Frequently Asked Questions

Most of my clients come through referrals from other clients, colleagues, family, and friends. Other times, I work with authors on behalf of a publisher or agency. However you find me, our first connection will likely be via email or Zoom. From there, we’ll begin discussing your needs and the specific details of your project. Once I have a good sense of project parameters, I will send you an estimate of costs and a suggested schedule. (If you're coming to me through a publisher or agency, these details will already be handled for you.) We can then discuss any adjustments needed to fit the project within your budget and timeline. (Read more about the costs of editing.) If I’m unable to meet the needs of your project, I am happy to help connect you with another professional I trust to do quality work. After the estimate and schedule look right, I will send you a contract describing the scope of work, payment terms, legal restrictions, deadlines, etc. The contract part always feels formal and somewhat intimidating, but enforcing it has never been necessary for me or my clients. I like to establish a friendly, collaborative relationship where we can work through any challenges constructively. However, having a contract helps make sure we have agreed-upon expectations and protects both of us in the event we come to an impasse. After the contract is signed, we can get started! There will be back-and-forth emails, phone calls, and video meetings depending on how we’ve decided to work together, and I’m available to answer any questions you have along the way. I want you to feel confident in our goals, process, and results.

In basic form, an editor's job is to take raw, rough material and refine it for better communication of ideas. Through structural changes, reorganization of material, grammatical corrections, suggestions of new language, or improvement in tone, an editor will help your ideas reach your audience in the best way possible. Professional editors not only spot mistakes, they have training and experience to fix them or guide you toward fixing them. While it’s difficult for writers to maintain objectivity about their work, an editor approaches the material with a skilled and impartial lens. A talented editor will shape, massage, nurture, and polish each sentence and paragraph, concept, and idea into the best it can be, all while preserving the unique voice of the original writer. In balancing the needs of the reader with the goals of the writer, a good editor can retain the fundamental message of the piece while improving the means of communicating that message. Lastly, consider hiring an editor as an investment in your future writing. If you dig into the process fully and absorb all the feedback you can, you can take that learning to your next project and beyond.

I don’t have an easy yes-or-no answer for this question. At this point in time, artificial intelligence (AI) is largely unregulated and rapidly evolving, which leaves ample room for innovation and problem-solving but also creates an atmosphere where laws, ethics, reliability, and security are murky at best. AI writing and editing tools like ProWritingAid, Grammarly, AutoCrit, and others can certainly help you streamline the process of writing, editing, and publishing your book, but like other AI systems, they come with their fair share of drawbacks. Here are a few things to consider: 1. AI tools pull information from hundreds of sources, making it tricky to verify accuracy and cite sources properly. Read more.(https://libguides.usc.edu/generative-AI/limitations) 2. AI-generated (or edited) writing often lacks natural/native word choices and sentence structure, creativity and originality, diversity of ideas, consistent tone and style, nuance and humor, conciseness, and other elements. Read more.(https://studypro.com/blog/common-ai-writing-mistakes) 3. Most generative AI models train on data they don’t have consent to use. Read more.(https://www.writersdigest.com/be-inspired/think-ai-is-bad-for-authors-the-worst-is-yet-to-come) 4. Most generative AI models train on data they haven’t paid for. Read more.(https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/your-personal-information-is-probably-being-used-to-train-generative-ai-models/) 5. Using AI comes with a number of risks and pitfalls such as hallucinations, biases, data leaks, privacy concerns, excessive energy consumption, disinformation, plagiarism, copyright infringement, worker displacement, devaluation of human expertise, and others. Read more.(https://www.forbes.com/sites/eliamdur/2023/09/13/pitfalls-in-artificial-intelligence-at-least-for-now/) Developments in AI technology are quickly progressing, and these issues will evolve with it. I recommend you spend some time doing thoughtful research on whichever tool(s) you wish to use before employing them for your book. I also suggest that regardless of whether you use AI, you still partner with a human editor to help you in the areas where AI can’t.

