How we bring your story to life, step by step.
You Want To Get Published... Now What?
Traditional Publishing
In a traditional publishing model, a publisher pays for all editing, design, and printing expenses. In return, the publisher controls most creative decisions and keeps a large percentage of the profits, often paying the author royalties over time. This process can take years and is highly competitive.
Self-Publishing
Self-publishing means the author handles everything—writing, editing, design, and printing—on their own or by hiring freelancers individually. While this gives full control, it can also feel overwhelming and lead to inconsistent quality if not managed carefully.
Independent Publishing
Indie publishing combines the best of both worlds. You maintain control over your work, timeline, and profits while partnering with a professional publishing press (like Between Friends Publishing) that provides expert guidance and production services. Your book carries a professional ISBN imprint, giving it credibility and polish.
We believe indie publishing empowers authors to bring their vision to life without unnecessary gatekeeping or exploitation. You get a beautiful, professional book—quickly and affordably—while keeping your rights and royalties.
No Guesswork
Just a Great Experience
Publishing your book doesn’t have to be an overwhelming experience. We are here to guide you through all of your questions—making the entire process clear, personalized, and stress-free. Whether you’re a first-time author or a seasoned writer, we’re here to guide you every step of the way, answer any questions, and bring your story to life in print.
A Process Built Around You
Publishing a book should feel exciting, not confusing. That’s why we’ve created a step-by-step process designed to keep things simple, transparent, and completely tailored to your goals.
From your very first conversation with us to holding your finished book in your hands, you’ll always know what’s happening, when it’s happening, and why. No hidden fees. No guesswork. Just clear guidance, open communication, and a team that treats your story with the respect it deserves.
Some authors come to us after browsing our services online, while others want to start with a conversation. Either way works. We’ll help you identify the solutions that match your goals—editing, design, consulting, or a full publishing package.
When you’re ready to move forward, we’ll schedule a project kick-off meeting—your choice of in-person, video chat, or phone call. This is where we get to know you, understand your vision, and answer every question you have about the process.
Once you’ve selected your services, we’ll build a clear timeline for your project. You’ll know exactly what happens next, when milestones will be reached, and what information or materials we’ll need from you.
We’ll send this timeline to you along with a straightforward contract and an initial invoice via email. Once we receive your signed contract and deposit, your project officially begins.
At the kickoff stage, we send detailed questionnaires and task lists so you’ll know exactly what to provide. This keeps everything moving smoothly and ensures we can wrap up your project quickly and efficiently.
As we work, our team keeps communication open and consistent. Whether you like to stay closely involved or prefer a more hands-off approach, we adapt to your style.
We’ll deliver high-quality editing, design, and production work within the agreed timeline, always checking in to make sure the results reflect your vision. Every decision is made with your goals in mind—from layout choices to cover design to final file preparation.
We’ll collaborate with your preferred printing provider or on-demand printing service to ensure your books are printed and delivered to you and your market seamlessly.
When your project is complete, you’ll receive all original, editable, and final files. You get exactly what you paid for: your complete, finished work in your hands.
At this stage, we bill you for the remainder of your original project cost. Once your project is paid in full, there are no additional fees or royalties. Your profits stay yours, and your book remains 100% under your control.
Even after your project is complete, we don’t disappear. We continue to act as a sounding board for marketing ideas, offer free consulting to help you grow your author brand, and connect you with event opportunities. We’re not just your publisher—we’re your partner and advocate long after launch day.
At Between Friends Publishing, we handle every step of preparing your book for publication — from editing and interior layout design to graphic design, custom illustrations, and even website design to help you market your work. We do not provide physical printing services ourselves, so we partner with a variety of trusted printers and print-on-demand platforms — including Amazon KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing), IngramSpark, Barnes & Noble Press, Lulu, Draft2Digital, BookBaby, and more.
While we’re happy to work with any printer you choose, Amazon KDP is our preferred platform for most of our authors. It gives your book global visibility on the world’s largest online retailer without incurring stocking fees or minimum order requirements. That means readers can purchase your book anytime, anywhere — while you keep full control over your pricing and royalties.
At Between Friends Publishing, your relationship with us doesn’t end when your book is printed. We’re here for the long haul—helping you market your work, find event opportunities, and grow your audience. With our free consulting and networking support, you’re never left wondering, What do I do next? We believe your success is our success—and together, we’re building a stronger literary community.
