What exactly is the Marketplace?
The PubLaunch Marketplace allows writers to browse and hire Suppliers (editors, illustrators,
cover designers, etc.). Any writer on PubLaunch can build a team of Suppliers for their
publishing project using the Marketplace, see the price for each Supplier and the overall
project, and pay for services.
Once you’ve hired your project team, PubLaunch
administrators will open up your project chat and guide you and your Suppliers through the
process.
I’m looking for a specific service that I don’t see listed in the Marketplace. What do I do?
Since we’re still a new site, we’re unable to include all the services we’d like. But we’re
always planning improvements and new features. If you’re looking for something specific, we
want to hear from you! Feedback helps us plan our next development moves and choose what to
prioritize.
If there’s something you’d like to see on our site that you can’t find
right now, please send an email to [email protected] with the subject line
“Suggestion for a new service or feature” and a detailed description of what you’re looking
for.
Do I have to copyright my material before sharing it on your site? Is there a danger that my work will get stolen?
You automatically own any piece of writing you’ve created. Manuscript theft is extremely rare. As long as you can show that you wrote your manuscript, you have grounds against anyone who steals or plagiarizes your work.
What’s the advantage of using PubLaunch instead of just going it alone?
We’ve already done all the legwork and research for you. We’ve found a host of amazing Suppliers for you to work with, developed an easy quote and payment system, and are here to support you and your Suppliers along the way. You’ll be using the same Suppliers the publishing houses use.
What is “Guided Publishing”?
If you’re not
confident in building your own publishing project via the PubLaunch Marketplace, you can get
a helping hand from one of PubLaunch's guided publishers.
Our Guided
Publishers shepherd your project through all the services necessary to publish a high-quality
book, from the basics (editing, design, formatting) to more specialized services, such as
indexing, illustration, and rewriting.
In fact, Guided publishers are a lot like
traditional publishers. The difference is that they’ll ask you to help cover the cost of
producing your book. In exchange offer you a higher royalty rate.
For more
information about this publishing model, see Guided Publishing.
Do I need to hire an entire team, or can I use the PubLaunch Marketplace for just one service?
You can use the Marketplace to hire as many Suppliers as you need! Whether you require just one service provider, or ten, the Marketplace allows you to customize your team based on your publishing needs.
How much does it cost to use PubLaunch?
That depends entirely on what you want to do. Publaunch offers a range of services, from copy editing to cover design. The more services you choose and the higher your manuscript word count is, the higher the cost. Supplier rates also vary depending on how much experience they have. Visit the Publaunch Marketplace to explore the range of services we offer and the related prices. Using our website is free. The costs only come into play once you select and pay for our Supplier services.
How do you calculate the cost for each service?
That depends entirely on what you want to do. Publaunch offers a range of services, from copy editing to cover design. The more services you choose and the higher your manuscript word count is, the higher the cost. Supplier rates also vary depending on how much experience they have. Visit the Publaunch Marketplace to explore the range of services we offer and the adjoining prices. We should also note that using our website is free of cost, the costs only come into play once you select and pay for our supplier services.
I’ve paid for my project. Now what?
Once you’ve successfully paid for your project, the Suppliers you’ve selected will be notified. The PubLaunch project manager will add you and your team to a group chat and set up one-on-one chats for you and each of your Suppliers. Through the chat you can discuss your project goals, ask and answer questions, and share files. We aim to have your chat up and running within two business days.
I am a professional writer and I’d like to claim any taxes I’ve paid. Does PubLaunch provide a tax breakdown on invoices?
PubLaunch is still a small company, and we have both writers and Suppliers from all over the world on our site. At this time, it’s too difficult for us to track and program all international taxation laws. Therefore, Supplier rates are TAX INCLUSIVE, and your invoice for services (as well as the receipts provided to Suppliers) will not include a breakdown of applicable taxes. Should you require a tax breakdown, contact your Suppliers and request a more detailed invoice.
Help! I got an error message. What do I do?
We want to know everything we can about any bugs or errors that pop up on the site so that we can fix them as quickly as possible. Please send a screenshot of your error and a description of the problem to [email protected] or fill out our help form.
Why can’t I see my project chat yet?
We need some time after receiving your payment to notify all the Suppliers you’ve chosen and set up your project. If your project chat isn’t up and running within two business days, shoot us an email at [email protected] with the subject line: “Project Chat setup”.
Who can sign up as a Supplier on PubLaunch?
We’re looking for writing coaches, ghostwriters, rewriters, structural editors, copy editors, ebook and print formatters, illustrators, cover designers, indexers, proofreaders, audiobook producers and marketers. If you’ve had any experience working on books, sign up as a Supplier! (And if you don’t see your job on this list, let us know!)
Why can’t I sign up for some services listed?
You can! You just have to email us first at [email protected]. Some services are more complicated, and we’d like to chat before you sign up for them. Once you email us and let us know which service you would like to provide, we can help you get set up.
What do I do if I don’t see my service on your list?