During our discovery call, I will help you determine which type of editing you need based on where you are in the writing process. But if you are unfamiliar with the types of editing available, you can learn more about them on my Services (www.jessicalsherer.com/services)page. Each type of editing takes place as a separate stage with varying timeframes and costs. Keep in mind that each stage often requires multiple rounds of back-and-forth collaboration between the writer and the editor. (Learn more in the “How does the editorial process work?” section below.) Virtually all writing can benefit from one or more types of editing. The projects with the best results typically employ all of them.

If you’ve worked with an editor in the past, you may find my process to be slightly different, but I do stick to the essentials of what’s standard in the industry. If you haven’t worked with an editor before, the most important thing to understand is that editing is a layered process. This means it happens in stages (or rounds), and each stage has its own specific objective. Layering helps ensure all aspects of your message receive proper attention, giving your project its best chance of reaching and impacting your target audience. It also allows us to customize the editorial process for the unique needs of your project. Here is the typical flow of my process: https://static.wixstatic.com/media/11cc61_041a3f5c107b48c2953b2378e09d37ca~mv2.jpg The editorial process can take anywhere from several weeks to a few months depending on the word count of the manuscript, the schedules of everyone involved, and the completeness of the document when it enters the editing phase. When we initiate a project together, I will provide you with a production schedule based on these factors so we can stay on task and meet any deadlines you have. However, to give you a general idea, the editing timeline for a 45,000-word nonfiction manuscript typically looks like this: • Developmental Editing (Round 1): 3 weeks • Author review of Round 1: 4 weeks • Developmental Editing (Round 2): 2 weeks • Author review of Round 2: 3 weeks • Copy Editing (Round 3): 2 weeks • Author review of Round 3: 2 weeks • Copy Editing (Round 4): 1 week • Author review of Round 4: 1 week • Final Editing (Round 5): 3 days • Author review of Round 5: 4 days • Total: 18 weeks (or about 4.5 months) Keep in mind that if you do not use a writing coach (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UaMIcA7QIkZUu1IKthhQrejYq0FmDz63/view?usp=drive_link)and/or alpha and beta readers,(https://docs.google.com/document/d/1OxiCVBMRX_SP8oXUI2fPpsiKBX_c0X3uGclgukh71_A/edit?usp=drive_link) the developmental editing process will likely take longer. If you do not do any developmental editing, the copy editing will almost certainly take longer (or might not even be doable). Also, don’t forget that design/formatting, proofreading, and publishing/printing take place after this, so you’ll need to account for those in your overall timeline.

Ideally, all writing will go through every stage of the editorial process because each provides a different yet important type of revision. The good news is that each subsequent round usually takes less time and energy than the previous one. For example, if you work with a writing coach or are a very experienced writer yourself, the developmental editing rounds will be fairly straightforward and simple. On the other hand, if the project does not receive any professional review until copy editing, those copy editing rounds will require extensive changes. Even worse, though, any issues usually addressed at the developmental editing stage will probably not get resolved. In other words, proofreading a project that has never gone through the previous stages of editing creates a kind of lipstick-on-a-pig situation. The text will look quite polished, but the project as a whole will likely be difficult to read and understand, making it largely ineffective. However, sometimes budget, schedule, and personnel limitations require creativity and customization at the editing stage. I am committed to working with you to address these constraints even if it means helping you find another editing professional who can meet your needs.

