalgamated Story can reformat your book to meet the new specs.
But you want more than that! You want a book that stands out and reinforces the idea of quality. Nonfiction needs to convey that you are an authority, a professional who knows what you're talking about. Fiction needs to keep your readers engrossed in the story, wanting to stay in the world you've created. Design elements like the right font, at the right size, with the right spacing are all important in giving your reader the best experience of your book. Trying to read a badly designed book feels awkward and takes the readers attention away from your story and your ideas. Still not sure design matters? Here's a comparison of good and bad book design.
But you want more than that! You want a book that stands out and reinforces the idea of quality. Nonfiction needs to convey that you are an authority, a professional who knows what you're talking about. Fiction needs to keep your readers engrossed in the story, wanting to stay in the world you've created. Design elements like the right font, at the right size, with the right spacing are all important in giving your reader the best experience of your book. Trying to read a badly designed book feels awkward and takes the readers attention away from your story and your ideas. Still not sure design matters? Here's a comparison of good and bad book design.
Cover Design
Your book cover needs to catch your reader's attention, but different types of books need very different covers to do that job. Amalgamated Story can design your fiction or nonfiction book cover so it tells the story of what the reader will find inside. Make them want to open the book and discover what you have to share with them!. If your cover needs an illustration, we can either create one or find the right illustrator for you.
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Illustration
Are you writing a book of funny anecdotes that need pictures that will keep things light? Will you need figures and tables to convey your business ideas? Are you self-publishing a children's story but need the right illustrator to help you tell the story? Excellent illustration helps tell your story visually. Amalgamated Story can make sure your illustrations are helping to tell your story--not distracting from it. We pride ourselves on finding, developing, or creating the right visuals to go with your fiction or nonfiction book. That might be drawings, cartoons, photographs, diagrams--you name it.
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Publishing
When your book is ready to submit to your POD publisher, Amalgamated Story can help here, too. Sometimes this is a straightforward process and as long as your files meet all of the publisher's specification requirements, you can take it from there. But if you run into a snag, Amalgamated Story has the experience to get it straightened out for you. We've done it before and we can help you through any bumps in the process.
End with Proofreading
Proofreading is the crucial final step in the self-publishing process. Once your book is ready to publish, any reputable POD publisher will recommend that you order a proofing copy. Send your proofing copy to Amalgamated Story and we will not only proofread the contents to find any remaining text errors, issues with line- and page-breaks, dropped words or letters, etc. etc., we will also check that there are no new issues with the physical book itself, such as problems with the spine, the margins, the color, the paper, and all the other things you can't see in a PDF.
