What’s different about Picky Press?
1. We are a small family-oriented company, that caters to independent authors. We’re able to print submitted material from various authors, as long as they conform to general family values (see Our Policy). Books can be of any genre, but we especially love to publish books on pets and animals as you may gather from our logo. We prefer books to be “Rated G” to “PG”, but reserve the right to limit our policy up to “PG-13”, depending on the situation. All material must fit with our goal of being geared for a generally family-friendly audience. We can print book in English or even other languages.
2. We are all about quality, not quantity and profit. We create our prices to cover all needed expenses, yet remain competitive. We also offer monthly payment plans if needed. There are ways to fund your project, such as dedication and memorial pages for loved ones sponsored by people in your own community. (See our page on funding your project.) We help offer ideas, and welcome suggestions. Our personalized service will help make your book unmatched in quality, hence our tagline, “We Are Picky About Quality”
3. Picky Press offers and encourages quality hardcover books. Unlike some Print-On-Demand (POD) companies, we have the option of hardcover books. Paperback books may be economical, but if they are read over and over again, they may have a limited life-span. The covers may curl over time. You would be hard-pressed to find someone throwing a hardcover book in the trash, yet that is what happens to many paperback books when they are worn-out and don’t look so nice anymore. The cost is only a few dollars more than paperback books, but they are higher-quality, lasting a lifetime and beyond. People expect to pay more and willingly pay a higher retail price for hardcovers. They realize that you get what you pay for.
4. We welcome material from anyone, not just a select few. Unlike larger publishing companies, we publish works from anyone, not only established authors. After all, even the most famous author had to get their start somewhere! We welcome New Independent Authors (NInAs) and offer competitive prices for our services. Picky Press is a hybrid publisher, and our books do not have the stigma of being a second-rate “self-published” book.
If one merely wants to publish their work as cheaply as possible, they may be better off with a “self-publishing” company that deals with volume- that is, quantity, not quality. We offer “value”, which is more than just a “cheap” price.
5. No waiting for months before you even find out that your book has been rejected. As long as it fits our guidelines appropriately, we don’t generally reject books. Large publishers feel they should limit their authors to those who are already famous or have sold over 200 copies of a book. Some may not even accept submissions. Others may accept submissions, but usually they require the author to put a sizable amount of money up-front due to their risk involved. It can also take anywhere from 9-18 months before ever finding out if your book has been accepted by them. We don’t believe anyone should be considered “at risk”, but rather we both invest something in the book project. We invest in projects with our time and better services, and the author invests their work and just enough money to cover book creation costs. We work together and both benefit in the end. The result is a partnership that both parties can truly be proud of.
6. We offer the ultimate in versatility in pricing and services. Picky Press offers services that not every company does. If you don’t want to go it alone, or have first time jitters, we can do most of the preparatory work for you. If you already have a cover design in mind, you can create your own, and we can make sure it meets all of the technical specs that our Picky printer requires. We can help format and preflight your interior documents. (See our instructional Book Specifications Checklist.) Many self-publishing companies (or “Vanity Publishers”) offer expensive package deals from $3,000-$10,000 to create only one book, and nothing else. The book may still have that “self-published” stigma; you end up paying a lot of money, and still you may be at the mercy of editors and staff who tell you what you can and can’t do. At Picky Press, you are able to pick and choose what you need and want. That’s why we offer pricing Bundles.
7. We believe in transparent pricing, and try to have all of our pricing available up front. Browse our Store for all of the various products and services that we offer, and we invite you to compare our prices with other publishers. You might be surprised at what you find. See our How We Compare chart that lists other companies and similar services.
8. You maintain complete control over your own work. Aside from acceptable content (which really shouldn’t affect most work), you control what you want to publish. Think of it- no editors breathing down your back, micromanaging what you want to say! There are no rejections (see Our Policy), you own your work 100% and you still get industry-standard publishing-rate royalties for your work. Picky Press has the best of all worlds! You control your content and your cover. Some companies charge anywhere from $500-$1,500 just for cover design alone, and the author doesn’t even get the final say-so! We believe the author knows their book better than anyone and value their input. We consult with authors every step of the way throughout the book publishing process.
9. Picky Press has extra services available to help promote you and your work. When you publish with us, you get your own free Author Page to advertise all of your books. In addition to this, we also can offer you the option of an entire customized website with the domain name of your book title or name, (if it is available) as part of the VIP Bundle. Picky Press’ parent company Tovim Media, LLC is a full-service web agency that specializes in just that- media. You can purchase web hosting where you can build your own website or we can build it for you, purchase extra services, and do as much or little as you like. We work with you according to your needs.
10. Picky Press gives you the ultimate in distribution for your work. We are connected to a global distribution company that covers over 40,000 bookstores and libraries, so your work can reach out over the entire world! As we say, “We Are Black and White and Read All Over!”
We provide the availability, but people can only find your book if they know it exists. As we partner with you to sell your book, we make it accessible, but you have to make it noticeable. It is up to you to promote your work through speaking engagements, book signings and public appearances, but we can help you by offering valuable services and marketing materials. You do all the rest of the book promotion.
Experience the Picky Press difference. We are Picky About Quality!