Unfortunately, there is no quick and easy way to determine this because the cost of your project(s) will depend on many factors. But you can get the ball rolling by asking yourself two questions: • What level of quality and skill do you need from an editor? • How many rounds of review will your project(s) require? To answer the first question, consider the comparison of Walmart versus Nordstrom. If you need to quickly find a pair of pants for a low price but top-tier quality, customized service, and attention to detail are not all that important, you’ll likely shop at Walmart. However, if you are willing to take your time and spend more money to get name-brand pants along with best-in-class service, you’ll probably go to Nordstrom. Shopping at either store isn’t right or wrong, good or bad—the choice depends on what you need and want. Similarly, some freelancers on marketplaces like Fiverr and Upwork may offer rates as low as $10 per hour while a talent agency might charge $125 per hour for editing services. If your project needs Nordstrom-level work, go with the agency; if you’re OK with the Walmart basics, the Upwork editor is probably fine. Just know that it’s very unlikely you’ll get high quality AND low cost or high quality AND speed. Also, please keep in mind that, like any self-employed professional, an editor must set her rates not only to pay for her expertise but also to cover the costs of her healthcare insurance, computer software, office supplies, credit card processing fees, business license, and more. To answer the second question, remember that editing is a layered process. Most manuscripts will need more than one type of editing and at least two rounds per type. Keep in mind that most resources online only tell you the cost of editing for one type or one round, meaning the total cost for all services is quite a bit higher. This is especially true if your project is lengthy. In my experience, the Editorial Freelancers Association (EFA) provides the most accurate information on professional editorial rates,(https://www.the-efa.org/rates/) so I have based my rates (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hKKrkuJQtejih4Xr0NtZQYZSnOcbtAho/view?usp=drive_link)on those. When determining the total cost of your project(s), I will factor in the nature of the work, the timeline of the assignment, the degree of special expertise required, the subject matter, and other considerations. However, I will provide you an estimate before we begin a project, and we can make adjustments from there. Also, there are quite a few ways you can reduce the cost of editing with a little extra work on your end. Check out my Money-Saving Tips (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1b0F7CxjDllE1W1m44jrko6W6fdbLToSP/view?usp=drive_link)to learn more.

Services like these range from inexpensive to pricey depending on where you look. For example, you might be able to find freelancers on marketplaces like Fiverr and Upwork who offer rates as low as $20 per hour. On the other hand, an agency might charge $100 per hour to format and publish your book. Like many other things, in publishing, you tend to get what you pay for. So if your project needs high-quality work and personalized support, go with the agency; if you’re OK with the basics, the Upwork freelancer is probably fine. Just know that it’s very unlikely you’ll get high quality AND low cost or high quality AND speed. Also, please keep in mind that, like any self-employed individual, a publishing professional must set her rates not only to pay for her expertise but also to cover the costs of her healthcare insurance, computer software, office supplies, credit card processing fees, business insurance, and more. In my experience, the Editorial Freelancers Association (EFA) provides the most accurate information on professional editorial rates,(https://www.the-efa.org/rates/) so I have based my rates (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hKKrkuJQtejih4Xr0NtZQYZSnOcbtAho/view?usp=drive_link)on those. Before we begin your project, I will provide you an estimate of total costs, and we can make adjustments from there. Also, there are quite a few ways you can reduce the cost of editing with a little extra work on your end. Check out my Money-Saving Tips (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1b0F7CxjDllE1W1m44jrko6W6fdbLToSP/view?usp=drive_link)to learn more.

Yes, of course! There are several tools out there that allow independent authors to format their own book. Some of these tools are free and the rest are relatively inexpensive. There is also a truckload of information and advice about how to go about publishing your book on your own. If you wish to learn the skills required to self-publish, or if you do not have a budget to hire help, then doing all the legwork yourself is probably the best choice. However, before making that choice, it’s important to understand that this work is time-consuming and highly detailed. It is also often cumbersome, overwhelming, and confusing for many authors, particularly those who don’t feel confident in their technical skills. The choice is similar to deciding whether to build your own backyard deck. If you have the tools, experience (or willingness to learn), time, and patience, it’s a great DIY project. If not, how many trips to Home Depot are you willing to take before you’re frustrated and ready to give up? Are you OK with the possibility that the DIY project will fall apart and you’ll end up having to hire a professional to come fix it?

