Publish With Us

Typesetting and Formatting

REASONABLE AND RIGHT

Everything you should expect at a reasonable rate and always done right.

You have diligently worked to produce the finest book. Now, it’s crucial to ensure the reading experience is as effortless and smooth as possible.

WHAT’S INCLUDED: Interior Manuscript Formatting for E-books and Paperbacks

Text-only interior formatting (no images)
Line-by-line typesetting
Industry-standard book layout
Custom page design with running headers
Front and back matter formatting to include a table of contents, dedication, foreword, acknowledgements, about the author, etc.
Complimentary Paperback Service: We order an author’s proof copy to review the printed paperback and make any necessary changes before delivery. That’s how much we care.
Once we approve the final print file, we’ll deliver a print-ready PDF, digital PDF, and ePub file to you.

Turnaround Time: E-books 2 weeks – Paperback books 4 weeks. We will give you a firm date based on our current workload.

*Please email us for a quote for books with over 250 pages or images, charts, callouts, references, etc.

PRICING:

E-book – $295

Paperback – $350

E-book and Paperback – SPECIAL – $450

Paperback Cover Formatting – $175

We format your existing cover art to fit your book’s page count, add spine text, and design the back cover. We deliver a PDF suitable for upload.

Upload to Amazon – $50

If you’d like us to upload your completed manuscript and cover to Amazon, we will need temporary access to your account. We can help with keyword selection and other required information. Once the upload is complete, you can change your password.

NOTE:

Before submitting the manuscript for formatting, please ensure the content is entirely final. Any subsequent changes will incur additional charges based on the required effort. Be sure that all elements intended for the book’s interior, such as the preface, foreword, dedication page, testimonials, etc., are included in the manuscript.

Send your manuscript in a Word docx file.
If you have change tracking on, accept all changes and turn off change tracking now. (To preserve those tracked changes, save a separate manuscript copy.)
Resolve and delete all comments.
Delete excess whitespace. Search your manuscript for tab characters. If any are found, replace them with the appropriate layout option, such as page breaks or paragraph styles.
Make sure all your front and back matter is present and complete.

The interior book design and formatting service does not include editorial services. If you need editing help, we can do that.

Just a heads up: Some formatting companies outsource to cheaper typesetters, potentially resulting in subpar outputs. Freelancers on platforms like Fiverr and Upwork are challenging to sift through and often offer typesetting services at very low prices. However, the quality may not be up to par. While it might look okay on a screen for an e-book, the result is often unsatisfactory when printed. You’ve invested much time and effort in writing your book; don’t compromise on quality now.

When you partner with us, we’re always available and respond quickly. Your book is treated as our own, so rest assured it’s in good hands.

Questions? Contact Pat – pr@speakuptalkradio.com

Submission Form

How to Submit:

Fill out the online submission form BELOW

Fill out the online Book Cover Questionnaire

Send the full manuscript in an email attachment as a non-formatted MS Word Doc only

International authors are welcome to submit

Email to Pat Rullo: pr@speakuptalkradio.com [Please add our email address to your contacts]

Pricing is personalized and tailored to the scope of your project based on the complexity of the material, the level of editing required, word count, etc.

Next Steps:

You will receive a personal response to acknowledge receipt.

Our editors will read the full first chapter to assess if it is a candidate for a copy edit versus a developmental edit. We do not do deep dive changes as found in developmental editing.

We will contact you within 3 business days with a decision.

If we feel we are a good fit, we will respond with any clarifying questions we may have to enable us to give you a fair price quote.

If we don’t think we are the right partner for you, we will also respond. Either way, you will hear from us promptly.

We will send a short agreement to verify our discussion, process, and timeline.

One half of the payment is due at this time. We accept MC/Visa/AMEX/Personal Checks.

Production:

Production begins with our editors. Any changes will be sent to you for approval or counter-changes.

Cover art runs concurrent to editing. We will gather your input and begin the process of cover design. We furnish you with three covers and three rounds of changes.

Once editing and cover art is finalized, the manuscript goes to interior book design and formatting. You will receive samples of the interior for approval. The second and final half of the payment is due before the book moves on to interior design/formatting.

The next step is the final proofreading to make sure nothing changed during formatting.

After formatting, proofreading, and all approvals are given, we will upload the manuscript and cover to Amazon KDP. Before we hit the submit button, you may order a sample author copy directly from Amazon. This gives you the opportunity to view the book as a real book! If small changes need to be made, we will do that for you.

Firebird Inked Overview

Empowering authors to take control of their publishing journey.

We handle everything from copy-editing and formatting to uploading to Amazon.

Our book publishing team manages the self-publishing process for you.

You keep your royalties.

Is This For You?

You’re in search of a comprehensive self-publishing experience.
You know that finding individual freelancers is a time-consuming process with room for mistakes.
You prefer to work with a single person as your point of contact.

A la carte Services:

Professional Copy Editing: Please ensure your book is ready for copyediting. Our editors check your book for technical flaws, errors, and inconsistencies in language and style. We don’t do heavy rewrites or developmental editing, so please prioritize those before collaborating with us.

Cover Design for e-book and Paperback – With your input, we design three covers for your review and offer three rounds of changes.

Interior Typesetting/Formatting – We excel at creating flawless e-books and paperback interiors. The package does not include large-print, hardcover, or audiobook formats.

Post-Formatting Proofreading: This is the last step in our editing process. We check for unusual page breaks and last-minute copyedit issues.

Help with Title and Book Description – if needed.

Help with ISBNs – if needed. See the ISBN facts post here.

