FAQ
Book publishing services: questions and answers
Last updated: November 2026
Here are 42 plain answers about book publishing services, writing, costs, marketing, and how Big Impact Books works with CEOs, attorneys, and business owners. Each answer starts with the direct answer and uses only facts Big Impact Books has published or numbers from named sources.
What are book publishing services?
Book publishing services are companies that handle some or all of the work of turning an author’s ideas or manuscript into a published book: editing, design, formatting, distribution, and often marketing. Big Impact Books covers the whole path for business authors, from planning and interview-based writing to publishing and promotion through podcasts and media outreach.
What Big Impact Books is
What does Big Impact Books do?
Big Impact Books provides book planning, writing, publishing, and promotion services for CEOs, attorneys, professionals, and business owners. Its process turns client interviews and existing drafts into finished books, then supports the launch with marketing such as podcast placements and media outreach. The goal is a book that builds the author’s authority and supports business growth.
Who runs Big Impact Books?
Melanie Herschorn leads Big Impact Books. She describes herself as an independent publisher, book promotion expert, and bestselling author, with a background of over 20 years as a celebrity publicist, award-winning journalist in radio, print, and TV, clothing designer, and entrepreneur. She earned a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Southern California, graduating first in her class.
Is Big Impact Books a ghostwriting company?
Not in the traditional sense. Melanie Herschorn says she refuses to churn out cookie-cutter content or “hide behind ghostwriting,” because clients should own their brilliance. Instead, the team interviews you weekly and shapes your spoken ideas, or your existing draft, into a book in your voice. You do the talking for about an hour a week while the team does the heavy lifting.
Is Big Impact Books a traditional publisher?
No. Big Impact Books describes itself as an independent publisher with a done-for-you publishing and promotion process. It works as a service partner that helps you plan, write, publish, and promote your own book, rather than a large house that acquires manuscripts through agents. Confirm rights, royalties, and contract terms directly with the team at yourbigimpactbook.com before you begin.
What is a book publishing service?
A book publishing service is a company that handles some or all of the work of turning a manuscript into a published book: editing, design, formatting, distribution setup, and often marketing. Big Impact Books starts earlier and ends later than most, beginning with planning and interview-based writing before a manuscript exists, and continuing after launch with podcast placements and media outreach.
Where is Big Impact Books based, and do I need to be local?
Melanie Herschorn lives in Arizona, according to her About page, and works with CEOs, attorneys, professionals, and business owners worldwide. Because the writing happens through weekly interviews, you do not need to live nearby to work with the team. For details about scheduling across time zones, check the Big Impact Books website at yourbigimpactbook.com.
Pricing and cost
How much does publishing a book cost?
It depends on how much of the work you hire out. Big Impact Books does not post package prices in the information supplied for this site, so confirm current investment levels at yourbigimpactbook.com. As market context, Manuscript Report reviewed 16 book marketing companies in 2026 and found published prices running from $10 to $9,499 for services that sound nearly identical in sales copy.
How much do book marketing services cost?
Published prices vary widely. Manuscript Report’s 2026 review found $100 to $600 buys bigger placements such as BookBub Featured Deals ($122 to $4,216 by genre), $500 to $2,500 buys a freelance marketer’s time, and one listed publicity campaign cost $9,499. Leverage With Media notes some promotion sites start as low as $5 and go up to several hundred dollars.
Does Big Impact Books list its prices online?
Package prices are not part of the information supplied for this site. Done-for-you book programs are generally priced by scope, such as whether you start from interviews or a draft and how much promotion you want. The simplest way to get a current number is to visit yourbigimpactbook.com and ask about the program that fits your book.
How much does Amazon pay authors in Kindle royalties?
According to Reedsy, Amazon pays 70% of the retail Kindle price when the price is between $2.99 and $9.99, and only 35% when the price is lower than $2.99 or $10 and higher. Reedsy also says that for most authors, 80 to 100% of sales happen on Amazon. Print book royalties follow different rules, so check Amazon KDP directly.
Is writing a book worth the money for a CEO?
For many CEOs, the return comes from authority rather than royalties. The Big Impact Books blog post “The Real ROI of Publishing a Book” argues that the invisible returns, such as trust, visibility, and new opportunities, matter more than book sales. Attorney client Manisha P. Patel reported an increase in referrals from colleagues after publishing her book.
Why do book publishing prices vary so much?
Prices vary because services cover very different scopes: formatting only, full editing and design, writing from scratch, or writing plus a marketing campaign. Manuscript Report found 2026 published prices from $10 to $9,499 for things that sound nearly identical in sales copy. Compare exactly what is included, who does the writing, and who owns the rights before comparing prices.
How the process works
How does the Big Impact Books process work?
