The Power of Boutique
We dive in with our authors to help them translate their extensive knowledge into streamlined, accessible books, booklets, workbooks, and audiobooks. We’re patient, because we know editing your own work sometimes needs to be a gentle process; but we also know where to turn a block of text into an engaging and instructive infographic.
When you’re learning something new, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed – and the same goes for publishing your first book! But whether you’re an established or emerging author, we’re here to help you navigate the process and pursue the full potential of your topic.
Learn more about our authors and the books we’re looking for.
Author Support
Asynchronous Communication
We make sure to be available as possible for our authors, and asynchronous communication through Slack is a big part of that. We’re generally available for authors to get in touch throughout the workday, since being available on Slack is part of our team working norms anyway. Our workspace also offers the unique opportunity for our authors to connect with each other.
Content Organizer
We’re strong believers in the content organizer for planning and writing a nonfiction book. If you’re a fan of outlines, we mean no disrespect here. Outlines are… okay. But content organizers can hold a lot more details in a less overwhelming and much more functional way.
Developmental and Content Editing
In the developmental stage, we help our authors be as thorough as possible in what they communicate, looking for opportunities to expand or clarify. In content editing, we help authors be as clear as possible in how they communicate, suggesting specific rewrites while maintaining the author’s voice.
Learn more about our Editing services below.
Blog
At How2Conquer, we believe that knowledge should be shared. Whether you’re one of our authors or you’re working with another publisher, we hope our articles on writing and publishing can help you achieve your goals for your book.
Check out our Manuscript Bootcamp and Author Contracts series.
Author Guides
We’ve created guides for our authors to help them to independently access important knowledge and resources we believe they either need to know or, at some point, may need to refer back to.
Launching Soon: Searchable, Online How2Conquer Author Knowledge Base
Contract Options
We offer contemporary publishing contracts as a standard and traditional publishing contracts as an exception. We ensure all our books meet the same high standards for editorial, design, and production quality, regardless of the type of contract.
Read more about contemporary publishing and standards.
“How2Conquer helped us understand the entire process, and we really appreciated all the work that we didn’t know needed to be done between writing and publishing – for example, cover design, layout, organization, turning the book into a more helpful, educational tool, and establishing global distribution. We knew about editing, but we didn’t know about all of those other, seriously important things!”
Kirsten and Paul Moxness, authors of Spin the Bottle Service
Author Care & Project Management
We guide your book through the publishing process, from idea to publication to the shared job of promotion. We provide resources and support to help you achieve your goals for your book, and every author is paired with a designated project contact.
Editing
When a manuscript or proposal is submitted, our editors determine the level of editing they think it requires. While some works may require only proofreading, others may need further developmental or content editing to better convey knowledge.
Production & Design
Every author’s book is different. We create a custom design for your cover and manuscript, as well as illustrations and graphics, to both make it beautiful and give your book its best chance of success.
Print & Distribution
Whether you want to see your book on Amazon, at an indie bookstore, or in a library, we make it possible. All How2Conquer books are distributed by Ingram Book Group, making your book available to 40,000+ retailers worldwide.
Marketing
We partner with our authors to create comprehensive marketing plans that include media and publications, social media, early reviewer programs, and other ways to boost awareness of your book.
Rights & Metadata Management
Metadata – or “data about data” – at its most basic level is how people find books. From categories to keywords, we monitor your book metadata for the life of the book. All books receive ISBNs and a Library of Congress number, and we apply for the copyright registration in your name.
Author Care & Project Management
We guide your book through the publishing process, from idea to publication to the shared job of promotion. Every author is paired with a designated project contact who keeps them updated and ensures the project is proceeding on schedule.
Our team is available by phone, email, and Slack, and we have held both in-person and video conferencing meetings with our authors. We also utilize several self-service tools to facilitate the project.
Self-service tools include:
- Dropbox access to ensure files are backed up, and to facilitate transfer of files between author and publisher
- ClickUp for visibility and tracking of project’s progress
- Slack channel for instant communication
Editing
When a manuscript is submitted, our editors determine the level of editing they think it requires. While some works may require only proofreading, others may need further developmental or substantive editing.
Editing services include:
- Structural and developmental editing
- Content or substantive editing
- Copyediting and proofreading
- Title and subtitle assistance
- Back cover copy development
Production & Design
Every author’s book is different. We create a custom design for your cover and manuscript, as well as illustrations and graphics, to both make it beautiful and give your book its best chance of success.
Design services include:
- High-end cover and interior design, including art direction
- Illustration services for up to 15 illustrations
- Design and editorial services for up to 5 infographics
Production services include:
- Publication under the How2Conquer imprint
- Page layout for up to 70,000 words, plus placement of tables, sidebars, and illustrations
- Design optimization and file conversion for ebook format
- Digital ARC production for early reviewers
- Audiobook production management, review, and quality control
- Formats: paperback, ebook, audiobook*
*Please note that audiobook production costs do not include a hired narrator.
Print & Distribution
Whether you want to see your book on Amazon, at an indie bookstore, or in a library, we make it possible. All How2Conquer books are distributed by Ingram Book Group, making your book available to 40,000+ retailers worldwide.
Final Printing Coordination services include:
- Initial print run of 25 author copies, sent to you
- Bulk orders and additional author copy orders, fulfilled on request
- Ongoing POD fulfillment through our distribution channels
Distribution services include:
- Traditional print distribution through Ingram Book Group, the largest international wholesale distributor
- This includes more than tens of thousands of retailers, libraries, schools, e-commerce companies, and other channel partners, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other well-known book retailers and wholesalers across North America
- Distribution of the ebook via Ingram, Amazon Kindle, and Google Play Books
- Distribution of the audiobook via Audible, Amazon, and iTunes
- Support for getting your books into bookstores, libraries, and other trade outlets
- Book sales page on the How2Conquer website, with links to prime retailers at which the book is available
Marketing
We partner with our authors to create comprehensive marketing plans that include media and publications, social media, early reviewer programs, and other ways to boost awareness of your book.
Marketing services include:
- Marketing plan development
- Marketing collateral design, editing, and production
- Early reviewer program
- Author page on the How2Conquer website
- Amazon Author Central profile setup
- Ingram iPage ad placement (worth $150)
- Entry into the IBPA Benjamin Franklin Awards (worth $95)
- A budget for online and social media marketing, including platforms such as:
- Amazon Ads
- Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter
Rights & Metadata Management
Metadata – or “data about data” – at its most basic level is how people find books. From categories to keywords, we monitor your book metadata for the life of the book. All books receive ISBNs and a Library of Congress number, and we apply for the copyright registration in your name.
Rights Management services include:
- Assignment of an International Standard Book Number (ISBN) per book format
- Assignment of a Library of Congress control number
- Copyright registration in your name
Metadata Management and Optimization services include:
- Creation and management of quality metadata, including BISAC codes, categories, keywords, and more
- For the life of the book, the metadata – including the keywords and descriptions made available to retailers to help sell your book – will be monitored and revised. This ensures that no information is lost, keywords are updated to improve and maintain sales, and should a new marketing opportunity arise, we can continue to promote your book.