Storyformed Press is my publishing services company and publishing imprint. Storyformed Press exists to empower and equip Christian authors to use their God-given voice by helping them publish their works with excellence. I love coming alongside other Christian authors, using my background and experience in editing, graphic design, and marketing communications to make their publishing dreams a reality. Whether you are looking for someone to guide you for the entire journey or simply need assistance with the finishing touches, Storyformed Press is here to walk alongside you.
Book Publishing Services
Maybe you're a seasoned author looking for a fresh perspective on your work.
Maybe you're a novice writer who aspires to make that life-long book publishing dream a reality.
Maybe you're a published author who wants more freedom over your work, but you don't have all the skills necessary to self-publish with excellence.
Maybe you've sought the traditional publishing route, but you quickly realized you didn't want to play the game...or the publishers say your book is too overtly spiritual or not edgy enough...or you don't want to wait years to maybe get published.
Maybe you have a finished manuscript sitting on your desk, but you have no idea what to do next.
Resonate with any of these scenarios? I would love to chat about how I can help you. As a published author, I understand the entire process from idea to finished manuscript and everything in between. I also know how terrifying it is to invite someone else's perspective into your writing!
The truth is, I love editing almost as much as I love writing (and I love writing more than coffee loves donuts!). My writers often testify to how much their craft has grown as a result of our collaboration. Plus, with my experience in marketing communications, I've honed a unique skill set that can help you produce a printed, published work you are proud of.
When we work together, I become your partner in your writing journey. I grow to care about your work almost as much as you do. My commitment to you is to work with integrity and efficiency, to always be honest with you, and to champion and encourage you as you press on (pun intended) toward the goals God has set before you.
Why Storyformed?
"Storyformed" is my shorthand for saying "formed by the Story of God." I believe that we are all part of a story—God's story as told in His Word, the Bible. Jesus, through His life, death, resurrection, and ascension, is the hero of God's story. I am passionate about writing, editing, and publishing works that are shaped by this story.
Book Editing
We offer four levels of editing.
Structural/Developmental Editing
Message, structure, and flow: what the ideas are and how they are structured (Big Picture)
This level of editing addresses the overall structure, pace, and message of the content. We'll ensure that each chapter serves the book’s overall thesis or storyline, rearranging and restructuring as needed. We'll make sure the book’s key themes and motifs are appropriately traced throughout the work. For fiction, we'll also look at plot and character development. In some cases, structural/developmental editing may begin prior to writing.
Stylistic/Content Editing
Voice, flow, and style: how the ideas are expressed (Paragraph Level)
This level of editing addresses clarity, consistency, and flow while preserving the writer's voice and style. We'll evaluate and improve paragraph length, word choice, sentence structure, redundancy, and style consistency to ensure each element reinforces the message and enhances, rather than diminishes, the reader's experience. This stage often involves recasting sentences, closing loopholes, and fixing inconsistencies.
Copy Editing
Language accuracy: how the language is executed (Sentence Level)
This level of editing ensures the book follows acceptable rules of grammar, punctuation, spelling, hyphenation, formatting, and syntax at the line-by-line level. We'll also examine the accuracy of quoted facts, data, and Scripture references. Copy editing is like quality control for the entire work.
Proofreading
The final eyes: how the manuscript reads and looks (Word Level)
At the last stage, the manuscript must pass through the fine-toothed-comb of a proofreader’s eye to look for any and all mistakes at the word level to catch typos, punctuation errors, and minor formatting errors. Proofreading should be done after final formatting as minor errors can occur during the other editing stages and the formatting process.
Book Design & Formatting
Our book design & formatting services include:
- Cover design
- Book layout
- Text layout, including typeface, spacing, margins, etc.
- Page layout and arrangement, including graphic elements
- Illustration (we do not do illustration in house, but we do work with illustrators and can oversee the illustration process)
- Promotional material design
Other Publishing Services
We offer additional services to help bring works from draft to published including:
- Preparation of files for self-publishing platforms such as Kindle Direct Publishing
- Creation of Library of Congress listing information and obtaining an LCCN
- Consulting on direction, publishing options, manuscript status, and marketing
- Ghost writing*
- Writing and editing blurbs, taglines, book summary, back cover copy, author bio, and other front or back matter copy
- Website design
- Blog editing
*Note: As a matter of personal principles of integrity, we will not put an author’s name on a book written by a ghost writer without the ghost writer listed as the co-author, including in all publication data and on the front cover. If you are looking to have your name as the sole author of a ghost written book, we are not the right fit for you.
Publishing Imprint
We offer to put our Storyformed Press imprint on select works that fit our vision, beliefs, philosophy, and capacity. In such cases, Storyformed Press will be listed as the publisher, and the logo imprint will be on the spine and inside of the book. We'll partner with the author to bring the book from draft to completion, offering our guidance throughout the publishing process to ensure a quality finished work.
Bearing our publishing imprints lends the work increased validity over self-publishing and establishes the work as part of the Storyformed Press family of books. By being part of this family, the author may have increased marketing opportunities and additional sales avenues that they wouldn't have access to otherwise.
We only imprint books that align with our vision, beliefs, and philosophy and whose authors work closely with our team and trust our expertise to ensure all books bearing the imprint achieve the same high standard of professional finish. Authors retain full rights over their work and all final decisions about their work.
We are not a full-scale publisher, meaning we do not have the capacity or financial ability to front the costs of publishing and handle all aspects of publishing including marketing and distribution. We do not offer publishing packages; authors pay only for the services they need to bring their manuscript to completion.
In most cases, we either help the author distribute their work through Amazon's publishing platform or assist them in working with a local printer (or both) to obtain their inventory to sell personally. Authors are responsible for their own marketing (as is increasingly common in the traditional publishing world); we may offer limited guidance.
Authors retain full rights to distribute their book however they wish and keep 100% of their profits/royalties from their Amazon and personal sales. We believe authors, not publishers, should be the ones profiting from their works on an ongoing basis. It is our privilege and joy to put the Storyformed Press imprint with or without ongoing financial benefit for our company.
Disclaimers
We retain full rights to pick and choose which works, projects, and authors fit within our company’s mission, vision, values, beliefs, and current capacity. We may refuse a project for any reason at any time.