A full-service book publishing company coordinates the major steps required to take a book from concept or manuscript to a finished, distributed, and potentially marketed book. Depending on the company, that can include book strategy, concept development, editing, ghostwriting coordination, cover and interior design, production, distribution, launch planning, and marketing.

For a busy professional, the biggest advantage is often coordination. Instead of finding and managing separate editors, designers, production vendors, distributors, and marketers, the author has one organized process and a central point of contact.

The exact services vary, however. “Full service” is not a standardized industry term, so professionals should understand exactly what a company does, what it doesn’t do, who manages the various vendors, and who owns the publishing accounts and rights.

What Services Does a Full-Service Book Publishing Company Provide?

A full-service publishing company may provide some or all of the following:

  • Book concept and positioning
  • Audience definition and publishing strategy
  • Ghostwriting or writing support
  • Developmental editing, copyediting, and proofreading
  • Cover and interior design
  • Book production and formatting
  • ISBN and publishing setup
  • Distribution
  • Launch planning
  • Media and podcast outreach
  • Book marketing and promotional strategy

Not every company provides all of these services directly. Some coordinate outside specialists while managing the overall project.

That distinction matters. A company may call itself full service while only handling production and distribution. Another may manage the entire process from concept through marketing.

Why Does a Professional Need a Publishing Company?

Publishing a book involves much more than writing the manuscript.

A professional may need an editor, proofreader, cover designer, interior designer, production specialist, distributor, and marketing support. Each person may be excellent at their particular job, but someone still needs to make sure all of those pieces work together.

For a busy physician, CEO, attorney, consultant, or business owner, that coordination can become a project of its own.

The professional’s time is better spent on patients, clients, employees, business development, or other responsibilities.

What Is the First Step in Professional Book Publishing?

The first step should usually be strategy, not production.

Before editing or designing anything, the publishing team should understand what the book is about, who it is for, what the author wants it to accomplish, and how the book should be positioned.

Those decisions influence almost everything that follows.

For example, a physician writing a book for patients may need a very different structure and writing style from a physician writing for other doctors. A CEO writing to establish a leadership philosophy has different objectives from an entrepreneur writing a book to generate business opportunities.

Without that clarity, it is easy to produce a technically finished book that doesn’t accomplish what the author intended.

Does a Full-Service Publishing Company Include Editing?

It can, but the type of editing matters.

Some manuscripts need developmental editing to improve structure, organization, pacing, and overall content. Others may be well developed and primarily need copyediting and proofreading.

A professional publishing company should evaluate the manuscript and determine what level of editorial support is appropriate rather than automatically applying the same editing process to every book.

Does a Full-Service Publishing Company Handle Book Design?

Typically, a full-service publishing program should coordinate both the cover and interior design.

The cover needs to communicate the book’s subject and intended audience quickly. The interior should be professional, readable, and appropriate for the book’s format.

Design should also support the book’s positioning. A book written to establish a physician’s authority, for example, may need a different visual approach from a mass-market novel or a children’s book.

Does a Full-Service Publishing Company Handle Distribution?

Many do.

Distribution can include Amazon and other online retailers, Ingram-related distribution, bookstores, libraries, and additional channels depending on the book and the author’s objectives.

The important question isn’t simply whether a company offers distribution. It’s which distribution channels it uses and why those channels make sense for the book.

A professional book does not necessarily need to be everywhere. The distribution strategy should reflect the intended audience and the author’s goals.

Does Publishing Include Book Marketing?

Usually it does not. 

Publishing and marketing are related, but they are different functions. Publishing creates and distributes the book. Marketing works to get the book in front of the right people.

Some full-service companies offer marketing as part of their program. Others stop after production and distribution. It’s rare to find a company that does both. 

For a professional using a book to build authority, the two should be connected from the beginning.

A physician’s book might be positioned for healthcare media, podcasts, professional organizations, patient education, and speaking opportunities. An executive’s book might be connected to business media, podcasts, conferences, LinkedIn content, and professional networks.