It starts with planning your book around your business goals. Next, the team holds weekly interviews where you talk through each chapter while they shape the manuscript, or they work from a draft you already have. They then assemble, package, and publish the finished book and support promotion with podcast placements and media outreach. Your time commitment is about one hour a week.
How much time do I need to spend writing my book?
About one hour a week. Big Impact Books describes its done-for-you process as designed to respect your time, with just one hour a week of your involvement. Attorney Manisha P. Patel said the weekly interviews made the process manageable despite her schedule and other commitments, because the team did the heavy lifting.
Can Big Impact Books finish a book I already started?
Yes. The process can turn existing drafts into finished books. William R. Mitchell, founder of LegalEdge Debt Solutions and author of Say Goodbye to Credit Card Debt, said Melanie “took an unfinished, rough draft and turned it into a published book that I will forever be proud of,” and that she delivered timely and on budget.
Will my book sound like me?
That is the point of the interview approach. Big Impact Books says its process is designed to honor your authentic voice, and its blog post “Your Book Needs Your Voice” explains why. Because the manuscript is built from your own spoken answers in weekly interviews, the ideas, stories, and phrasing start with you rather than with a writer guessing at them.
How long does it take to write and publish a book?
Big Impact Books does not state a fixed timeline in the information supplied for this site. Interview-based books are paced by weekly sessions, so the length of your book and your availability shape the schedule. As a general rule, writing, editing, design, and launch for a nonfiction business book takes months, not weeks. Confirm a timeline for your project at yourbigimpactbook.com.
What happens after my book is published?
Promotion continues. Big Impact Books includes marketing support such as podcast placements and media outreach. Attorney and author Paula Yost said the team “got me on about twenty podcasts and launched articles about my book to major news networks.” The Big Impact Books blog also covers staying relevant after launch and building long-term authority.
Will my name be on the cover as the author?
Yes, that is the intent of the approach. Big Impact Books says its clients “get to own their brilliance,” and Melanie Herschorn says she refuses to hide behind ghostwriting. You are the author of your book. As with any publishing partner, confirm the exact credit and rights terms in your written agreement before you sign.
Who it is for
Who is Big Impact Books for?
CEOs first, then attorneys, professionals, and business owners who want a book to build authority and grow their business. It suits experts with deep knowledge and little time to write. It is a weaker fit for novelists or for authors whose main goal is a traditional advance from a large publishing house, since the service is built around business authority.
Should a CEO write a book?
If you want to be known for a specific idea, a book is one of the most durable ways to do it. The Big Impact Books blog calls a book “a CEO’s most underrated tool” and encourages leaders to write for where their business is going, not just where it has been. The time cost with Big Impact Books is about one hour a week.
Why should an attorney write a book?
A book can help an attorney build a brand, grow a practice, and be seen as the trusted expert. Melanie Herschorn wrote Lasting Legal Impact specifically for legal professionals, and it was named a Finalist in the Business: Writing/Publishing category of the 2025 Best Book Awards, presented by American Book Fest. Several Big Impact Books clients are attorneys.
I am not a writer. Can I still publish a book?
Yes. Many Big Impact Books clients are busy professionals who talk more easily than they write. Manisha P. Patel said, “Talking comes easily to me, so I was able to talk through each chapter in an organized way while Melanie’s team pieced everything together.” The weekly interview process is built for exactly this kind of author.
Does Big Impact Books work with fiction authors?
The information supplied for this site focuses on nonfiction books for CEOs, attorneys, professionals, and business owners who want to build authority. Fiction is not described as a core service. If you are writing a novel or a story-driven book, ask the team at yourbigimpactbook.com whether your project is a fit before planning around it.
Does Big Impact Books offer Christian book publishing services?
Faith-based publishing is not named as a specialty in the information supplied for this site. The Big Impact Books process is built for experts writing to build authority. If your book shares professional expertise from a faith perspective, the interview approach may still fit; confirm with the team through yourbigimpactbook.com before you decide.
Compared to alternatives
What is the difference between a ghostwriter and Big Impact Books?
A traditional ghostwriter writes the book for you, often uncredited, and you review drafts. Big Impact Books interviews you weekly and shapes your own words into the book, with you clearly as the author. Melanie Herschorn says she refuses to hide behind ghostwriting so that clients own their brilliance. Both approaches save you from writing alone.
Is self-publishing better than traditional publishing?
It depends on your goal. Traditional publishing generally involves agents, proposals, and long timelines, with the publisher controlling much of the process. Self-publishing gives you control and speed, but you handle everything. For CEOs and attorneys whose goal is authority, a done-for-you partner like Big Impact Books pairs that control with professional writing, publishing, and promotion.
Should I use Amazon KDP or IngramSpark?
