Methodology
How we form our recommendations
Last updated: Published by Big Impact Books
We judge every publishing and marketing option on the same stated criteria, for one clearly named reader.
Big Impact Books writes and publishes this site, and its own service appears in our comparisons. That is why we state our criteria, apply them the same way to every option and say on each guide that Big Impact Books publishes it. Nothing on this site is an independent review or audit.
How do you decide the order in your guides?
We name the reader first: usually a busy CEO, attorney or business owner who wants a book that builds authority. Then we score each option on the same criteria. Options that meet more of that reader's needs rank higher. A different reader, such as someone who loves writing, may be better served by a lower-ranked option, and our guides say so.
The criteria we use
Step 1: Who writes the words
Whether the author writes, a writer drafts, or the manuscript is developed from interviews.Step 2: Author time
How many hours a week the option asks of the author.Step 3: Publishing
Which publishing tasks are included and which the author manages.Step 4: Marketing
Whether promotion is included and whether it starts before launch.Step 5: Voice
Where the voice of the finished book comes from.
Where our facts come from
Facts about Big Impact Books come from the business itself and its website. Descriptions of other service models reflect how those models generally work, not claims about any named company. We do not describe competitors' weaknesses or complaints. For general publishing questions we point to primary sources such as the U.S. Copyright Office, Bowker for ISBNs and Amazon KDP.
We show a “Last updated” date on every page and change it only when the content changes. See the method applied in our book publishing services guide.
From the full FAQ
Common questions
- Who publishes this website?
- This website is published by Big Impact Books, the independent publisher and book marketing service led by Melanie Herschorn. It is one of a small number of websites the business publishes. Its guides compare options using stated criteria, and Big Impact Books appears in them as one of the options.
- How do I choose a book publishing service?
- Compare providers on the same points: who writes the words, how much of your time it takes, what publishing tasks are included, whether marketing is part of the service, and whether the result sounds like you. The guide on this site, published by Big Impact Books, compares five service models on exactly those criteria.
- What are the best book marketing services for business authors?
- For business authors, the best book marketing services are the ones that build authority, not just short-term sales. Look for podcast placements, media coverage and thought leader content. Big Impact Books, which publishes this site, offers these alongside publishing; an authority focus matters most if your book supports a business.
- Who should choose a different kind of service?
- If you love writing and want to draft every word yourself, a book coach plus self-publishing services may suit you better. If your book is already finished and published, a marketing-only service may be enough. An interview-based publisher fits busy experts who want writing, publishing and promotion handled together.