Self-publishing comes with a whole lot of hurdles. The different options, the different pieces needed to find success, and all the various moving parts can be, frankly, terrifying if you don’t know what you’re getting into. While I do have a very thorough breakdown of what my services are over on my website, there are so many potential services and people you can hire out there that I thought it might be a good idea to break down what they are and categorize them.
I’m going to do this in the order you might use these folks, too, to try and make this as neat as possible. Also, be aware that different individuals offer different specifics for each of these services. Some book coaches do things one way versus another. I’m trying to be as generic as possible with what the different services are that exist, so understand, please, that these are intended to be concepts rather than specifics.
While You’re Drafting
This is, as the title implies, the earliest stages of writing your book, likely either during or after the very first draft is completed.
Book Coach
While a book coach can be brought in during any stage of the process, we are frequently brought in during the early stages of writing to talk about various hang-ups or difficulties an author is facing. Unlike developmental editing, book coaching typically happens during sessions and frequently involves things like Zoom calls or, sometimes, in-person meetings if the person is local.
For me, coaching usually looks like some emails to discuss what the author is fighting with then a 30-minute or 60-minute block where we discuss the topic the author wants to cover. This can vary from “how do I brand myself as an author” to “how do I write believable dialogue?” If we’re working on something like the latter, I might do something like give exercises an author can do before we meet again, or I might offer just an occasional check-in.
I have also done consulting on things on which I am a subject matter expert (such as historical sword fighting, fantasy world-building, story structure, and other such things). These can also be put underneath my coaching umbrella since I often use them in context of discussing elements of an author’s book.
Alpha Reader
While alpha readers are not always paid (and frequently are not) you’ll hear this term tossed around a lot in writing spaces. Unlike a beta reader (who reads a more polished version), an alpha reader may read chapters as they are written or might view a first draft. They give feedback on the earliest possible drafts of your story.
For me, my alpha reader is my husband. I don’t typically have others look at my early drafts as a rule, though I have some exceptions such as me sharing early chapters behind the paywall here or sharing individual scenes I need feedback on with friends who are experts in that field. (I have a dear friend who was a critical care nurse for a long time, and I have asked her to look at injury scenes more than once!)
Also, a final note about alpha readers, I advise against over-relying on alpha readers because you can end up struggling with wanting to write your book to their tastes. Early on this can be very damaging, so do this with caution.
Developmental Editor
Back into the realm of paid people, a developmental editor is similar to a book coach but often sees a more finished version of the story. They frequently will look at either an outline or a whole first draft and write up an editorial letter discussing things like characterization, pacing, world building, plot structure, and similar elements.
While I can certainly look at a detailed outline to discuss story structure, honestly I most often do developmental editing on entire first drafts. I have also had to pause other kinds of edits to recommend developmental editing more than once when an author has needed attention to these kinds of things.
If you are going to hire a developmental editor, it is going to happen well before line editing or copy editing, to be clear.
After The First Draft
After your initial feedback phase and self-editing is done, you can start the next phase of your work and can find people offering the following services.
Beta Reader
Beta readers, as you might imagine, read a book after it’s gone through a couple rounds of self-editing. I just went through this process with How to Publish the Damn Book. You might pay a beta reader to review the book or you might ask someone to review it at no cost. There are benefits and drawbacks to both. Often, beta readers might be your close author friends, and you in turn may be a beta reader for them.
What a beta reader does is read the book and note things they do and don’t like. It’s not editing. It’s just a read of the material with personal notes about what the reader enjoys or not. If you hire a beta reader, they will give you deeper analysis than an unpaid, typically, but it’s still not going to be anywhere near as intense as a developmental edit.
Sensitivity Reader
A sensitivity reader is not needed for all kinds of books, but it’s worth mentioning here. If you write about a culture you are not from, want to double check for ableist language, discuss mental health issues you do not experience, and so on, a sensitivity reader can be a valuable member of the team.
