The iUniverse Guide to Publishing

Get Published Professionally and Affordably

As thrilling as it was to complete your manuscript, you’ve got more than just something to say — you’ve got a book that people should read.

Writers have more publishing options now than ever before. Many of these available options can help you produce a book, but not every one of them will help you define publishing success or equip you with the tools to achieve it. With iUniverse, writers get the same breadth of editorial, marketing and publishing services that one would expect from a traditional publisher, but with the flexibility of discretionary decision-making left to the author.

When you publish with iUniverse, you get:

royalty rates that are higher than those offered by many traditional publishers
no minimum order for books
non-exclusive agreements, which allow you to retain copyright of the work

Through a variety of achievement programs and professional services, such as the Editorial Evaluation, iUniverse has helped many authors achieve commercial success. If book sales and market visibility are important, then iUniverse is the publisher for you.

Ghosts Of Fire

Publishing the iUniverse way

Before you can effectively develop a plan for publishing your book, you need to know what you hope to achieve. Do you want to have a book to share with friends and family? Are you a professional with expertise to share about a particular subject? How many books do you hope to sell? Who is your book’s audience? How much time do you have to market and publicize your book? Articulating your reasons for publishing will better prepare you to reach your goals.

Once you have defined your objectives, choose the iUniverse Publishing Package that complements these goals. Our Bookstore Premier Pro, Premier Pro, Premier and Select publishing packages were created to help you reach your goal. For Canadian authors there are two Chapters Indigo publishing packages, which include in-store placement or a book signing. An iUniverse exclusive!

After purchasing the publishing package that best meets your needs, you will need to review our Editorial Guidelines, our step-by-step Submission Checklist, and our Manuscript Formatting and Graphic & Illustration Preparation guidelines. These documents will help ensure you have all the necessary components together to begin the submission process. If you have any questions about the process, our Publishing Consultants are available to assist you. When your submission is complete, you’re well on your way to publication.

Once your submission has been accepted, it will be assigned an ISBN and will officially enter our production process. You will be assigned an iUniverse Publishing Services Associate, commonly referred to as your PSA. Your PSA will be your point of contact during your book’s production process. The PSA’s purpose is to answer your questions and serve as a liaison between you and all iUniverse departments.

Publishing a book is a tremendous achievement. Thousands of people dream of becoming published authors, but only a small percentage actually make that dream a reality. Anyone who has spent days, weeks, or even years writing a book deserves recognition. Take a moment and celebrate your accomplishment!

iUniverse offers the widest variety of quality marketing and publicity services in the industry—all aimed at helping you propel your book into the marketplace. As authors prove their commitment to building a platform, they become eligible for further opportunities for success with special iUniverse recognition programs such as Editor’s Choice, Reader's Choice, Rising Star, and Star titles that spotlight our most outstanding titles.

Get Started
Select Your Package

Setting realistic expectations for your book is an essential first step to any publishing process. It is up to you as author and project owner to define your target audience and sensibly estimate how many books you expect to sell.

Once you evaluate the marketability of your work, you’re ready to move forward and select the iUniverse publishing package that meets your publishing needs. Each package is designed to align with your publishing goals.

Book Launch Premier Pro

The Book Launch Premier Pro package gives you the momentum to announce the arrival of your book like never before. With this publishing option, you'll enjoy all of the benefits of our Online Premier Pro package, receive more free books, plus reach a potential audience of 2,000,000 people with an e-mail campaign once your book is launched. If you prefer an unprecedented combination of pre- and post-production service, the Book Launch Premier Pro option will meet your needs for maximum book exposure.

Online Premier Pro

Online Premier Pro enhances our most comprehensive publishing package with a collection of additional Internet marketing services and support. With this publishing option, you’ll enjoy all of the advantages of our Bookstore Premier Pro package, along with more free books, and exclusive social media and online services. If you are looking to increase your Web presence along with gaining an edge in getting your book in bookstores, then you can take advantage of our complete line of viral marketing services included with the Online Premier Pro option.

Bookstore Premier Pro

The Bookstore Premier Pro publishing package is focused on enhancing your chances of success with major bookselling chains, such as Barnes & Noble. In addition to the editorial and production services that you would find in our Premier Pro package, we have added our high value Bookseller's Return Program. If your goal is to be considered for bookstore shelf space, then your objectives can be met through the Bookstore Premier Pro option.

