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Author Services USA: Your Complete Guide to Professional Publishing
Becoming an author in the United States involves more than just writing an ebook. To compete in the world’s largest and most dynamic book market, you need a professionally produced product. This is where author services come in; a suite of professional, à la carte solutions designed to support independent authors at every stage of the publishing journey. As a US-based publisher, we provide these essential services to help American authors transform a finished manuscript into a book that rivals those from major publishing houses. This guide will walk you through the core author services available in the USA and explain how they fit together to create a successful, professional book.
Key Takeaways & Summary
A Professional Toolkit: Author services are individual, specialized services (like editing, cover design, and marketing) that authors can hire to professionally produce and launch their books.
The Self-Publishing Pathway: These services are the building blocks of a professional self-publishing career, allowing authors to maintain full control and ownership while accessing industry expertise.
Focus on the US Market: Choosing a USA-based provider ensures they understand the specific standards, trends, and platforms (like Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble) that dominate the American literary landscape.
Invest in the Essentials: The most critical services for any author are professional editing and professional cover design, as these have the biggest impact on reader perception and sales.
The Core Author Services Every US Author Needs
Think of publishing a book like building a house. You can do it all yourself, but for the best results, you hire expert plumbers, electricians, and designers. Author services are those experts. Here are the most essential services for the US market.
Professional Book Editing
This is the single most important investment you can make in your book. The US market has high standards, and readers are quick to leave negative reviews for books with errors.
Copy Editing: Focuses on grammar, punctuation, spelling, and syntax to ensure a clean, professional manuscript.
Developmental Editing: A big-picture service that addresses issues with plot, pacing, character arcs, and overall structure.
Proofreading: The final check for any typos or formatting errors right before you publish.
Professional Book Cover Design
In the crowded digital marketplaces of Amazon and Apple Books, your cover is your most powerful marketing tool. It has to grab attention and communicate your book’s genre in a split second. A US-based designer will understand the specific visual trends and genre conventions that appeal to American readers.
Ebook and Print Formatting
Your manuscript needs to be technically formatted for different platforms.
Ebook Formatting: Creates a reflowable EPUB file that displays perfectly on all e-readers (Kindle, Kobo, Apple Books).
Print Formatting: Designs the interior layout of your paperback or hardcover book, creating a print-ready PDF file for platforms like Amazon KDP or IngramSpark.
Ghostwriting and Writing Coaching
For authors who need help with the writing process itself.
Ghostwriting: A professional writer authors the book for you, based on your ideas and in your voice.
Writing Coach: A mentor who provides guidance and accountability to help you write the book yourself.
Book Marketing and Promotion
Once the book is ready, you need to get it in front of readers.
Amazon Marketing (AMS): Managing ad campaigns on the dominant US retail platform.
Reader Review Campaigns: Building social proof through ethical review generation from US-based readers.
Author Website & Social Media: Establishing your author platform to connect directly with your audience.
Why Choose a USA-Based Service Provider?
While you can hire providers from anywhere in the world, partnering with a US-based company offers distinct advantages for American authors:
Market Understanding: They have an intrinsic understanding of the cultural nuances, genre trends, and reader expectations in the United States.
Platform Expertise: They are experts in the platforms that matter most to US authors, particularly Amazon.com, and understand its specific rules and marketing tools.
Clear Communication: Working in the same time zones with no language barrier ensures a smoother, more efficient collaborative process.
Industry Connections: US-based providers often have established networks of American reviewers, bloggers, and influencers.
Choosing to self-publish means you are the CEO of your own publishing company. By hiring professional author services, you are simply contracting the best talent to ensure your company produces a world-class product.
Short FAQ
Q: Do I have to hire a company for all these services?
A: No. The beauty of author services is that you can pick and choose. If you are a skilled editor, you may only need cover design and formatting. You have the flexibility to build a custom team that fits your needs and budget.
Q: How much do author services cost in the USA?
A: Costs vary widely. A professional edit for a standard-length novel can range from
1,500−3,000, while a custom cover design can be
500−1,500. A comprehensive package including editing, design, and formatting often falls in the
3,000−7,000 range.
Q: Do I give up any rights or royalties when I use author services?
A: No. When you hire professionals for these services, you are paying a fee for their work. It is a “work-for-hire” arrangement. You retain 100% of your rights, your copyright, and all future royalties from your book sales.