Ideally, a sensitivity reader should be from the group you are writing about, but if that is not possible, there are people who are experts on conscious and inclusive language and who can help research things they may not have experienced. For example, I have done some sensitivity reading work on things relating to disability, neurodivergence, and abuse/trauma. Not every sensitivity reader works on every kind of book or every kind of sphere, so it’s wise to ask.
Line/Copy Editor
This is what most people think of when they think of “editing.” Correcting commas, fixing syntax, reviewing spelling and helping authors catch things like passive voice and so on. These editors are well-known, so I’m not going to detail this service a great deal because most of the folks reading this will know more or less what this entails.
As a general rule, you seek out this kind of editing after beta reading and sensitivity reading since those are likely to either send you back into self-editing or at the very least have you reworking passages and areas of the piece on your own, so it’s best to send the most finished version you can produce to your editor.
Pro tip, that will also save you money in the long run.
Preparing to Publish
After your edits are all done, and your book is heading toward publication, these folks will help you get into the home run.
Book Formatter/Interior Designer
A formatter will handle making your book look like, well, a book. This can include print or ebook formats and may also include this individual doing interior art for your book. Not all formatters (also known as typesetters) offer this service, so you will want to look for an interior designer if you need graphics made and put into the text.
Cover Designer
Again, I don’t feel this needs a great deal of explanation, but your book needs a cover, and these people make them. They do a fabulous job, too, if you get a good one. (Shout out to my cover artist, Angel Leya!)
Indexer
These amazing folks create indexes for non-fiction books that need them, things like textbooks, manuals, cookbooks, and other such works where looking things up in such a way is helpful. I have no idea how they do what they do, but I respect it. I think my brain would melt if I tried. Honestly, I’m convinced they do some sort of magic.
Proofreader
People often confuse proofreading with copy editing and think they’re the same, but they aren’t. After the book is as prepared for publishing as possible, a proofreader will look at the very final version after the book is formatted. They will note issues with formatting, catch any last minute typos, and ensure the book is altogether ready for distribution.
Publishing Coach
While this service is very often folded into book coaching, I separate it out because this is the phase where we talk branding, market position, marketing plans, and other such parts that would be too much to go over while you’re still writing the first draft.
Much as with book coaching, these sessions can be a lot of different things, depending on your needs, so you’ll want to look at what the person offers expertise in.
Book Marketer/Publicist
There are good and bad marketers and publicists out there. If someone DMs you cold on Instagram and offers to market your book, that’s not one of the good ones. In fact, those people are just going to give you bot traffic and bleed your marketing budget dry with it. You will not make sales that way.
A good book marketer will talk to you about positioning your book in the market, discuss your blurb, cover art, and keywords. They might help you figure out who your target audience is and how to reach them. They might help you craft a social media strategy… These folks can be worth their weight in gold. Honestly, there are several people whose names always come to my mind when I discuss this, and they are: Malorie and Jill Cooper (Facebook ads), Jenn dePaula (social media strategy), Quinn Ward (ADHD Coaching, blurbs, Amazon keywords), Bryan Cohen (Amazon ads, blurbs), and Tammi Labrecque (newsletters). They’re amazing people.
Personal Assistants
The last one on this list is personal assistants. These lovely people will do things like create graphics for your social media posts, manage regular social media posting, handle email correspondence between you and event hosts, and other, similar things. They are not usually necessary for small time authors, but once you reach a certain level, it can become almost impossible to function without their help. Setting up all your own marketing posts, responding to all your messages, and so on can be a full time job in and of itself which means… writing ends up falling by the wayside.
Final Notes
This list is not all-encompassing and may be lacking a few different folks in the industry. If I missed them, let me know in the comments so others will benefit from that awareness!
Also, if you’re in need of these things, my company provides most of them (everything but marketing and personal assistants), so if you find yourself in need of this kind of help? Let me know. We’ll get you squared away.
Types of Author Services