Premier Pro

The most serious contenders for the competitive marketplace are best served through Premier Pro. Support and depth of services included with this package compare to those offered by traditional publishers. If your goal is to achieve the most desirable product with direct input and guidance from the iUniverse publishing experts, the Premier Pro package is the best choice for you.

Premier

Some of our most popular products and services are offered in the Premier publishing package, including the unique iUniverse Editorial Evaluation. If your goal is to get expert support and put a professional book in the marketplace, the Premier option is the appropriate alternative.

Select

Getting your book to the marketplace can sometimes be the main priority. While professional evaluations and advice are not included with the Select publishing package, you can customize your package with a variety of options. If getting a book to market on a budget is your main goal, then Select is the right choice for you.

Need to Publish Quickly? Try Express.

When your first author event requires a faster than average turnaround time, our Express publishing options can help. The top-of-queue privileges included in an Express publishing package gets your book published professionally and to your doorstep quickly without compromising its editorial quality.

More detailed information on our publishing packages is available at www.iuniverse.com/packages/

Get Evaluated
Professional Editorial and Marketing Evaluations

When readers buy a book, they anticipate a quality read, free from inconsistencies and errors. They will also expect the same professional standards from your book.

To help ensure that you don’t disappoint your readers, the iUniverse Editorial Evaluation offers an appraisal of your work. This individualized service is beneficial for authors, because the evaluation is generally the only opportunity for you to receive a professional publishing assessment of your manuscript before you make the book available for public scrutiny.

Is your manuscript really ready to be considered a great book? The iUniverse Editorial Evaluation can provide you with the answers to confidently answer that question, “Yes.”

Get Noticed
iUniverse Recognition Programs

When your book stands out in the crowd, iUniverse stands behind it. Through our series of recognition programs, the quality of your book is showcased, and you get our support to reach even greater retail success. Many of our authors have gone on to find traditional publishing success as a result of these programs.

The entry point into all of our recognition programs is through Editor’s Choice. Once your book meets industry retail standards, you’ll be invited to participate in professional publicity and marketing programs reserved for high-profile iUniverse titles.

Through Rising Star, authors whose books show potential when the title is published receive one-of-kind enhanced opportunities for exposure on local, regional and national levels; including featured placement in the Rising Star Special Collections boutique on barnesandnoble.com.

Our most successful authors are admitted into the Star Program. After selling 500 copies, with at least half of those sales coming from retail channels, Star authors get maximum iUniverse support. Industry-standard pricing (for the retail channel), a marketing consultation with our team of publishing professionals, and a formal presentation for in-store placement with major retailers are all key benefits of reaching Star-level authorship.

Get Sales
Publicity and Marketing Services

Your completed manuscript is proof that you can accomplish a lot on your own. But even the most successful authors need guidance with publishing and marketing their books.

iUniverse stands apart from other self-publishing companies because we’re managed by industry veterans. We’ve developed services that mirror standards you’d expect from traditional publishers.

Publishing Services

Having a professional manuscript is a great start, but to capture the attention of a reviewer, retailer or audience, it has to look the part, too. Our publishing services help create your book’s personality. A custom cover design, ISBN assignment, market pricing and distribution are just some of the services we offer.

Editorial Services

Typos and grammatical errors are not the only mistakes that can keep your manuscript from being a quality publication. Our editorial lineup includes the Editorial Evaluation and other core services that lift the quality of your book to marketable standards.

Marketing Services

The best-selling authors do more than just hope for the best. Our comprehensive selection of promotional products and services has helped our authors reach new readers where the doors were initially closed. Many of our most popular marketing services have also been combined into comprehensive, cost-saving bundle packages.

Even though no one can predict what lies ahead for you, our publishing expertise is available to you well beyond the publishing process. We offer volume book discounts, which eases the financial burden of buying quantities of your book. We also offer the Booksellers Return Program which alleviates the bookseller’s risk and allows them to return unsold copies of your book.

The Internet has become a key channel for successful bookselling. Through author Web sites and worldwide distribution from online retailers, we can help you reach your goals (and audience) in ways you may not have known were possible. If you’re ready to learn more, let us help define what success can bring to you.

A more in-depth examination of our professional publishing, editorial and marketing services can be found at www.iuniverse.com/services/

iUniverse has become the most respected alternative to the traditional publishing industry. Experience firsthand the unmatched service that has made us the leading book marketing, editing and supported self-publishing company.

This guide is also available for download.