Key Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Book Publisher

Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Book Publishing Company (Most Authors Skip #4)

You Wrote the Book. Now Don't Make a Costly Mistake Hiring the Wrong People to Publish It.

Most authors spend years writing their manuscript, then spend about 20 minutes choosing who publishes it. That's where dreams get buried in fine print.

The publishing industry is flooded with companies offering book publishing services , each one promising visibility, credibility, and bestseller status. But behind the marketing language, many deliver underwhelming results, hidden fees, and rights you didn't know you gave away. Before you sign anything, before you pay a single dollar, there are questions every smart author needs to ask, and very few ever do.

Let's fix that.

Why This Decision Is More Permanent Than You Think

Unlike a bad haircut, a bad publishing deal doesn't grow out in six weeks.

Rights contracts can lock your book for years. Poor formatting can permanently affect print-on-demand distribution. A publisher that vanishes can leave your book in legal limbo unsellable, unreachable, untransferable.

This isn't fear-mongering. It's the reality that serious authors deal with every day. So before you move forward with any full-service book publishing company, here are the questions that will separate a genuine partner from a predatory one.

The Essential Questions to Ask Any Book Publishing Company

1. What Exactly Does "Full-Service" Mean for Your Company?

This is question zero, and almost no author asks it.

"Full-service" is one of the most abused phrases in publishing. It should mean:

• • Manuscript editing (developmental, line, and copy)

• • Professional cover design

• • Interior layout and typesetting

• • ISBN assignment and copyright registration

• • Distribution (print + digital, national + international)

• • Marketing and promotional support

• • Author platform building

Ask for a written breakdown of every service included. Then ask what's not included. You'll learn more from the second answer than the first.

A trustworthy full-service book publishing operation will hand you a clear service document without hesitation. If they're vague or redirect you to a "custom quote," consider that a yellow flag.

2. Who Retains the Rights to My Book?

This is non-negotiable.

Some publishing companies, especially hybrid and vanity-adjacent ones, acquire partial or full rights to your manuscript as part of their agreement. That means they control reprints, translations, audio rights, and future editions. Not you.

Ask directly:

• • Do I retain full intellectual property rights?

• • Will my name appear as sole copyright holder?

• • What happens to my rights if your company closes or is acquired?

A book publishing agency that operates with integrity will never need your rights to do their job. Their value comes from their skills, not from owning your work.

3. Can I See a Portfolio of Books You've Published?

Any legitimate publishing company should have a visible, verifiable body of work.

Look for:

If their portfolio is thin, outdated, or they're reluctant to share samples, pause.

4. What Is Your Distribution Model? (The Question Most Authors Forget)

You could have the best-written, best-designed book in the world. If it's not distributed properly, it doesn't exist.

Ask:

• • Which distribution platforms do you use? (IngramSpark, KDP, IngramContent, Draft2Digital?)

• • Will my book be available internationally?

• • Is distribution included in my package or billed separately?

• • What's the royalty structure for each channel?

The best full-service book publishing partners in the USA will offer wide distribution—not just Amazon exclusivity—and will walk you through royalty percentages per platform without making you feel like you're asking for classified information.

5. What Does Your Editorial Process Actually Look Like?

"We'll edit your manuscript" means almost nothing without specifics.

There are four distinct types of editing:

1. Developmental editing — structure, pacing, plot, argument flow

2. Line editing — sentence-level clarity and style

3. Copyediting — grammar, punctuation, consistency

4. Proofreading — final pass before print

Many companies offer only one or two while calling it "full editing." Ask which types are included, how many rounds are offered, and whether you'll communicate directly with the editor assigned to your book.

6. How Do You Handle Marketing, and What's the Author's Role?

Publishing without marketing is whispering in a hurricane.

A full-service book publishing services provider should offer at least foundational marketing support: ARC (Advance Review Copy) distribution, press release writing, social media graphics, metadata optimization for discoverability, and ideally author platform coaching.

Ask:

• • Do you submit to review publications like Kirkus or Publishers Weekly?

• • Will you help optimize my book's Amazon metadata?

• • What marketing support is included vs. available as an add-on?

• • Do you provide a dedicated launch strategy?

The difference between a book that sells 50 copies and one that sells 5,000 is almost always marketing infrastructure, not writing quality.

7. What Are Your Timeline Expectations?

Publishing timelines vary wildly, and delays can cost you your launch window, especially if you're timing around a season, event, or media opportunity.

Ask:

• • What's the typical timeline from manuscript submission to published book?

• • What factors could extend that timeline?

• • Who do I contact if there are delays?

• • Are timelines written into the contract?

A professional, full-service book publishing agency will give you a realistic production calendar upfront, not vague assurances that "it depends."

8. What Happens After Publication?

This is the question that separates fly-by-night operations from genuine long-term partners.

Ask:

• • Will you help me update the book if I need revisions post-launch?

• • How do I access my sales data?

• • Can I request new formats (audiobook, large print, translated editions) later?

• • What ongoing support do you provide after launch?

The best book publishing company relationships don't end on publication day; that's when the real work begins.

The Red Flags That Should Stop You Cold

Even with the right questions, bad actors know how to say the right things. Watch for these red flags:

• • Upfront costs with no itemized breakdown — legitimate costs should be transparent

• • Pressure to sign quickly — urgency is a sales tactic, not a publishing standard

• • Vague royalty structures — you should know exactly what you earn per sale, per format

• • No direct editor contact — your book deserves a real relationship, not a ticketing system

• • "They don't ask about your book" — a good publisher wants to know your story before they quote you

What a Premium Publishing Partner Actually Looks Like

When you work with a company like Hollywood Publishers, you're not buying a package; you're entering a partnership. Every manuscript is treated as a unique creative and commercial asset, not a file in a queue.

The questions above aren't obstacles for a quality publisher; they're expected. A team that has done this well knows how to answer them clearly, confidently, and without deflection.

If a company hesitates, redirects, or makes you feel like you're asking too much by wanting clarity on your own book, that's your answer.

Final Checklist Before You Sign

Before committing to any publishing company, confirm you have:

• • Written confirmation of every service included

• • Rights retention clearly stated in the contract

• • A portfolio of published titles you can verify

• • A clear distribution list with royalty breakdowns

• • An editorial process with named milestones

• • A realistic production timeline

• • Post-publication support policy in writing