5 Tips for Working with Service Providers as an Indie Author

While you could probably do everything needed to publish your book yourself, you’re most likely going to need to work with one or more service providers to get it done. But finding the right person and working with them can be confusing and stressful. Here are a few tips to make the process easier.

Set clear expectations

Before you even start looking for a service provider (pa, cover designer, editor, etc) you should figure out exactly what you want them to do and if you have any deadlines. This will help you weed out people who will not be able to complete the work as needed. Communicating your requirements early in the process will also set you up and whoever you work with for success.

Details to consider:

• Your budget, including if you need the payment broken into smaller chunks

• How you want to pay them - some providers may not take credit cards, for example

• When the work needs to be completed

• The style needed for the finished product - if you need a cover for a rom-com, you wouldn’t go to someone who specializes in dark romance covers

How to safeguard yourself and your work

Always always always have a contract. You hope you don’t need a contract, but if a problem does come up, you’ll be glad you have one in place. If someone isn’t willing to sign a contract, that’s a huge red flag.

As much as we want to believe that everyone is honest, there are people out there claiming to be service providers who will scam you. The best way to avoid this is to ask for references from authors they’ve worked for before. Reach out to one of them to hear their experience. Again, if they’re not willing to give you at least one name, that’s a red flag. You can also ask in any author groups you know.

Shop around

Before you decide on a service provider, make sure they’re not going to overcharge you. Look at several providers and compare their pricing to ensure the person you’re considering isn’t drastically different. There are also resources to find fair market pricing for different types of providers. For example, the Editorial Freelancers Association has a public chart of market rates for various types of editors.

Special considerations

There are special considerations you need to think about with certain types of service providers.

Cover designers - Do they use AI in any way? Regardless of your personal beliefs about AI, there are a lot of readers who refuse to support authors who use it. So you may want to avoid it so as not to alienate readers. Also, AI art cannot be copyrighted so your cover would not be protected.

PAs - Depending on what your PA will be doing for you, you may want to ask about their schedule and if they have specific work hours. Some PAs are more open to responding to messages throughout their day, while some set stricter office hours during which they’ll be reachable. You have to decide what will be the best match for you and your business needs.