If you’d like to offer a service you don’t see listed or have other questions/comments, please email us at [email protected] with a description of what you would like to offer.
I’m not in North America. Can I still use your site?
As a Supplier, you’ll need to create an account with our payment processor, Stripe, to receive payments for your work. (Account setup can be done through your PubLaunch profile.) Stripe can only process payments to the specific countries listed on their website (if you are not in one of those countries, you’ll need a bank account in one of them): https://www.bmo.com/main/business/cash-management/global-pay/.
What are your fees?
PubLaunch will receive 10% of the payment made to you as a commission fee. If you are an individual or business residing in Canada, PubLaunch is also required to charge sales tax on its commission, based on your province of residence/incorporation.
Do I have to complete my profile right away, or can I save my progress and complete it later?
You can leave your profile at any time and return to it later by clicking “Save my Profile”. After your initial sign in, you can locate your profile through your menu and continue to edit:
1) Log in to publaunch.com by clicking the Login link on the top, right-hand corner of the site.
2) Go to your menu on the left.
3) Click the "My Profile" tab.
4) Edit away!
What kind of rate do I set as a Supplier?
Structural editors, copy editors, and proofreaders set an hourly rate.
Indexers, interior designers, and ebook converters set a per page rate.
Illustrators set a per illustration rate.
Marketers set a per package rate.
How do I set my rates?
You set your own rates based on your level of experience with the service that you are providing. The only rules we have are the following: you have to set your rate above our minimum, your rate should be in USD, and your rate should include taxes. If you have any questions about setting your rates, you can contact us at [email protected].
Why does PubLaunch have a minimum rate for each service?
Most other sites pay their Suppliers poorly and have them compete against each other. So, what they pay their Suppliers is low, and the top people avoid the sites. We want to attract and keep the best people in the business. We’re competing more on quality than on price. So, our pricing has rate minimums to keep competition fair and fees at the Canadian industry standard.
How do you estimate a book project based on my hourly rate or per page rate?
We have data
on how long each step has taken for the production of thousands of books, with the work done
by numerous Suppliers. We take the time estimate from the quote generator and multiply it by
your quoted price rate. Assuming you work at about the average rate, the estimator is
spookily accurate: it estimated one project at 364.25 hours and was off by 15
minutes.
For editors, we use a manuscript's word count to calculate the number of hours the
manuscript will take to edit and then multiply that by your hourly rate.
For interior designers, ebook converters, and indexers, we use a manuscript's word count and the book's trim size to estimate how many pages the book will be, and then we multiply that by your per page rate.
I’m waiting for PubLaunch to approve my profile. What am I being vetted for?
When we review a new Supplier, we’re ensuring your profile has been filled out fully and accurately, your rates meet our minimum requirements, and you have proven ability to perform the service you’ve signed up for. Depending on your service, “proven ability” could include a competency test, a review of previous work, and/or your portfolio. Should you not pass your review, you’ll receive a detailed explanation and be invited to resubmit your profile.
How do I edit my profile or adjust my rates?
1) Log in to publaunch by clicking the "Login" button on the top, right-hand corner of the site.
2) Go to the "My Account" tab.
3) Click the "Edit My Account" button.
4) You'll see the tabs "General Information" and "Services", where you can update your profile information and your service rates.
What is the optimal size for a profile picture?
We recommend uploading a square JPEG image with a file size that doesn’t exceed 256 MB. For both an appealing profile picture and thumbnail in the Marketplace, make sure that your photo can be cropped roughly 10% on the top and the bottom without cropping out anything important. There is also a gradient on the top of the thumbnail that accounts for another 13%.
Do I need to work on every book project that I’m selected for?
Generally yes, you are required to accept every project that you're selected for. If, after you review the project information and the manuscript, you feel that it has been mischaracterized, entered into the wrong genre, or is in some way offensive, or if the word count is inaccurate, you can decline it by sending an email to [email protected] to explain your reasoning.
How and when do Supplier get paid?
When you get paid depends on the service you are providing. Details are in the descriptions of each service on the Service Contract's Payment section.
How much time do I have to respond to a service request from a writer?
You have 24 hours (that’s one business day) to either accept or reject a service request from a writer. Note that if you’re marked as “Available” on your profile, you are required to accept a project that is assigned to you. If for some reason you are not able to accept a project at the time one is assigned to you, please contact us at [email protected] to explain your reasoning.
I need to collect sales and/or income taxes in my country. Does PubLaunch provide a tax breakdown?
PubLaunch is
still a small company, and we have both writers and Suppliers from all over the world on our
site. At this time, it’s too difficult for us to track and program all international taxation
laws. Therefore, your Supplier rate is TAX INCLUSIVE, and your receipt for services (as well
as the invoices provided to writers) will not include a breakdown of applicable taxes. Should
you need to collect taxes, or should a writer require a tax breakdown, you are responsible
for providing such an invoice.
Use the following link to help you break out applicable taxes from your rate or total payment:
https://www.calculatorpro.com/