Rates

Consulting Services

City Desk understands that budgets in book publishing are small. We are committed to providing cost-effective solutions to publishing issues. City Desk's strength is in assessing a publishing problem and providing an affordable solution. Given that, prices for consulting services are estimated in conjunction with the client, based on the client's unique needs. Fees are based on an hourly rate which generally ranges from $50-$75 per hour, depending on the complexity of the project. Estimates are always given before a project begins and estimates include a spending cap, so there is no danger of a project running over budget. Flat rates are also available on request for certain projects.

Initial consultations are free and we strongly urge you to call to discuss solutions to any publishing issues you may have.

Design Services

City Desk's basic print and web design services are billed on a more rigid price scale. Details for design pricing can be found at our sister site www.citydeskdesign.com.

A note on you, your publisher, and marketing expenses

It is an unfortunate reality that publishers are not going to be able to dedicate all of the time and money that a good book deserves. There are good reasons for that, and if you are interested, I suggest you read the section on Publishing Economy. But cutting to the chase, here are some very practical solutions to getting additional financial support from your publisher.

1. It never hurts to ask! Just ask your publisher if they are willing to invest in your Web presence, be it your Web site, a Web marketing plan, or both. You never know, they could come back with "Sure, we always want to do a better job of marketing our books on the Web, we just can't afford to dedicate the people hours to designing Web sites and mining the Internet for marketing opportunities." Remember, you are offering them something valuable. Our services provide a marketing department for a book without making a long-term commitment to salary and benefits.
2. Share nice! Authors can certainly benefit personally from a strong Web presence. Many authors can leverage their online success for gigs as a cable TV talking head, or as an online columnist. Given that, authors have a lot to gain from a strong Web presence. Much of it may ultimately have little to do with selling the author's current book. It isn't unreasonable that publishers don't want to invest their money in your success. However, the primary goal of all of City Desk's services is to sell books. So ask your publisher if they might split the costs with you.
3. The recoupable loophole. Many authors don't understand how publishers think or how a publisher's economy works. Here's a little tip: publishers are far more likely to write a check if the cost is recoupable. Suggest that any money they contribute toward developing your Web presence be considered an additional advance. What does this mean? Well, for the publisher it means that if the book is successful, they get the money back because they will pay it off before they start paying you royalties. For the author, it means that assuming your book succeeds, you will have to wait a little longer before you start collecting royalties. Ultimately, it is a small enough amount of money that, if the book is successful, it will not make a big difference in the amount of royalties you receive.