Our book publishing process.
Our book publishing process has eight stages, from the manuscript on your laptop to a book listed on Amazon. Here is exactly what happens at each one, what we need from you, and what you get back — so there are no surprises in the middle of it.
The book publishing process, stage by stage.
One of these, editing, is optional and marked as such. The rest happen on every book we publish, whichever package you choose.
Send us your manuscript
Email your draft, or just the first chapter, in whatever format you wrote it — Word, Google Docs, PDF. It does not need to be finished, formatted or perfect. Tell us the genre, the approximate word count and what you want to happen to the book.
A project manager reads it and replies within 48 hours. Not an automated acknowledgement — an actual response about your book.
Free manuscript assessment
A real editor reads your opening and tells you honestly where it stands: what is working, what needs attention, and whether it needs a structural edit before anything else happens. There is no sales call attached to this, and no obligation to publish with us afterwards.
This is also where we tell you if a cheaper package is enough for your book. It costs us nothing to say so and it saves you paying for a print run you will not use.
Choose your package and sign the agreement
Pick a package based on manuscript length first — that rules options in or out — then on how many physical copies you want in circulation and how much marketing support you need. Compare all seven packages.
Before any work begins you get a legal agreement setting out the terms in writing: what is included, what it costs, what the royalty rate is, and confirmation that the rights to your book remain yours. Read it properly. Ask about anything that is not clear.
- Your royalty rate is fixed here, not negotiated later
- Page limit and print run are set by your package
- You keep the rights to your book
Editing and proofreading
Editing is not bundled into the packages, deliberately — not every manuscript needs the same level of work, and bundling it would mean charging authors who do not need it.
There are three levels: developmental editing looks at structure and pacing, copy editing works line by line, and proofreading is the final surface pass. Every change is tracked, so you can see exactly what was altered and reject anything you disagree with. See how the levels differ.
Cover design, interior formatting and ISBN
A designer creates a full-colour cover for your book and formats the interior to print standard. You see the cover concepts and give feedback before anything is finalised.
We allocate the ISBN for you and register it against your title — you do not need to apply separately or deal with the agency yourself. This is one of the most common things first-time authors think they have to sort out alone.
Digital proof, and you sign off
You receive a digital proof of the complete book: cover, interior, everything as it will print. Read it properly. This is the last point at which changes are cheap, and the first point at which a typo becomes permanent.
Nothing goes to print until you approve it. If something is wrong, say so — that is what this stage is for.
Printing
Your print run goes to press — from 70 copies on the entry package to 1,500 on the flagship. Your author copies are dispatched to you, and additional copies are available at a discount off MRP that rises with the package.
Distribution, royalties and marketing
Your book goes live on Amazon, Kindle and Google Play, plus Paper Fox and Indian online portals. International distribution is included from the Leopard 2 plan upward, and Crossword, Oxford Bookstore and Title Waves placement is available as an add-on.
Royalties run from 10% to 30% on net sales, fixed by the package you chose at stage three. Social promotion and banners start with the launch; reviews, media coverage, video trailers and launch events are included on the higher tiers or available as add-ons.
- Physical shelf placement in bookstores, airports and universities is available separately — see distribution
- Audiobook production and literature-festival sessions are add-ons on every package
What we need from you.
Having these ready is the single biggest thing that keeps a book on schedule. Most delays are not production problems — they are waiting for one of these.
What can slow a book down.
Forty-five days is the average from an approved manuscript to a live listing. That word matters — the clock starts once the manuscript is settled, not when you first write to us. Three things move it.
Ask for the schedule in writing
Your project manager gives you a fixed schedule in week one, covering editing, design, proofing and distribution. Get it in writing, keep it, and hold us to it. If a date slips you should hear about it from us before you have to ask.
Our publishing process, answered
How long does it take to publish a book in India?+
About 45 days on average from an approved manuscript to a live listing. The clock starts once the manuscript is settled — not when you first make contact — and the two things most likely to extend it are rewrites after design has begun and a proof left unapproved. Your project manager gives you a fixed schedule in week one.
What is the first step to publishing a book?+
Send the manuscript, or just the opening chapter, with the genre and approximate word count. It does not need to be finished or formatted. A project manager reads it and replies within 48 hours, and a free assessment tells you where the manuscript actually stands before you commit to anything. For the wider picture, whoever you publish with, read our step-by-step guide to publishing a book in India.
How do I get an ISBN for my book in India?+
You don't need to apply for one yourself. Author's Ink allocates the ISBN as part of every publishing package and registers it against your title before printing. First-time authors often assume this is a separate process they have to navigate alone — it isn't.
Do I keep the rights to my book?+
Yes. Every package includes a legal agreement, signed before any work begins, which sets out the terms in writing and confirms that the rights remain yours.
Can I make changes after I approve the proof?+
Changes after proof approval mean reprinting, which costs money and time. That is exactly why stage six is a hard stop — read the proof properly, because it is the last point at which a correction is cheap.
Is editing included in the publishing process?+
No, and that's deliberate. Editing and proofreading are add-ons because manuscripts arrive in very different states, and bundling would mean charging authors who don't need it. Higher-tier packages carry a standing discount on both. See editing services.
What happens if my book doesn't sell?+
Your royalty applies to copies that do sell, and your author copies are yours regardless. Print run is set by your package, so choosing a 1,500-copy run for a first book with no audience is a decision worth discussing honestly with your project manager first.
It starts with one chapter and one email.
Send your opening chapter. A real editor reads it and writes back within 48 hours with an honest assessment — no obligation, no sales call.
