Your Story, Our Strategy. A Brand In Print!

This was my first experience working with a publishing team, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. What I appreciated about Black Stone Publishers was how straightforward their process was but never rigid. I didn’t have to chase people for updates, and they explained things like distribution and formatting clearly without the jargon. There were a few points where I felt unsure about pacing and tone, and I appreciated that my editor didn't just agree with me to keep things moving. They actually challenged parts of the draft in a way that made it stronger. I had questions around pricing for certain add-on (like interior design upgrades) but they were transparent and didn’t oversell. The book actually now looks like something you’d pick in a real store, so I’m very excited to see it published soon.

I didn’t have the time to write a book myself, but I also didn’t want it to sound like someone else wrote it. The ghostwriting process with Black Stone Publishers was surprisingly personal. We had multiple in-depth conversations before anything was drafted, and the first outline they sent back honestly felt like they’d known me for years. It did feel like a collaboration to me and not outsourcing. I also periodically gave feedback on a few sections where I wanted to add more depth or change the flow, and they were flexible with revisions. We finished faster than I expected and I was still involved without having to manage it all myself. Its also not easy to find a publishing partner that understands digital performance, and I think that’s their edge.

I had published my book a long time ago but I wasn’t sure how to actually promote it, and to be very fair I expected some basic social media help but Black Stone Publishers gave me a wider angle approach. They helped with a mix of things like what kind of social tone I should follow, which media outlets are worth pitching, helped me understand the reading and buying motives of my audience, so and so. I realize now marketing for sure makes you bite the bullet so its obviously worth doing it with support from author branding specialists.

What stood out for me was how integrated everything felt. I didn’t have to manage five different vendors because Black Stone handled the manuscript, the website build, and even the launch content. There were moments I felt overwhelmed by the choices (cover design rounds especially), but my project manager walked me through it without rushing decisions. My only real wish is that we’d started working on the web funnel a bit earlier, but the team pulled it together in time for launch. I’d definitely recommend them if you want more than a one-off publishing experience.