Creating Books of Exceptional Quality
Murmuration Author Services
What We Do
You have an idea. It's an important idea. But it might not be a fully formed idea. That idea flows around in your head dancing, coursing like a murmuration of starlings. But you know others would benefit from learning about this idea. So, you are eager to share that idea. And you want to share that idea by writing a book. Then reality settles in. You have never written a book before. The publishing process, like all processes that are not familiar to you, can be intimidating. Confusing. Should I self-publish? What does that even mean - to self-publish? How do you get a traditional publisher to take on your project? Where do I begin writing a 50,000-word manuscript? That is where we come in. We are your coach and friend guiding you through the writing and publishing process. With our decades of experience publishing 100's of books we can help you create a compelling, professionally-edited and formatted manuscript that you can either self-publish or take to a traditional publisher. Although we work with all authors, both fiction and non-fiction, our primary focus is on the K-12 education space. It is here that we have decades of experience and thus know the space intimately. We can help you create not only a book you will be proud of but a book the marketplace is craving. This program is designed for authors who want to write their book themselves, get high-level publishing services ensuring their book is absolutely of the highest quality. What you do with the finished manuscript after that is up to you. We are here to help you make an informed decision on the best route for you. Because every author has their unique vision for their project it isn't one size fits all. You might want to leverage having a finished manuscript to entice a traditional publisher to take on your work. Or perhaps you want to have more control and opt to self-publish. There are pros and cons to each route and we are here to help you sort out which is best for you.
How We Work
The first step in the process is to have a discovery meeting. It is at this meeting that I learn more about you and your book idea and you can learn more about how we work and what you can expect when you work with us. That meeting typically lasts anywhere from twenty to thirty minutes and if we feel there is a mutual connection we can discuss how we'd like to move forward.
If this sounds like a first date, then you are on the right track. We aren't a good fit for everyone and it's best to learn that quickly over a cup of coffee rather than over a long weekend in the Poconos.
Services Included
These are the core services to ensure you have a professional manuscript to either self-publish or present to a traditional publisher.
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Full consultation on structure of manuscript
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Full developmental or line edit of manuscript
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Full copy-edit of manuscript
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Full interior book layout
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Access to the editor for the entirety of the writing process be it two months or two years
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Publishing distribution consultation - what is the best route for me?
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Self-Publish
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Traditional Publisher
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Marketing consultation - how can I best position myself and my new book for success?
Fee
The fee covers all the included services listed above
$4,999
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First payment of $2,500 due at agreement signing
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Second payment of $1,250 due before copy editing and formatting begins
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Third payment of $1,249 due upon completion of project
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Fee can be paid with Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discovery Card, or bank transfer
À la carte Services
These services are optional and can be contracted for an additional fee.
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Cover design
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ISBN assignment
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Agent representation to traditional publisher
Books We Have Edited
A Small Sampling of Books We Developed and Edited
BIO
My name is Mark Combes and I confess to having a lifelong love affair with the written word. So, it is no surprise that my life's work has revolved around books.
For decades I have helped authors bring their ideas to a wider audience by helping them craft the best possible book they can.
Writing a book is a process – not an event. And although writing a book is often a solitary endeavor, publishing a book is a collaborative venture. And you want the best team on your side as you travel that publishing road.
If you've got an idea you want to turn into a book, let's talk. Let's see if we can bring that idea to life.