What Does a Full-Service Book Launch Include?

A launch can involve much more than announcing that the book is available.

Depending on the program, launch support might include:

  • Media and podcast outreach
  • Advance reviews
  • Professional organization outreach
  • Email campaigns
  • Social and LinkedIn content
  • Speaking and event opportunities
  • Author interviews
  • Promotional campaigns

The appropriate strategy depends on what the author wants the book to accomplish.

For a professional, the goal may not be to sell thousands of copies. The book may be intended to generate speaking opportunities, strengthen credibility, attract patients or clients, support business development, or create greater visibility within a particular industry.

What Is the Difference Between a Full-Service Publisher and a Traditional Publisher?

The terms can be confusing.

A traditional publisher typically acquires a book, assumes responsibility for publishing it, and pays the author according to the terms of a publishing agreement. The publisher controls many aspects of the process and generally determines whether the book fits its publishing list.

A full-service publishing company or publishing consultant may instead be hired by the author to coordinate the publishing process. In that model, the author typically retains greater control over the book, while paying for professional services.

The two models should not be treated as interchangeable.

Is a Full-Service Publishing Company the Same as a Self-Publishing Company?

Similar, but the services discussed and requested make the difference. 

Self-publishing describes a publishing model in which the author controls the publishing process rather than licensing the book to a traditional publisher. It does not mean the author has to do everything personally.

A professional can self-publish while hiring experienced professionals to handle editing, design, production, distribution, and marketing.

That is one reason professional self-publishing can be attractive to busy professionals who want control without having to learn every part of the publishing business.

What Should You Ask a Full-Service Book Publishing Company?

Before hiring a company, ask exactly what you are getting.

Important questions include:

  1. Who develops the publishing strategy?
  2. Is editing included, and what type?
  3. Is ghostwriting available if needed?
  4. Who designs the cover and interior?
  5. Who manages production?
  6. Which distribution channels are included?
  7. Who owns the ISBNs and publishing accounts?
  8. Who owns the rights to the book?
  9. Is marketing included?
  10. Who manages outside vendors?
  11. What happens after the book is published?
  12. Who is my primary point of contact?

The answers can reveal significant differences between companies that appear similar on the surface.

What Is the Biggest Benefit of a Full-Service Publishing Relationship?

For a busy professional, the biggest benefit may not be any single service.

It is having someone coordinate the entire process.

Without that coordination, the author can easily become the project manager. The editor finishes the manuscript, but the designer needs information. The designer finishes the cover, but production needs different files. The book is published, but nobody has developed a marketing strategy.

A strong full-service relationship connects those steps.

The goal should be to make publishing clearer and easier, not add another complicated project to the author’s schedule.

How Does TrustPub Help Professionals Publish a Book?

TrustPub provides guided publishing for professionals, executives, physicians, business owners, and other established professionals who want to turn their expertise into a professionally positioned book without managing every vendor and publishing decision themselves.

TrustPub can coordinate the process from concept and positioning through writing support, editing, production, distribution, launch strategy, and ongoing promotion.

The focus is not simply getting a book into print. The larger objective is to create a book that supports the professional’s reputation, expertise, audience, and business or career goals.

For a busy professional, that means having one point of contact instead of managing an entire publishing project alone.

 

Related TrustPub Articles

 

About the Author

Rick Lite is the founder of TrustPub and a publishing strategist with more than 20 years of experience in publishing and book marketing. He helps successful professionals who have something important to say, turn their expertise into professionally published books that build credibility, visibility, and new opportunities.

Rick created TrustPub to give busy professionals a guided, concierge-style publishing experience without the stress of managing vendors, timelines, and publishing decisions. His clients include executives, consultants, physicians, attorneys, entrepreneurs, coaches, financial advisors, educators, and memoir writers. He combines strategic guidance with professional execution and a practical, approachable style.