Frequently Asked Questions

 Q. There are many companies out there that claim to help people self-publish. What makes Book Bridge Press unique?

A. Book Bridge Press differs from other publishers in many ways. You may find online publishers who merely do a quick copyedit and then print your book with little attention to design. As well, many of these online sources simply keep your file, and then print copies as people order them.  While this may suit some needs, it may not fit the needs of the independent author who desires a quality book and full control of their title, and its profits.

Q. How is your process different than others?

A. With Book Bridge Press, every book is unique and deserves individual attention. We listen to your goals. We learn about your hopes for the title. Then we assess your manuscript, its target audience, its strengths, and develop a working plan so you know what we need to do to reach your goal. We let you know how much and what type of editing, art direction, design and layout will need to be done. From us, you will always get full planning and consideration from experienced professionals who know the world of children's book publishing.

Q. What do you mean by individual attention?

A. In comparison to other author-originated models, we are the quality choice for editorial assessment, manuscript development, design, and marketing. We provide an expert path to publishing success. When we say we give you individual attention, that means we are your partner. You can call us with questions, you can ask our advice, and you won't be moved from one person to the next throughout the process. We mentor, we guide, and we stay with you from beginning to post-publication and beyond.

Q. Are you expensive?

A. We are very competitive with our price. While you may find publishers that sell one-size-fits-all packages at an attractive price, we encourage you to ask them questions and compare quality. We stand firm when we say that every book is unique and deserves a custom proposal. Your goals as an author cannot be defined as one-size-fits-all. Your target niche is not one-size-fits-all. Why should your book be produced in this manner? We believe in custom quality for every book, for every author. We also know that your initial costs need to be reasonable if you are going to realize a positive return on investment. That said, call us. An initial consultation is free, and we always love to talk books.

Q. Who owns the rights to my book?

A. You do. You own your book in every way. We register you as the copyright holder, and with the Library of Congress. When you work with Book Bridge Press, you receive 100% control, and 100% profits from your book. In order to ensure that you have all control possible, we have the ISBN assigned to you. The ISBN is the international standard book identification number used by booksellers and librarians to trace the book to you when ordering. While other publishing companies may tell you that you have 100% control, unless they place the ISBN with you, you may not have all the control you believe you do.

Q. But I've heard that bookstores won't accept or order books from independent authors, or books that have an ISBN linking it to an individual.

A. Not true.  If a book is well-produced, has an audience and an author willing to support it, they'll most likely want to try selling it. You may want to create a publishing company name to which you will attach your ISBN. This is a good thing because if your goal is to create a career path and publish additional books with our help, you will build brand consistency and develop further relationships in the industry.

Q. But won't people or booksellers ignore my book because it's not published by a popular traditional publishing house? Isn't there a stigma with "self-publishing?"

A. Not anymore. That's why we use the term "independent author."  Years ago, the technology did not exist for individual authors to have access to such direct channels for selling their books to buyers. That's all changed, and we now have technology and resources that authors ten years ago could not have imagined. These tools have changed the landscape - and it's not changing back. Finally, the people who created the book in the first place are now finally able to benefit from their creativity and hard work. 

Q. So how do I make sure my book is of "high-quality?"

A. The best support you can give your book is proper attention before it is printed. This means the best professional editorial, design and print applications possible.

Q. Why do you hear traditional publishers grumble about self-published books?

A. Easy. Because it creates new competition. Even if you are not selling your book side-by-side with a New York bestseller in a chain store, you are still competition. Any book that vies for consumer dollars is competition in the marketplace. Independent authors create direct ties with customers - cutting out the middleman. Technology and consumer confidence in online buying has made this all possible. Today, independent authors are truly creating an impact in the marketplace. This is very good for all independent authors and books. The shift has occurred, and it's only going to grow. You will find self-published books out there that didn't go through an expert editorial or professional design process. They're easy to spot, and they usually don't sell well. But they are not indicative of the true independent author market.

Q. Do you sell or warehouse the books for me?

A. We do not sell the books for you - but we help you establish yourself and get organized so that you can sell them easily. You may find publishers out there who say they sell your book for you, and they may say they will give you the entire profit. However, they may charge you a host of fees such as storage fees, processing fees, mailing fees, telephone order fees, pallet fees and more. Also, keep in mind that when such companies take an order for your book, they may not share with you the contact information for the person who bought your book. Based upon our experience in the industry, we see this as highly problematic. A healthy portion of your sales will be from people who want to order directly from you, and those people may turn into loyal repeat customers. Every book sold is a golden opportunity for you to establish relationships that will grow your customer base and your profit margin. If you don't who your customer is, how can you grow a business from your book? For most independent authors, getting organized to ship books is really very easy, and well worth doing. We help you. You'll be glad.

Q. But wouldn't I have to store loads of books at my house?

A. Honestly, no. In our opinion, this is a scare tactic used to encourage authors to utilize a mailing service for which they will have to pay fees, or to eliminate competition by discouraging people to self-publish in the first place. When you are a published author, you are also a business person. Why put barriers between you and your customers? We believe it's important for authors to develop relationships with buyers. We'll help you do that. First, we help you determine a realistic print order for your title. We will never encourage a person to buy a print order that is unrealistic. For instance, we suggest most independent authors start out with a print run of 1,000 to 3,000  copies. This is a manageable amount of product and will not take up a large footprint. When the book does well, it's easy to reprint. If warehousing, storage, and mailing is a problem, don't worry. We can brainstorm a custom solution to fit your specific needs. Our bottom line is we want you to be able to maximize your efficiency and your ROI. We want you to be successful.

Q. Do you print?

A. We work with a variety of highly qualified professional printers. Because every book is different, we find the best quality printer for each particular job. We also find the best price on your behalf. We are also very different from other publishing groups because we do not mark up the printing. You pay the invoice price. We charge you a small management fee for us to handle all the details, and that fee is the same regardless of your print run. We believe that if we keep your cost per book as reasonable as possible, you will realize a better ROI. We want that, because we want you to be successful and return to us for your next book.

Q. What if I need to reprint my book?

A. Other publishers may tell you that you have to re-order your reprint through them. If they are the type of publisher who "resells" the printing, they see a profit each time you reprint. We do not do this. If your book is doing well and you need a reprint, we make sure the printer has your file, and we let you call the printer directly and reorder directly from them - no problem. If you want to make changes in your book first, we do charge for that, but we don't make you re-do the entire book.

Q. Will you help me with marketing?

A. Yes! At Book Bridge, we've been in the industry a long time and we provide support to independent authors who need help with marketing strategies and tools.  We offer a distinct advantage because we've been there. We've experienced firsthand years of book signings, events, tradeshows, conferences, community and school programs and more. We've learned by trial and error what works and what doesn't. We recognize the importance of remaining alert to new opportunities, and innovative in the many ways you can sell your book. Most of all, we are dedicated to ongoing learning, which we share with our customers.

Q. Do I need to sell my book via a large online book site in order to be successful?

A. While it's always a good idea to have your title in as many places as possible for visibility, we help you determine the best strategy based upon your desired outcomes. With social media and niche marketing now made possible by the internet, you will most likely tap into a lot of sales through connections, professional groups, your own online store, library and school events, community programs and such. Direct sales are always best because you realize the most profit. While it's beneficial to have your book listed via online retailers for exposure, the sales that come through those channels may not bring you the net profit you imagine. Many of those channels take 40-55% of the profit. There are other self-publishing companies out there who may encourage this type of selling a priority for you. We've been there, and we know what return on investment you might see through these avenues. Again, while it never hurts to be listed, it's best to know what to expect and then put your time and attention into the avenues that bring the healthiest sales.