Publishing Basics

What is indie publishing?

Indie publishing is like being a contractor. You take on the job of publishing your own book and hire the subcontractors to do their part. It may include a content editor, copy editor, line editor, beta readers, graphic designers, formatters, and marketers.

What is hybrid publishing?

Hybrid publishing is a mix between doing it yourself and hiring a contractor to do it for you. You pay some upfront for the hybrid publisher to put together your team but you still retain control of your content.

What is traditional publishing?

Traditional publishing is where you sign off the rights to your book to the publisher on some level. Although there are some traditional publishers that will pay an advance for books, the list is small (and getting smaller). Most of the time, you get a contract without an advance. Traditional publishers will determine the look of your book as well as the release date.

Understanding ISBN

What is an ISBN number?

ISBN stands for International Standard Book Number and it is the unique number used by commercial organizations to identify a book. Each ISBN is assigned once – to one book edition. Books published in multiple editions (i.e. paperback, digital, audio, hardcover) will have an ISBN for each edition.

Why do I need an ISBN number for my book?

ISBN numbers are required for books to be sold online or through brick and mortar stores.

Can’t I get an ISBN for free if I self-publish?

Many print-on-demand sources offer free ISBNs that will carry the label of that source. If you use the ISBN offered by the POD source then that source will be listed as the publisher.

Will you sell me an ISBN number?

ISBNs can only be sold by an affiliate of the International ISBN Agency. Publishing services, like ours, can offer an ISBN from our block of numbers for use on your book. This is not the same as selling you an ISBN. ISBNs are not transferrable once they are sold by the affiliate organization so they can’t be “re-sold.”

What happens to my ISBN if I change publishers?

As long as your editions are published in cooperation with Peculiar Productions, LLC or through Peculiar Productions, LLC the ISBN will remain on your book. If you choose to publish editions through other sources you will be required to get a new ISBN from those sources or on your own. The ISBN with Peculiar Productions, LLC will be retired because it can only be used for one book edition.

How much does it cost to get my own ISBN?

You can purchase an individual ISBN from Bowker Identifier Services. As of June 2018. Individual numbers are $125.

Costs and Services

Why do you charge to publish my book?

Peculiar Productions is acting as your contractor. We hire the editors, beta readers, graphic designers, and formatting specialists. We pay them directly from what you pay us – which is why the payments come in segments. Each service is provided by freelance editors, artists, and entrepreneurs.

Why are there so many different editing layers in the process?

Each editor covers a different area of your manuscript.

  • Copy editors focus on the grammar, spelling, and punctuation – the form of the manuscript.
  • Content editors focus on the flow, story issues, and plot lines.
  • Proof editors do a soft review of the entire manuscript.

The more eyes we put on your manuscript the stronger product you will have in the end.

Why do I need Beta Readers and what do they do?

Beta Readers provide feedback to your manuscript before it is released to the general public. Their reviews help us find any issues that may not have been discovered through the editing process or your own rewrites.