As a small publisher and book production specialist with five years of experience, I believe that first time self-publishers should start off small, with 500 or 1000 books. You really need to be sure that your book is a seller before investing tens of thousands of dollars and more.

Take it from someone who has been there - it's best to start off small to gauge the potential success of your book first.

So I focus on getting small publishers started with a few hundred copies of their books. Just enough to give to friends and family, send to distributors and reviewers, and to sell on your website. Hearing the positive reviews from your peers will give you the confidence in knowing that you have a good work on your hands.

Once you sell off your first printing, get some good reviews, and know you have a pretty successful book on your hands, then go for the large print order.

I will use the same process that I use to publish my books own books and those of my past and current clients to your book.

You send me your finished, edited manuscript, and two or three months later you will have 500 or 1000 finished books sitting on your doorstep. Then, you take it from there! Sell those books!

I am a unique find, because not only am I a skilled writer and hard working small publisher with five years knowledge in the business - I am also a book designer (6 years experience), typesetter (6 years), web designer (8 years), line editor (6 years), book doctor (3 years), copywriter (5 years), and promotions specialist (3 years). I worked in the proposal & marketing department of a major corporation for five years doing most of this type of work before deciding to go out on my own.

Basically, I am a book making machine!

You will quickly learn that writing your book is the easy part.

Transforming it into a hard copy book and then getting the word out is a lot more complicated. You have to individually hire a graphic designer, a typesetter, a photographer and a printer to make it happen. You have to buy ISBN blocks from Bowker, bar codes, and memberships to trade organizations. And it can all become very expensive. Graphic designers will charge you anywhere from $500-1000 to design a cover plus another $500 for the photography if you want an original photo. Most professional typesetters will charge you between $500-800 to lay out your book properly. Not to mention the numerous marketing materials you will have to get produced to publicize and advertise your book - that can run you $2,000 or more to get designed and produced by a professional. Then add in your printing costs and you can easily end up spending $7,000 or more to four or five different people to give you the same thing I'm going to do for you in One Stop!

Finally, finding and dealing with a printer will make you want to pull your hair out by the roots. Some will give you ridiculous prices and some will give you very attractive low prices but a poor product (loose binding, cheap paper, bad color). I have found the perfect printer who is very responsive to all of my needs and requirements - by brokering your print job, I will be saving you a lot of headaches, phone calls and unanswered emails. So I will help you start up your small self publishing company with your first book, and you take it from there!

Simply email me your finished manuscript, and 60 days later you will have finished books at your door!

I am sincerely looking forward to working with you on your project. Feel free to contact me with questions.

Louise Gaillard