Scope of Services Included in Per-Page Pricing
I help authors with as much—or as little—of the publishing process as they need. Whether you’re starting with handwritten pages, only want a simple author website, or you’re ready to produce a finished book, you’ll get detail-focused editing, thoughtful design, and practical print support—handled with care from start to finish.
My work is priced per finished book page, not per hour or per task. This rate reflects the full scope of professional publishing services required to responsibly guide a manuscript from draft to a finished, printed book. I provide full-service publication management, backed by more than thirty years of experience in book design, editing, production, and printing oversight. This is not a template-based or limited-scope service. Each finished publication page represents the combined work of multiple publishing disciplines, coordinated and overseen by one experienced professional.
I will provide a comprehensive estimate for your book for review and discussion prior to beginning the project.
Guidance on timelines, budgets, ISBNs, barcodes, printers, and the overall publishing process—whether a quick conversation to confirm next steps or deeper support planning your book from draft to finished copies.
The per-page rate includes basic image cleanup and enhancement necessary for print reproduction. This includes reasonable image preparation consistent with standard page layouts. Scanning of original photographs, documents, or artwork is not included. Extensive photo restoration, heavy retouching, scanning, or unusually image-intensive projects may require additional fees and will be discussed in advance.
I provide editorial oversight on every project, including careful proofreading and light editing for sentence structure, clarity, grammar, punctuation, and spelling, with consistency maintained across text, captions, notes, and references. My focus is on preparing the manuscript for publication by improving readability and accuracy while preserving the author’s voice. When a project requires developmental editing, I can coordinate and manage that work as a separate service.
Printer selection and coordination based on project specifications and budget, prepress review and quality control to identify and resolve potential issues before printing, and detailed proof review prior to press. Oversight continues through final production to address questions, confirm specifications, and help ensure consistent print quality in the finished book.
Custom typographic systems and page layouts, design optimized for readability and longevity, and complex layouts including images, captions, footnotes, maps, and tables. Guidance on publishing decisions, timelines, and production choices, and clear communication from start to finish.
Every project includes a customized, comprehensive mini marketing plan to help authors understand how to position and promote their book. Additional marketing execution or promotional design support is available but is not included in the per-page rate.
Optional Services Available Upon Request (Estimated Separately)
I’ll carefully transcribe your handwritten manuscript into a clean digital document, preserving your voice and creating a solid foundation for editing, sharing, and publication.
For books suited to digital formats, I provide clean, readable eBook design for Kindle, EPUB, or PDF, thoughtfully structured and tested across major e-readers and distribution platforms.
I can prepare your book for Amazon KDP, IngramSpark, Barnes & Noble Press, Lulu, and other platforms, ensuring files are correctly sized, styled, and exported so publishing is simple and stress-free.
Additional marketing support—such as e-commerce author website design, social media graphics, trade show materials, banners, bookmarks, and other promotional materials to support your book’s promotion.
I charge per finished publication page because it reflects the actual scope and responsibility involved in producing a professional book. Each page represents editorial judgment, design decisions, proofing passes, and production oversight. Per-page pricing provides clarity, transparency, and predictability for clients, regardless of how long a project takes.
A finished publication page is the final, designed page as it appears in the printed book—not a manuscript page. Manuscript pages vary widely in length, formatting, and condition, while finished pages reflect the true scope of editorial, design, and production work required.
Per-page rate reflects both the visible work and the professional judgment behind it.
No. Proofing continues as needed until the book is approved. I do not cap proofing rounds or charge per pass, as accuracy and consistency are essential to a successful final book. As a standard practice, I provide a First, Second, Third, and Final proof for approval. Most projects are approved within this guideline. If the scope of a project changes, a revised estimate will be provided.
I provide editorial oversight on every project, including careful proofreading and light editing for sentence structure, clarity, grammar, punctuation, and spelling, with consistency maintained across text, captions, notes, and references. My focus is on preparing the manuscript for publication by improving readability and accuracy while preserving the author’s voice. When a project requires developmental editing, I can coordinate and manage that work as a separate service.
The per-page rate includes scanning of images used for the book cover. Scanning of interior images or large quantities of original materials is not included and will be estimated separately.
The $25 per-page rate reflects standard full-service publishing-for-print projects.
Projects involving exceptional complexity—such as large numbers of images or maps, extensive archival material, transcription, or unusually intensive production demands—may be priced at a higher per-page rate to reflect their scope, and can range upward to $45 per page or more.
If you only need a specific service—such as a website, eBook, manuscript transcription, or digital scans—those services are estimated separately.
I would be happy to discuss your project and provide an estimated per-page rate based on its scope and requirements. Please see additional services above.
Large-scale historical works, image-heavy books, or archival projects often require extensive photo preparation, map handling, transcription, and numerous proofing rounds. These projects involve significantly more editorial coordination and production oversight than a typical manuscript.
Itemizing services often leads to confusion, scope creep, and incomplete support. My approach ensures the entire book is handled cohesively, with one professional responsible for quality, accuracy, and production from start to finish.
No. Printing costs are separate. However, printer selection, file preparation, proof review, and production oversight are included in my services.
No. Designing and preparing an eBook is priced separately from print production. For projects that are eBook-only, the standard per-page rate applies.
Clients are not paying for time spent—they are investing in experience, accountability, and professional judgment. This approach reduces costly mistakes, streamlines decision-making, and results in a finished book that is accurate, readable, durable, and professionally produced.
When you’re ready, let’s talk.