Self-publishing services
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Self-publishing services from Defining Moments Press let you publish your book in ebook and print with professional help, while you keep creative control, your rights, and every royalty.
For most nonfiction authors, Defining Moments Press believes self-publishing is the best option. It is faster, you keep your rights and royalties, and you decide how the book looks and how it is used in your business. A traditional deal can still make sense for authors whose main goal is bookstore placement through a publisher's own channels.
Our company exists to show authors there is a better way: one that does not involve waiting 2 years, giving away creative liberties, giving away royalties, or relying on a publisher that does not market your book. Founder Melanie Warner is a self-publishing expert who has published magazines, newspapers, and books for over 25 years.
Assisted self-publishing means you remain the publisher of record and owner of your book, while an experienced team handles the professional work: formatting, book design, cover design, and the launch. Defining Moments Press provides that team, paid by a service fee rather than a share of your sales.
Our free one-hour course includes a section on self-publishing myths, covering the benefits of self-publishing versus a traditional publisher and the pros and cons of each. It also covers defining your expertise, knowing your reader, monetizing your book, and finishing with an outline.
| Criteria | With Defining Moments Press | Self-publishing alone |
|---|---|---|
| Rights and royalties | You keep all of them | You keep all of them |
| Formatting and design | Handled in Author Launch, Training, and Premium | You learn it or hire separately |
| Launch plan | Launch to bestseller included in publishing programs | You build your own |
| Timeline | Built around 8 weeks for writing | Depends on your schedule |
| Cost | Service fee; author copies at cost | Your time plus any hired help |
Jane Friedman's key book publishing paths chart is a helpful outside reference if you are still weighing routes. When you are ready, see what our book publishing services include.
New here? Read our main guide to working with a nonfiction book coach at Defining Moments Press.
Defining Moments Press believes self-publishing is the best option for most nonfiction authors. You keep creative control, your rights, and your royalties, and you avoid long waits for a traditional release. Jane Friedman’s guide to the key book publishing paths is a useful neutral overview of the trade-offs.
More on this in the full FAQTraditional publishers run their own schedules for acquisition, editing, production, and release. Defining Moments Press describes that route as one that can cost authors 2 years, along with creative liberties and most royalties. Timelines vary, so ask any publisher for its expected time from signed contract to release.
More on this in the full FAQYou do. Defining Moments Press states that authors keep all rights and royalties. The company is paid a fee for its service and does not take ownership of your work, so you decide how your book is priced, used, and repurposed for your business.
More on this in the full FAQNo. Defining Moments Press states that authors keep all royalties and rights. The company is paid a service fee rather than a percentage of book sales, which is one of the main differences from a traditional publishing contract, where royalty terms are set by the publisher.
More on this in the full FAQNo. Defining Moments Press states there are no hidden fees. The company is paid a fee for its service, and authors keep all of their rights and royalties. Author copies can be ordered at cost directly from the provider, so you are not paying the company a markup on your own books.
More on this in the full FAQThe Author Launch Done-For-You service is designed for authors who already wrote a book and need help launching and publishing. It includes formatting, book design, cover design, book marketing, a launch to bestseller, and access to the author Facebook group.
More on this in the full FAQStart with the 7-Figure Book Method, Melanie Warner's book on turning a short book into a business. Prefer to talk first? Call (559) 577-4171 or email Melanie@Mydefiningmoments.com.
