Publishing a book raises a lot of questions, and most authors ask the same ones. Below you will find honest, practical answers, not sales talk.
Publishing a book raises a lot of questions, and most authors ask the same ones. Below, we have answered the questions we hear most often at Northern Star Press, along with the wider questions authors search for when they start looking into publishing, editing, ghostwriting, and cover design in the UK. Our aim is to give you honest, practical answers, not sales talk.
There is no single "best" publishing service, because it depends on what you need. Some authors want a traditional publisher who takes on all the costs and risk, but only accepts a small number of manuscripts. Others prefer a hybrid or assisted publishing service, where you pay for the production work but keep more control and a bigger share of royalties. And many authors now choose self-publishing, using platforms and support services to do it themselves. At Northern Star Press, we work mainly with authors who want a guided, assisted route: proper editing, good design, and clear distribution, without giving up ownership of their book. When you compare services, look past the marketing and check exactly what is included, who owns the rights, and how royalties are worked out.
Prices vary a lot between publishing services, and "affordable" means different things depending on your budget. New authors should be cautious of packages that look cheap but charge extra for every stage, such as editing, design, and marketing, once you have signed up. A fair package should set out clearly what is included from the start. We would always recommend asking for a full breakdown in writing before you commit to anything, and comparing at least two or three providers so you can see what is standard and what is being charged as an extra.
Print-on-demand means your book is printed one copy at a time, as orders come in, rather than in a large print run you have to store yourself. When choosing a provider, check the print quality, the cost per copy, how quickly they can turn around an order, and which retailers and territories they can reach. It is also worth ordering a physical proof copy before you approve anything for sale, so you can check the paper, binding, and cover finish with your own eyes rather than relying on a screen preview.
Many self-publishing support services now offer these as separate add-ons rather than one combined package, so read the small print carefully. A genuinely full-service package for self-published authors should cover manuscript editing, cover and interior design, formatting for print and eBook, and basic marketing support such as a launch plan or press outreach. At Northern Star Press, we offer these as connected stages so your book stays consistent in tone and style from the first edit through to the finished cover, rather than being handled by several unconnected freelancers.
The main routes for UK authors to publish eBooks are the large retailer platforms, such as Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing, and wider distribution services that push your eBook out to several stores at once, including Apple Books, Kobo, and public library systems. Each has its own formatting requirements, royalty structure, and exclusivity rules, so it is worth reading the terms before you upload anything. If you would rather not manage several accounts yourself, a publishing service can handle the distribution side for you and keep track of where your book is listed.
Formatting and typesetting are usually handled directly by your publisher, editor, or a specialist formatting service, rather than through a public upload platform. You will normally send your manuscript as a Word document or similar file, and the formatter will lay it out to print or eBook specifications, including margins, fonts, chapter breaks, and page numbering. If you are working with Northern Star Press, this stage happens after editing is finished, so the layout matches the final approved text rather than an earlier draft.
Most UK self-publishing services expect a clean, simply formatted manuscript before typesetting begins. That usually means one consistent font, standard page size, clear chapter headings, and page numbers, with no unusual spacing, tabs, or manual line breaks used to fake indents. Double-check that your file does not contain tracked changes or comments left over from editing. It is a good habit to save a clean, final version of your manuscript separately, so there is no confusion about which draft is the one going forward.
For a small number of copies, UK print-on-demand services are usually the most practical option, since they print to order and avoid storage costs. If you plan to sell in bulk, for example at events or through a local bookshop, a short-run digital printer can work out cheaper per copy, but you will need somewhere to store the stock. It is worth getting quotes from a couple of printers for your exact page count and paper choice, since prices can vary more than people expect.
For business books, memoirs, and thought-leadership titles, look for a ghostwriter who has actually written in your industry before, or who takes the time to properly understand it through interviews and research. A good working process usually starts with a series of recorded conversations, followed by a structured outline you approve before any chapters are written. Ask to see a short sample of previous work, and make sure the contract is clear about confidentiality, since business ghostwriting often involves sensitive company information.
Reliable non-fiction ghostwriters usually come with a track record you can check, whether that is previously published titles, client references, or a clear portfolio of sample writing. Be wary of anyone unwilling to provide any of this. A short paid trial chapter is a sensible way to test whether a writer can genuinely capture your voice before you commit to a full project, and most professional ghostwriters are happy to agree to this.
Ghostwriting prices in the UK vary widely depending on the length of the book, the amount of research and interviewing required, and the experience of the writer. Rather than quoting a single figure, most reputable ghostwriters will price a project after an initial discussion, once they understand the scope of the work. If a quote seems unusually low compared to others you have received, ask exactly what is included, since some quotes cover only a first draft and not revisions.
The right editing service depends on what stage your manuscript is at. A developmental edit looks at structure, pacing, and plot or argument, and is best done early, before the text is polished. A line edit and copy edit come later, once the structure is settled, and focus on sentence-level clarity and consistency. A proofread is the final check before publication. Good UK editing services will ask which of these you need rather than selling you a single fixed package regardless of your manuscript's stage.
Most book editing today is done remotely, so location matters less than it used to, though some authors still prefer to work with someone local for in-person meetings. When choosing an editor or editing company, ask about their experience with your genre, request a sample edit of a few pages, and check how revisions and queries are handled. A good editor will explain their changes and reasoning, not just correct the text without comment.
Rather than relying on ratings alone, which can be easy to manipulate, ask any editing service for examples of books they have worked on and, where possible, speak to a past client. Self-published authors in particular benefit from an editor who understands the self-publishing process end to end, since formatting, cover copy, and back matter often need attention alongside the main text.
Many editing companies, including Northern Star Press, will edit a short sample of your manuscript, usually the first one to two thousand words, free of charge, so you can see their editing style before committing to the full project. This is a reasonable thing to ask for, and any editor unwilling to provide even a small sample is worth being cautious about.
Most editors ask for your manuscript as a Word document, with track changes turned off and any earlier comments cleared, so they are working from a clean file. Alongside the manuscript, it helps to include a short note on your genre, target reader, and any particular concerns you have, such as pacing or a section you are unsure about. This gives the editor useful context before they start.
Freelance marketplaces and professional editing directories are common starting points for finding editors at a range of price points, though quality varies, so always check samples and reviews carefully. If cost is a concern, some authors choose to have only the most important sections, such as the opening chapters, professionally edited in full, with a lighter pass over the rest. A good editing service should be able to discuss options like this rather than insisting on an all-or-nothing package.
Cover design pricing depends on the complexity of the brief, whether it uses custom illustration or photography, and how many revision rounds are included. A straightforward cover using stock imagery and typography will usually cost less than a fully illustrated or bespoke design. Rather than quote a single average figure that may not reflect current market rates, we would recommend asking two or three designers for quotes based on your specific book, genre, and format.
Freelance cover designers in the UK typically price by project rather than by the hour, and the fee usually reflects experience, the number of concepts offered, and how many rounds of revisions are included. It is worth asking upfront exactly what is covered in the price, including whether the final files will be supplied in the formats you need for print and eBook, since this can otherwise become an extra cost later.
We built our service list around the real gaps that stop authors from finishing and launching their books. Here is what falls under our roof.
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