Writing a book is a lot of work, but it’s just the beginning of an author’s publishing journey. Whether seeking a traditional publishing contract or deciding to self-publish, the learning curve for authors is high. Those pursuing the traditional route face a waiting game with no guarantees, while self-publishers must pull together a professional team in order to deliver and market a high-quality book. Editing, design, production, prelaunch marketing, gathering reviews, platform building, launching, advertising, publicity, and ongoing distribution are all important components of a professional publishing process. It’s a lot to learn.
As a publishing partner to a growing number of indie authors, Bublish offers a complete solution with a wide range of services, including editing, design, marketing, advertising, and global distribution of all three book formats (print, digital, and audio). The company’s mission is to empower independent authors with the tools, resources, guidance, and services they need to be successful—and along the way nurture a professional class of independent authors.
“It takes a team of seasoned professionals to successfully publish, launch, and market a book,” says the company’s founder, Kathy Meis, a veteran writer and editor with more than 30 years of experience. “But the journey doesn’t stop there. Once an author is published, we work with them over time to help them grow their audience, position their brand, and sell more books. It is our true honor to be a trusted publishing partner for a growing number of talented independent authors.”
“Authors who self-publish enjoy the benefits of keeping their rights and creative control, but they often have to make a lot of big decisions without much guidance,” Meis says. “This can lead to mistakes and missed opportunities. Publishing is a very complex industry. That’s why we spend a lot of time educating our author community at Bublish. The earlier we can work with an author, the more we can increase their chances for success. We encourage our authors to think like publishers—to master both the craft of writing and the commerce of publishing and marketing their books. Industry know-how can have a very positive impact on their outcomes.”
Early in the publishing process, Bublish offers book positioning consultations that provide authors with research about their book’s genre, categories, keywords, audience, metadata, and comparable titles. This research can inform the author’s manuscript, the book’s title, cover design, trim size, and description, among other things. “The findings of this research are eye-opening for most authors,” says Meis. “This early positioning work has led many of our authors to win top industry awards, receive stellar reader and editorial reviews, and rank number one in their categories on retail sites like Amazon. This is the type of work traditional publishing houses do, and we think it’s important for indie authors to benefit from this knowledge, too.”
Bublish helps authors monetize their work in several ways. “First, we help them publish better books to engage a clearly defined audience. This creates a strong foundation for effective marketing and advertising,” Meis says. “Second, we protect their profits on book sales by never putting them into extended distribution or making a format available in a channel that does not offer favorable terms. Third, with Bublish Select, we shine a light on the best self-published books and offer talented authors further exposure and monetization through a variety of exclusive programs.”
In addition to all the services needed to publish a book, Bublish also has a robust suite of advertising and marketing services to help authors get their titles into the hands of readers. “We offer review services and can run Amazon or Facebook ads for our authors. We’re also big believers in preorder campaigns and price promotions,” Meis says, “and can help with both. Additionally, we make sure each book’s wholesale terms encourage bookstore buyers and librarians to consider purchasing.”
Authors who distribute through Bublish will see their books available in more than 40,000 retail and wholesale channels around the world, including Amazon, Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org, Google Play, IndieBound, IngramSpark, Kobo, and Lulu, as well as Bublish’s exclusive, all-indie bookstore, Bublish Books.
“Independent authors now generate 30% of the revenue in the $27 billion U.S. publishing industry,” Meis says. “They have earned a seat at the table. We’re in the business of helping this talented group of authors learn the ropes, publish great books, and build an audience for their work, and we love what we do!”