Whether you need help with formatting, publishing, or both, I'll need some things before we can get started. For formatting projects, I will need the following: • Edited, finalized, and clean manuscript document in digital format (The best format is a Microsoft Word file. However, I can also take Google Docs files and Pages files if necessary.) • High-resolution .jpg files of all graphics and images (If you are printing a black-and-white-only interior, please make sure these images are in grayscale, not color.) • Timely responses to any questions that arise • Contact information for any professionals helping you (e.g., marketing specialist, editor, writing coach, graphic designer, etc.) For publication management projects, I will need the following: • Completed and submitted publication information forms (Amazon form and/or IngramSpark form) • For ebooks: Interior pages in EPUB format • For the best reading experience, the EPUB should be “reflowable” so that the content can be optimized depending on the display device. However, if your book is graphics-heavy (e.g., children’s book, cookbook, textbook, graphic novel), the EPUB should be exported in “fixed layout” format. • If your designer is using InDesign to create your book, have her/him follow these instructions (https://helpx.adobe.com/indesign/using/export-content-epub-cc.html)to export files to EPUB. • If you’re publishing with Amazon (KDP), have your designer follow these guidelines for a reflowable ebook (https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/help/topic/GPNJPYK298J8TRRV)and these guidelines for a fixed-layout ebook.(https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/help/topic/GEGU359TQLKDJZZH) • If you’re publishing with IngramSpark, have your designer consult page 6 of the IngramSpark File Creation Guide.(https://www.ingramspark.com/hubfs/downloads/file-creation-guide.pdf) • Please be sure your designer knows not to include the cover image in the EPUB. • For print books: Interior pages in PDF format • If you’re publishing with Amazon (KDP), have your designer follow these guidelines for formatting a paperback (https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/help/topic/G201834190)and these guidelines for formatting a hardcover.(https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/help/topic/GKYZRXFBZH2LDXAK) • If you’re publishing with IngramSpark, have your designer consult pages 7–15 and 35–38 of the IngramSpark File Creation Guide.(https://www.ingramspark.com/hubfs/downloads/file-creation-guide.pdf) • Please be sure your designer knows not to include the cover image in the PDF. • Cover design files • The most common publishing problems for print books relate to the specifications of the cover art. To help minimize these issues, please make sure your designer is following the applicable guidelines: • KDP ebook cover art guidelines(https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/help/topic/G200645690) • KDP paperback cover art guidelines(https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/help/topic/G201953020) • KDP hardcover art guidelines(https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/help/topic/GDTKFJPNQCBTMRV6) • IS cover file guidelines (https://www.ingramspark.com/hubfs/downloads/file-creation-guide.pdf?hsCtaTracking=f9bfe412-3ee4-4533-adf8-22c8623fede3%7C5576a897-78fa-40d9-b301-d1c0f242310e)(pg. 17–38) • Timely responses to any questions that arise • Contact information for any professionals helping you (e.g., marketing specialist, editor, writing coach, graphic designer, etc.) Some projects may require us to coordinate additional details, but we will address those as needed.

Please plan to send me finalized, digital files of your book’s interior pages, front cover, back cover, and spine no later than 25 business days before your publication date. See the "How long does the publication process take?" for more details about the full timeline. See "What will you need from me to publish my book?" for more details about each type of file needed.

The main determining factor for the formatting timeline is the word count of your book. The longer the book, the more time I will need to format it. Other factors that influence the schedule include: • How many graphics the book includes • Whether all graphics are finalized and ready to place • How many revisions are needed after the initial layout is created In general, a 45,000-word manuscript will take me 10–12 business days to format. If you need both a print book and an ebook, I will need 2 weeks. Please keep in mind that my schedule is often booked months in advance. Unless I happen to have an opening, I won’t be able to start formatting your book right away.

Once all of the files (interior pages and covers) are finalized and all forms (Amazon and/or IngramSpark) are completed, I typically need 2–3 business days to upload files and input metadata. That third day gives us wiggle room in case we run into any snags. After that, I strongly suggest you order printed proofs if you are doing a paperback and/or hardcover version of your book. The proof(s) will give you a chance to hold the book in your hands and make sure everything is just right. The process of ordering, receiving, reviewing, and making any changes to the proof(s) can take up to 10 business days. I typically suggest 5 business days for you to review your proof(s). If there are no corrections needed, I will finalize all metadata and publish your book. From there, it can take up to 72 hours for your book to appear on Amazon.com (often longer for other bookseller websites) for purchase. So, you should set your publication date for at least 3 calendar days after I “publish” your book. (The industry standard is to publish books on a Tuesday.) In total, the publication process takes about 5 weeks. (If you are only doing an ebook, it’s closer to 2 weeks.) In other words, it’s best to have all files ready and forms finished no later than 25 business days prior to when you want your book available for purchase. Because delays are common, I suggest you avoid providing an exact publication date in your marketing materials or agreeing to any promotional activities (e.g., book signings, speaking engagements, etc.) until your book has entered the 72-hour sync window. In the interim, you can provide a general timeframe for when readers can expect your book to be available for purchase (e.g., “New book coming at the end of August!” or “Book available this winter!”) TYPICAL PUBLICATION SCHEDULE *If corrections are needed, we’ll need the designer to make changes and resend files. After that, I strongly recommend ordering and reviewing updated print proof(s), which will add at least another 10 business days to the timeline. For this reason, it is best to make sure the design files are carefully proofread before sending them to me.

