What is Assisted Self-Publishing?

Maintaining full creative control over your book, higher royalty rates, a hand-picked publishing team. These are just a few of the advantages that stand out when it comes to assisted self-publishing. However, if the world of publishing is still relatively new to you, you probably have a long list of questions about this process. At Rowanvale Books we understand how important a decision this is; that’s why we’ve put together this post to give an overview of assisted self-publishing and all of the work our wonderful team does to help turn first drafts into final products.  ​

What is it?

Self-publishing a book means that you are not working with a traditional publishing house but are instead going through the whole process yourself, from editing your manuscript and designing the cover to securing an ISBN and developing marketing strategies. Don’t worry if this all sounds overwhelming – that’s where assisted self-publishing companies such as Rowanvale Books come in! Assisted self-publishing just means that other people and services will be brought in to help you with the areas you need some support in. This is where it differs from vanity publishing, in which authors pay an often-extortionate fee for a company to publish their book, often losing out on making many of the decisions along the way.  ​

How Does Assisted Self-Publishing Work? 

When you choose assisted self-publishing, there may be some areas you know nothing about and others where you’re already the expert. One of the main benefits of this route is that you can often pick and choose which services you need to pay for and which you would like to manage on your own. The team at Rowanvale Books is well aware of this and will never try to push something we don’t think is necessary for you. You will have the chance to choose from a wide variety of self-publishing packages and services that are tailored to suit you, all with the help of a professional and dedicated team.  
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The services we offer can be arranged into three categories: 
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1. Rowanvale’s Pre-Publication Services

• Writing Advisor Service  
• Literary Agent Package 

• Editorial Assessment  
• Beta Readers 
• Proofreading and Copy-Editing  ​
  

2. Rowanvale’s Publication Services 

• Paperback/Hardback Publishing Package  
• E-Book Publishing Package  
• KDP Publishing Package  
• Children’s Book Publishing Package  ​

​3. Rowanvale’s Post-Publication Services 

• Marketing and Aftercare Service  

• Amazon Analysis  
• PR Services  
• ARC and Book Review Service  

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The sheer number of options just goes to show how flexible self-publishing a book can be! There are many self-publishing companies to choose from, but opting for Rowanvale Books will mean you retain full control over every part of the process while still receiving high-quality support at every stage.  ​

What Are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Assisted Self-Publishing? 

Like traditional and vanity publishing, assisted self-publishing also has its ups and downs. Many of the advantages have already been mentioned, such as complete creative control, higher royalty rates and maintaining the rights to your books. However, there are still even more that are not to be forgotten.  
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Self-publishing will provide you with greater opportunities for niche publishing, as traditional publishing houses often find these kinds of books difficult to sell. You may even find that your books have a longer period of time in which to find an audience, particularly if you’re self-publishing on Amazon, as digital books can stay on Amazon’s shelves indefinitely.  
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There are no confusing contract clauses when it comes to self-publishing, as well as much less deadline stress since you, the author, are responsible for the decision making. This means you can see your books on the shelves as soon, or as late, as you wish.  ​

One aspect which can initially seem somewhat off-putting is the potential stress of having to find a reputable publishing team. This is especially the case if you have a longer list of areas you’re looking for support in. Luckily, when you decide to publish with Rowanvale Books, you’ll have a team of all the people you may need all under one (virtual) roof! Our team work hard to make sure they really get to know each individual author and ensure everyone involved is working to achieve the same goals.  
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Another potential downside is the initial costs involved with self-publishing. This is actually why Rowanvale Books was started. Having seen the poor treatment her father received at the hands of one of the biggest assisted self-publishing companies in the world, our managing director, Cat, decided to set up her own company with some important key values at its core. This is why we place so much emphasis on ensuring that you only pay for the services you truly need! ​

Is Assisted Self-Publishing Worth It? ​

In a nutshell: yes, absolutely! 

Virginia Woolf, Mark Twain and E.L. James all started their journeys by self-publishing. If they can do it, there’s no reason why you can’t too.  
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If you’ve been putting off making the decision to get started, then take this as your sign to just go for it. Yes, it might be scary to start with, and like any big decision, of course there are risks involved. But with the amount of help and resources available at the moment, there’s really never been a better time to give it a go! 

 If you’re interested in the services we offer, our plethora of packages can be found here. 
Can’t find what you're looking for? Not to worry! Feel free to contact us at [email protected] or call us on 029 2128 0200 where we are more than happy to answer any other questions.