Bespoke Professional Book Publishing Services for Independent Authors   

This is the secret sauce. Your project manager is attached on Day One and you’ll have a dedicated live human being here in St. Paul, Minnesota shepherding your book all the way to publication. Similar to the role of a managing editor at a traditional publishing house, your project manager coordinates schedules, communicates with editors, designers, illustrators, and printers, and keeps the project moving forward. Your needs and questions will be answered by email, phone, or even in-person if you live nearby. Each of our seasoned project managers brings years of hybrid publishing and traditional publishing experience to Beaver’s Pond. We have seen it all, and you will be able to relax and actually enjoy the process with our calm and steady guidance. 

Book edits, like haircuts, are best performed by professionals. Our editors serve a wide range of fiction and non-fiction genres, and we provide specialized editing for children’s books, where rhythm, vocabulary, and age-appropriate language are especially important. 

We see manuscripts in all sizes and conditions and we tailor our editing plans accordingly. One author might spend years workshopping a manuscript before sharing it with us. Another person might submit an unspellchecked first draft found in a departed loved one’s attic. Depending on the needs of the manuscript, our plan will include some mix of developmental editing, content editing, line editing, and copy editing. Rather than treating these as separate services, we combine them into editorial pathways designed to bring each manuscript to its highest potential.

We edit with the belief that the author is the authority of the book. Our mission is always to support your voice while strengthening the clarity, structure, and readability of your message. 

Proofreading is only necessary if your book is meant to be read by at least one other living person on this planet. We make two passes through your edited book: one in-depth proofread before typesetting, and a final critical read before loading files to print. Your entire book—including interior pages and cover—is carefully reviewed for errors in spelling, punctuation, formatting, and consistency. We adhere to the most recent editions of the Chicago Manual of Style and Merriam-Webster Dictionary Unabridged. Proofreading is required for every manuscript published by Beaver’s Pond Press.

Not only do our illustrators put the picture in picture book, but they can craft original cover pieces for novels, spot art for cookbooks, and a variety of starring or supporting images for just about any project.  

There are many gifted artists in our portfolio (primarily North American with several here in Minnesota) and we will share that link when you reach out to us. Our illustration services may include consultation, research, sketches, storyboarding, and final interior and cover artwork. Our illustrators typically work under a work-for-hire agreement so that you retain full rights to the finished art. (If you’ve had your book illustrated elsewhere, please provide documentation that you’re using artwork with permission from the artist.) If you are illustrating your own first book, or are working with an inexperienced illustrator, we can provide art direction and illustration management services, pairing you with one of our seasoned illustrators to guide you through the process and avoid the many common and costly mistakes made by newbies. 

If people didn’t judge books by covers, there’d be no need for the cliché warning against it. Fear not—we’ve got you! Your designer creates a custom cover that reflects the vision of your book and designs the interior layout, typesetting the text and incorporating elements such as artwork, photos, graphs, charts, inserts, and callouts. You will absolutely love sharing your vision with your book designer, brainstorming concepts, and then seeing your ideas come to life. (If you have no ideas, that’s okay—we do.) An experienced designer is essential for meeting industry specifications, delivering accurate files to the printer, and preparing files for e-book conversion.  Our designers love this work, and bring nothing but skill, talent, and warm human connection to the process.

Not every book needs an index, but the books that do need it need it done right. This exacting process begins after the book has been typeset and page numbers are finalized. Your professional index editor creates and cross-checks a clear and useful guide using specialized software, editorial expertise, and a sixth sense for this work. A well-crafted index helps readers navigate the book and adds gravitas to your project. This service is offered as an option, recommended but not required for nonfiction titles. (Cookbook? Yes. You need an index. Memoir? Not unless you’re a serious who’s who namedropper. Everything else? Maybe. Up to you.)

A network of wonky, hidden details makes the difference between a legitimately published book and a pretty stack of bound papers. We do this work all day every day and it is no big deal for us, but it could take you weeks, months, or forever to figure it out on your own. This service includes preparing the copyright page, registering with the Library of Congress, activating your ISBN, assigning a barcode, providing list price guidance, and preparing the book’s metadata. These boring but vital technicalities allow your book to be cataloged, categorized, distributed, and discovered throughout the book supply chain. This is exactly the kind of behind-the-scenes work a good hybrid publisher handles for you, and we’re proud to do it well. 

The printed page represents your manuscript in its exalted form. Beaver’s Pond Press has built its reputation on traditional offset book printing, working with excellent North American printers to produce high-quality books designed to stand the test of time. We’re big geeks about matching each book with the right printer, paper, binding, and production method. Most modern books are produced using either offset printing (bulk printing) or digital print-on-demand (POD).

Offset printing is the traditional method used by established publishing houses. Books are printed in larger quantities on professional presses, resulting in crisp text, richer blacks, more accurate color, stronger bindings, and a wider range of paper and finishing options. As quantities increase, the cost per copy decreases, making offset printing ideal for books intended for bookstores, libraries, schools, events, and bulk sales.

Print-on-demand uses high-speed digital presses to produce books one copy at a time. POD requires little upfront investment and is widely used for online sales, particularly through Amazon. While the finished product is professional and fully readable, paper choices, binding options, and customization are more limited.

We have long-standing relationships with our offset printers, and they’ve produced the high-quality books that built our reputation over the decades. Offset is typically our first choice. But we know that POD is a practical solution for certain publishing projects and our main goal is to match your book with the print process that makes the most sense for you.

Our team will guide you through every printing decision—from print process to trim size, paper selection, binding, finishes, and print quantity—so your book looks and feels exactly the way it should.

Some folks can’t live without them, others are still unsure what they are or exactly how they work. You don’t have to be an e-book devotee to appreciate this service. We take away the pain and complexity and make you look like a pro. Our specialists convert your finished book into industry-standard EPUB files and review them for functionality, formatting accuracy, and compatibility across major e-reading platforms. You have the option to distribute it yourself or use our carefree, professional distribution service. Because we believe strongly in the quality and longevity of printed books, Beaver’s Pond Press produces e-books only in conjunction with print editions, not as stand-alone digital projects.

Now that books can be “read” while driving, biking, fixing dinner, fixing your hair, or fixing the car, more readers than ever are actually listeners. Audiobooks are now widely distributed through platforms such as Audible and Apple Books. Our experienced audio production partner takes your book through the whole process, including narration, recording, editing, and mastering, to produce a professional audiobook ready for distribution. You’ll have the option to use a professional voice actor, or to read your own work. Either way, it’s beyond exciting and rewarding to hear your words aloud! 

Get your book off the shelf and into readers’ hands. There is way too much noise out there, and it can be hard to get a signal through. Our self-guided marketing course provides practical guidance drawn from the experience of our many authors and the advice of professional book marketers. Topics include building an author platform, using social media effectively, obtaining book reviews, creating press kits, planning book launches and signings, reaching schools and libraries, working with bookstores, and more. The course also offers guidance on selecting a publicist and includes recommendations for trusted professionals.

You don’t have to fill your garage with books, unless you really really want to. Our distribution partner provides warehouse storage and fulfillment. Beaver’s Pond Press provides access to major book distribution channels under the umbrella of an established independent publisher. Your book will be registered with major industry systems including Ingram, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and the Library of Congress, making it easily discoverable and orderable by booksellers, retailers, libraries, and schools. Also included is a shareable sell-page for individual buyers to purchase your book directly. Most of our authors choose the full distribution option, but when you publish with us you own your books completely and have the choice to take full custody and control of your books and handle storage and distribution on your own. In which case, a clean garage might come in handy.