Both are print-on-demand platforms widely used by self-published authors, and many authors use both. Amazon KDP covers Amazon, where Reedsy says 80 to 100% of sales happen for most authors. IngramSpark is generally used to reach bookstores and libraries more broadly. A publishing partner can handle this setup so you do not have to learn each platform.
Which self-publishing companies should I avoid?
Avoid any company that hides what is included, pressures you with countdown timers or deep limited-time discounts, keeps your rights, or promises bestseller status or guaranteed sales. The Big Impact Books guide to self-publishing companies to avoid lists the red flags and the questions to ask any provider, including Big Impact Books itself, before you sign.
Do I need a book marketing agency if my book is already published?
Often, yes. Publishing makes a book available; marketing puts it in front of readers. The Big Impact Books blog post “Published without a Marketing Plan?” explains the missed opportunities and limited sales that follow when authors skip marketing. Big Impact Books plans publishing and promotion together so the launch does not stall.
Is an all-in-one book service better than hiring freelancers?
It suits authors who value their time over controlling every vendor. Hiring freelancers separately can cost less, but you manage editors, designers, and marketers yourself. Sarah Hubbard, author of The Intentional Networker, called Big Impact Books “an all-encompassing program,” noting that she got both her book written and marketing support.
Book marketing
What book marketing services does Big Impact Books offer?
Big Impact Books’ marketing support includes podcast placements and media outreach. Client Paula Yost reported that the team got her on about twenty podcasts and launched articles about her book to major news networks. Big Impact Books also offers a free Ultimate Book Marketing Checklist on its website for authors who want to review every promotional tool.
What are podcast placements for authors?
Podcast placement means pitching an author as a guest to shows whose listeners match the book’s audience. It lets busy experts reach new people by talking rather than writing. Big Impact Books arranges podcast appearances as part of its promotion support, and Melanie Herschorn hosts her own show, The Big Impact Playbook Podcast.
Can book marketing help me get more clients?
For business authors, that is the main goal. Manisha P. Patel, attorney and author of End Your Marriage Peacefully, reported an increase in referrals from colleagues after publishing with Big Impact Books. She is building on that visibility by pursuing speaking opportunities and author events at libraries and bookstores throughout her state.
What are the best book marketing services for self-published authors?
The best fit depends on your goal. For business authors, positioning your expertise through podcasts and media usually matters more than short-term price drops. Reedsy says temporary promotions like a $0.99 price can boost visibility but should not be permanent. Leverage With Media notes promotion sites range from about $5 to several hundred dollars.
Does Big Impact Books offer Amazon book marketing services?
Amazon advertising is not listed as a service in the information supplied for this site. Big Impact Books’ stated marketing support centers on podcast placements and media outreach. If Amazon-specific promotion matters to your plans, ask the team at yourbigimpactbook.com what is included before choosing a program.
Getting started and credentials
How do I publish my book with Big Impact Books?
Start at yourbigimpactbook.com, where you can read about the publishing and promotion program and download the free Book Planning Checklist. The first step in the Big Impact Books process is planning your book around your business goals, before any writing begins, so the finished book supports the clients and opportunities you want next.
What should I have ready before I start?
Your expertise, your goals, and about an hour a week. A rough draft helps but is not required, because the process can start from interviews. The free Book Planning Checklist on the Big Impact Books website helps you think through your idea, your ideal reader, and what you want the book to do for your business.
Does Big Impact Books offer book proposal writing services?
Book proposal writing is not listed as a service in the information supplied for this site. Proposals are mainly used to pitch agents and traditional publishers, while Big Impact Books focuses on taking your book from plan to published and promoted. If you specifically need a proposal, ask the team at yourbigimpactbook.com.
What free resources does Big Impact Books offer?
Big Impact Books offers a free Book Planning Checklist and an Ultimate Book Marketing Checklist on its website. Melanie Herschorn also hosts The Big Impact Playbook Podcast and Authority Marketing LIVE!, and the blog publishes regular posts on authority, visibility, and book marketing for CEOs, attorneys, and business owners.
Has Big Impact Books won any awards?
Yes. The Big Impact Books blog reports a win in Publishing at the 2024 Best Book Awards and a 2024 “Publisher of the Year” recognition. Melanie Herschorn’s book Lasting Legal Impact was named a Finalist in the Business: Writing/Publishing category of the 2025 Best Book Awards, presented by American Book Fest.
Where has Melanie Herschorn been featured?
The Big Impact Books blog lists features in The Female CEO Magazine, a BRAINZ Magazine cover feature, CanvasRebel, and VoyagePhoenix, along with media coverage on storytelling for attorneys. Melanie also appears as a podcast guest and hosts The Big Impact Playbook Podcast, which gives her direct experience of the podcast circuit her authors use.
Where can I read more?
Start with the overview of book publishing services from Big Impact Books, or see how much publishing a book costs.