More Than A Number

You’ve found a talented person to ghost write your book. The research, writing, editing, and revising are done. The manuscript is formatted and looks great—now what? Many people who hire a ghost writer have trouble with the next steps: publishing and marketing. Admittedly, it’s a complex, tricky process that ghostwriters generally do not attempt, leaving the author to navigate the publishing world by him or herself. This can be almost impossible in the hands of a new author who does not possess sufficient media contacts to effectively promote his or her book.

At the cusp of the publishing and marketing world is where a publishing company can come in handy. According to Bowker, the company responsible for ISBNs in the U.S., more than 276,000 new book titles were published in the U.S. alone in 2007. Additionally, more than 134,000 “On Demand” and short-run books were also published that year. Clearly, the competition for new books is stiff.

Full-service companies like Arbor Books will typeset, print, and copyright your book, as well as assist with getting endorsements and handle all marketing needs. Having a company take over marketing can mean the difference between speaking engagements, a book tour, media interviews, and sales and having your book get lost in the shuffle.