From Word document to published book on every major platform
I handle the formatting, the platform setup, the metadata, and the quality assurance. You keep all rights and all royalties.
For clients I publish on Amazon KDP, Draft2Digital and IngramSpark, in the mix we decide fits your book.
What do Richard Lowe’s publishing services include?
Your manuscript goes from Word document to professionally published book available on every major platform. I handle the formatting, the platform setup, the metadata optimization, and the quality assurance. You keep all rights, all royalties, and complete control of your publishing record.
Publishing pricing
Covers standard ebook and print formatting, distribution setup on all three platforms, metadata optimization, and quality assurance. A hardcover edition is a $500 add-on. I quote complex or design-heavy formatting separately. No hidden fees.
Note: this service is formatting and distribution. Editing, cover design, and ISBNs are yours to provide, described below.
Where will your book be published?
Three platforms, each covering a different part of the market. Together they reach virtually every channel where books are sold.
Amazon KDP
The dominant share of US ebook sales. Direct access to Kindle Unlimited if you want it, Amazon’s recommendation algorithm favoring KDP titles, and Prime shipping for paperbacks.
Draft2Digital
The widest distribution reach: Apple Books, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, libraries through OverDrive and Hoopla, and 40+ additional retailers worldwide. No exclusivity, universal purchase links for marketing.
IngramSpark
Industry-standard distribution to bookstores, libraries, and academic markets. Required for serious bookstore placement, with a returns program that makes retailers more willing to stock your title.
How it works
You provide the materials
Final edited manuscript in Word, your ISBNs (a block of 10 from Bowker recommended, separate ones for ebook, paperback, and hardcover), and your cover designs (front cover for ebook, full wrap for print). Your manuscript should be professionally edited before submission.
Formatting
I handle standard manuscript formatting for ebook and print: clean, professional layout and industry-standard typography, with files optimized for both digital and physical distribution. I quote complex or design-heavy work separately, or hand it to a specialist.
Platform setup and metadata
I upload and configure your book on all three platforms with optimized metadata: categories, keywords, description, and pricing designed for discoverability.
Quality assurance
Full review before publication. I verify formatting across devices, check platform configurations, and confirm everything is correct before your book goes live.
Live and delivered
Your book is live on all platforms. You receive purchase links and dashboard access. All rights, royalties, and control remain yours.
What do you provide, and what do you keep?
A handful of things are yours to provide and yours to own. I work within them; you keep control of everything.
ISBNs. Buy a block of 10 from your country’s ISBN agency (Bowker in the US, at myidentifiers.com). You need separate ISBNs for ebook (except Kindle), paperback, and hardcover. Owning your ISBNs means permanent control of your publishing record.
Cover designs. You provide the covers: front cover for ebook (RGB, high resolution, typically 2560 x 1600 pixels) and a full wrap for print covering front, spine, and back, with specifications provided after trim size is finalized.
Manuscript. Final, edited manuscript in Word (.docx). It should be professionally edited before submission. This service covers formatting and distribution, not editing.
Platform accounts. The accounts on Amazon KDP, Draft2Digital, and IngramSpark are set up in your name and owned entirely by you. You share login credentials so I can configure your books, and I recommend you change the passwords once the project is complete.
Not included: manuscript editing, cover design, or ISBN purchases. If you need a manuscript written for you, see full ghostwriting or the lower-cost AI-Assisted Books. If you need help finishing your own manuscript, see book coaching.
Who will you be working with?
About Richard Lowe
Richard Lowe is a professional ghostwriter and bestselling author. He has authored 113+ books and ghostwritten 54+ more for executives, founders, coaches, and public figures. His clients have used their books to raise over $30 million in venture capital, land a TEDx invitation, and secure deals with traditional publishers. His own book How to Manage a Consulting Project was used as required reading in a course at Purdue University's Krannert School of Management.
His current lead book, The Ghostwriting Advantage, is the comprehensive guide to hiring a ghostwriter. He also authored the bestselling Focus on LinkedIn and the publishing-journey trilogy: Make a Living as a Self-Published Author, Publish Your Book, and Sell Your Books. He served as Technical Editor and Contributing Author on Cyberheist, the cybersecurity book by KnowBe4 founder Stu Sjouwerman. His ongoing series include Enemies of You (nonfiction cultural commentary) and the Victorian fiction series, contemporary reimaginings of classic Victorian science fiction by Jules Verne and H.G. Wells.
Before becoming a full-time ghostwriter, Richard spent 33 years in enterprise technology, including 20 years as Director of Computer Operations at Trader Joe's, where he managed infrastructure across 400+ stores. He hosts three interview podcasts: Leaders and Their Stories, Author Talks, and Conversations With Influencers, and has appeared as a guest on 100+ podcasts including The Chris Voss Show.
Want to explore all my ghostwriting insights? Visit the Ultimate Ghostwriting hub.
Based in Clearwater, Florida, serving Tampa, St. Petersburg, Palm Harbor, Largo, Safety Harbor, Pinellas and Polk counties, all of Florida, and authors everywhere remotely.
Is paying for self-publishing help worth it?
Publishing services attract the most industry distrust of all, for good reason.
The practical questions
Cost, platforms, ownership, and what is included.
Go deeper
Ready to publish
Have a finished, edited manuscript with covers ready? I’ll get it live on all three platforms, formatted right, with metadata built to be found. You keep everything. No pitch.
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