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Customized Publishing

At Melcher Media, we work closely with you to build a customized, top-notch creative team tailored to your specific storytelling needs. This approach makes us incredibly flexible—a true one-stop shop. Whether it’s deep editorial content, photography, illustration, unique printing materials, or interactive features, we’re there from start to finish to ensure a book of the highest quality.

Clients come to us at every stage of the creative process. Some have just a kernel of an idea but need our editorial expertise and creative team-building services to bring it to life and sell it to the right publishing partner. Some already have a finished manuscript but need help with art direction, production, and printing. And others already have a finished book in hand and partner with us for distribution. You can choose to use our services from start to finish, or meet us at any step in the process.

Setting the Vision

We begin by listening to you to reach an understanding of your goals, vision, audience, and the “why” behind your book.

Assembling the Creative Team

We will help assemble and hire a top-notch creative team with the knowledge and experience necessary to produce your book. The creative team typically consists of an editorial director, executive editor, assistant editor, writer, photographer, designer, and copy editors/proofreaders. We will work closely with you on all aspects of developing the concepts, content, and look and feel of the book, and you will have final approval over all elements.

Sales to Publishers

Should you wish to have your book published via trade channels, such as bookstores and online, we will work closely with you to create a written sales presentation that will be used to offer the book to publishers. We will then serve as the book’s agent and conduct an auction among the major US publishers. Based upon the advance, royalty rates, and overall package offered, we will advise on which publisher is the best choice to win the auction.

Editorial and Production

Once a publishing deal or distribution plan is in place, we will begin to develop the book’s text and visual elements, which may include commissioning and managing the writer(s); orchestrating original photography, editing, and research; securing any rights and reproduction permissions; coordinating copyediting and proofreading; etc. We will also coordinate all aspects of art direction, design, and layout.

Manufacturing

Our in-house production team will seek estimates and negotiate and contract with the most suitable vendors for the job and oversee all phases of color separation, filmmaking, color proofing, printing, binding, and delivery to the publisher’s or distributor’s warehouse. You will get to see, hold, and approve all of the book’s elements at every stage of the production process.

Trade and Distribution

If you want your book to be available in bookstores, we’ll work with our distribution partner, Ingram, to sell your book at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Target, Bookshop.org, indie bookstores, and all other major retailers.