Yes, you can, but I usually caution against it. Here’s why: 1. Amazon does not currently allow pre-orders for print books, only for ebooks. 2. Amazon and IngramSpark do not often play nice together as they are competitors in the self-publishing industry. For this reason, a pre-order for a print book set up through IngramSpark may show as “out of stock” on Amazon. 3. In order to create a pre-sale, you will need to upload completed files for all versions of your book. This means your book needs to be ready to publish before you can run the pre-sale. This defeats most advantages of a pre-sale. 4. If there are any delays in the publishing process, you can end up with your book not being available when promised. This can lead to disgruntled readers who’ve purchased the book in advance and not received it when expected. 5. Most readers aren’t likely to buy a book when it’s not available yet, so the effort required for a successful pre-order campaign is usually not worth it. There are a few strategies out there for independent, self-publishing authors to launch successful pre-orders, but they require extra careful timing, coordination, and monitoring, and the margin for error is significant. In my experience, the drawbacks outweigh the benefits.

Your Amazon (KDP) and/or IngramSpark accounts should be set up in your name if they aren’t already. That way, after the book is published, you can manage all of the details on your own. For me to publish the book on your behalf, however, I will need your login credentials to access your account(s). To share your username and password with me, I strongly suggest you use Password Pusher (https://pwpush.com/en)or a similar service. For added privacy and protection, I also suggest that you change your password after our work together is complete. Please note that KDP has two-step authentication, so the first time I try to log into your account, you will likely get an authorization code via text or email. I will need that code right away in order to access your account.

In general, yes, I think it's best to have you book available in both formats. However, the answer depends on how much you want to spend, which format your target audience prefers, how often you need to update or revise your book, how you plan to market and sell your book, and other factors. In fact, you may even want to create an audio version in addition to (or instead of) other formats. We can discuss this on a case-by-case basis if you need help deciding, or if you are working with a book marketing specialist, I encourage you to seek that person’s input first and foremost.

To make this decision, it’s important to understand how these two services work. Both are self-publishing platforms, and both offer ebook and print-on-demand (POD) options. But while Amazon (KDP) is a retailer, IngramSpark (IS) is a distributor. KDP will sell your book directly from its website. IS will distribute your book through its retail partners: independent bookstores, libraries, Barnes & Noble, Target, Walmart, etc., and then those retail partners will make the book available to readers. (Please keep in mind that brick-and-mortar stores won't necessarily keep printed copies of your book in stock. It's up to the publisher—you, if you are self-publishing—to convince a store to stock the book.) KDP won't distribute your paperback to retailers unless you pay for "expanded distribution." Most independent bookstores won’t order from KDP, so IS is your best bet there. KDP is the go-to self-publishing platform for independent authors. It remains the largest and most popular online bookseller worldwide. IS is KDP’s closest competitor, so it is often the way independent authors choose to publish if they don’t use KDP (or publish in tandem with KDP). To help you decide whether to publish via KDP, here are some of the top pros and cons to consider: Pros: • No charges to upload or revise your book as often as you’d like • Easy-to-use publishing interface • Built-in marketing tools • How-to videos and FAQs Cons: • Monopoly-like control within the self-publishing industry that raises ethical concerns for many authors • Books that are most visible to readers are the ones with the most reviews from verified paid customers • Exclusivity clause for ebooks (Make sure to read the terms and conditions.) • Book likely won’t show up in libraries and brick-and-mortar bookstores Here are some of the top pros and cons for publishing via IS: Pros: • Wide distribution to retailers • Best way to get book to libraries and bookstores • High-quality and large variety of print options • Higher royalty rate than KDP Cons: • Higher printing costs than KDP • Unreliable customer service • Publishing interface not user-friendly If you need further help deciding, we can discuss this together, or if you are working with a book marketing specialist, I encourage you to seek that person’s input first and foremost.