We can help with Amazon KDP Setup if needed. We publish to Amazon. You may upload your finished manuscript to other sites or work with a distributor for additional distribution. We always furnish you with the final manuscript and covers and share resources.

No Charge Additions:

Author Page – A dedicated author page on the Millennium Star Publishing and Speak Up Talk Radio websites will showcase your book and you.

Podcast Guest—You will be a guest on Speak Up Talk Radio’s Authors on Fire Podcast, which airs on all podcast platforms, including iHeart, Spotify, Apple, Google, and many others.

Social Media Promotion – We are proud of our authors and will promote you and your book on Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Royalties – At Firebird Inked, you keep all rights and royalties for your book. We don’t buy the rights to your manuscript or receive any royalties.

Use of Logo – If we come to a consensus that your final manuscript meets the quality standards we uphold, we would be pleased to grant you permission to acknowledge our publishing services. Should you choose to do so, you can include our logo in the front matter of your book. The logo should be accompanied by the text “Publishing services by Firebird Inked” to clearly attribute the professional support we provided throughout the publishing process.

Pricing is personalized and tailored to the scope of your project

based on the complexity of the material, the level of editing required, word count, etc.

Please send inquiries to Pat Rullo: pr@speakuptalkradio.comat

We look forward to sharing your publishing journey with you.

Book Cover Questionnaire

Let’s Talk About Your Book Cover

The cover design process starts with research. What are some common visual features found in the best-selling books in your genre? Do you want a cover that fits the genre’s norms or something that pushes the boundaries?

The interior of the book is all about you and your message. The focus of the cover is your buyer. What captures their attention and persuades them to make a purchase?

Your book should exude credibility when placed among others of its type.

Please provide us with any pertinent information below:

ISBN’s

What is an ISBN?

ISBN is short for “international standard book number.” It’s a 13-digit number found on the back cover of a book above a bar code.

What is the purpose of an ISBN?

An ISBN is a unique code that identifies each book published worldwide and includes important details like the title, publisher, and location. This number simplifies book distribution to publishers, retailers, and libraries worldwide.

You will need one ISBN for each edition and format of your book. The ISBN identifies the publisher and the specific book title, edition, and format (hardback, paperback, ePub, Audio…). Any variation of a book will require the use of a unique ISBN to identify it correctly. This allows retailers to help customers understand which version of a title they are purchasing. So, consider:

How many book titles do you plan to publish?
How many formats will be used for each title?
Do you plan to publish future revised editions of these titles?
By purchasing ISBNs in advance, you can later register your titles with ease.
ISBNs never expire.

An ISBN does not affect copyright. As the author, you own your intellectual property under copyright laws.

Do I need an ISBN?

You need an ISBN to sell your book in bookstores, libraries, or online retailers like Amazon.com.

Where do I purchase an ISBN?

The only official source of ISBNs in the United States is the Bowker Agency.

Who is the person responsible for buying the ISBN?

ISBNs designate the publisher of a book. You, as the author should own your ISBN number, otherwise Amazon or your publisher can dictate distribution rights. See explanation below.

What is the Cost?

If you purchase your own ISBN, the cost for one number through Bowker Agency is $125. You will need a different ISBN for each format of your book. You’ll need three ISBNs to publish your book as a paperback, hardcover, and e-book. Bowker has the option to purchase ISBNs in blocks of 10 that are discounted to $295. You must establish an account with Bowker Agency to purchase your ISBNs.

If I publish a paperback through IngramSpark and KDP, do I need a different ISBN for both, or can I use the same one?

If you publish a paperback and you own the ISBN, then you don’t need a new ISBN to publish on a different platform. If you allow KDP to provide you with a free ISBN, the ISBN remains there forever because ISBNs are not transferable. This means if you want your KDP book with the KDP ISBN published elsewhere, you will need to purchase your own ISBN number in order to do so. Amazon controls the rights to their number.

This is the reason it’s in the author’s best interest to purchase their own numbers. By owning your numbers, you control the rights to your book. As an author, you control the copyright to your book, which no one can take away from you. However, the ISBN holder controls the distribution rights, which determine where a book is sold and by whom. If you do not have distribution rights to your book, it’s the equivalent of losing your copyrights.

Also, be aware of sites that claim to sell ISBN numbers cheaper. Bowker is the only legal place in the US to purchase ISBNs.

As an author, if you’re going to publish, it’s best to maintain control over your work. By owning your ISBN, your paperback can then be published and printed by anyone you choose.

Do I need a bar code?

Big retail stores require barcodes for physical books to facilitate their sale and tracking. When we upload your paperback to Amazon, they generate and place one on your back cover.

How about copyrights?

Intellectual property law protects your work as soon as you write or save it. “Copyrighting your book” refers to registering your copyright, but it’s not essential. Registering is necessary if you want to sue for copyright infringement, but not for copyright protection itself. By law, your work receives copyright protection the moment it is fixed in tangible form. In a country that offers official registration, registering may expand your rights but does not confer additional protection.

If you’d like to register:

Go to the copyright.gov portal.
Click “Literary Works,” then “Register A Literary Work.”
Create an account with the U.S. Copyright Office.
Go to “Copyright Registration” on the left side of your screen and click on “Register A New Claim.”
Click “Start Registration.”
Complete the form.
Pay the U.S. Copyright Office. The standard fee for online registration is $65.
Send your manuscript’s “best edition” to the U.S. Copyright Office.
Wait for approval

Do you still have questions? Contact Pat – pr@speakuptalkradio.com