Yep! Other retailers include Barnes & Noble, Apple, Kobo, and more. Other distributors include Draft2Digital, Smashwords, PublishDrive, etc. However, I do not currently help authors publish or sell directly through any of these companies. I can help you find someone who does, though! Also, don’t forget one of the simplest and most cost-effective ways to sell your book: your own website! If your website platform has a shop/store feature, you can use that to sell your book, or you can link from your website to a store you create via Shopify, Square, etc. Once purchases are made, the cheapest way to get the book to your buyers is to send a PDF or EPUB file directly to their email addresses. (You can provide instructions for how they can open and read the EPUB.) The main downside to this type of distribution is that buyers can share the files indiscriminately without paying. There are third-party tools that prevent PDFs from being copied, shared, printed, etc., but those are an additional cost. Otherwise, buyers would only be bound by their willingness to honor copyright law.

If you are working with a book marketing specialist, I encourage you to seek that person’s input on what you should include in your bio. If you’d like, I can write your bio for you, but to do so, I will need some time to collect information from you. To save time and money, you can write the bio on your own; I recommend Kindlepreneur's guide (https://kindlepreneur.com/write-author-bio/)to help you get started.

If you are working with a book marketing specialist, I encourage you to seek that person’s input on what you should include in your book description. If you’d like, I can write the description for you, but to do so, I will need some time to collect information from you. To save time and money, you can write the description on your own. For guidance, I suggest Scribe Media's guide.(https://scribemedia.com/write-book-description/)

If you are working with a book marketing specialist, I encourage you to seek that person’s input on what keywords/search terms you should use for your book. If you’d like, I can create keywords for you, but to do so, I will need some time to collect information. To save time and money, you can create keywords on your own. If you need help, I recommend Scribe Media's guide.(https://scribemedia.com/kindle-keywords/)

The price of your book depends on many factors such as its length, the value of the information it provides, the characteristics of your target audience, and your overall marketing strategy. It requires research and careful thought and should never be arbitrary. If you are working with a book marketing specialist, I encourage you to seek that person’s input on what price you should list for your book. If you need to make that decision on your own, I suggest Scribe Media’s guide.(https://scribemedia.com/book-pricing-guide/)

No, you do not have to have endorsements/reviews before publishing your book. That said, endorsements/reviews can help influence readers’ purchasing decisions. If you are doing a print version, having endorsements before you publish is advantageous because you can list them at the front of the book or on the back cover. For ebooks, you have more flexibility because you can add endorsements to your book at any time.

Printed books (both paperback and hardcover) require an ISBN and a corresponding barcode. Ebooks typically do not require an ISBN but will be assigned an ID number specific to whichever publishing platform you use. You can usually get an ISBN for free from whichever publishing platform you use. However, that will limit your ability to publish elsewhere. For instance, a free ISBN from KDP can only be used for distribution to Amazon. It can't be used with another publisher or self-publishing service, including your own personal/business website. I typically suggest purchasing an ISBN directly from B(https://www.myidentifiers.com/)owker.(https://www.myidentifiers.com/) Doing so provides you the most control over how your book is distributed, listed, and sold. Keep in mind you will need a separate ISBN for each format you publish in, and print formats will also need a barcode for the back cover. For more help making choices about ISBNs, I suggest Kindlepreneur's guide.(https://kindlepreneur.com/what-is-isbn/)

Yes, if you are selling via KDP, you should have an author page. In fact, I recommend you create an author page before you publish your book. If you need help creating one, check out Scribe Media's guide.(https://scribemedia.com/amazon-author-central-page/)

If you wrote the book, chances are you own the copyright automatically. For further protection, you can officially register your copyright with the U.S. Copyright Office. If you'd like more information about copyright, I suggest Kindlepreneur's guide.(https://kindlepreneur.com/how-to-copyright-a-book/) (Please note: I am only familiar with U.S. copyright laws. If you are publishing your book in a different country, please check copyright laws with the appropriate legal resource.)

Schedule a call! If we have not yet connected, please book a free 30-minute discovery call.(https://calendly.com/jessicalsherer) During that time, we'll discuss the details of your project, and I'll answer any questions you have. If it turns out I'm not a good fit for your project, I'll help you find someone who is.