Book Formatting Service:

Self-Publishing Services For Authors

Sorry, This Service is Currently Closed

Quick links on this page:

• about the book formatting service
• meet the team
• prices
• how to pay and submit your book
• FAQ
• testimonials

About The Service

Sorry, Our Book Formatting Service is Currently Closed

Early is 2021, we took the decision to close our book formatting service indefinitely so we could concentrate on our critiquing service and editing service.

We don't have any plans to re-open the formatting service in the near future, but this page still exists as we may open it again at some point. Apologies for any inconvenience caused.

In the meantime, here are some useful resources for authors who are considering self-publishing their books:

• Chris has written a guide for Matthew Woodward's award-winning blog, clearly explaining the self-publishing process using Amazon KDP - you can read the post on Matthew's website.
• Australian author HR Kemp has written a candid and informative case study about her experiences of self-publishing, using a variety of online platforms. The post includes details of how she worked with an editor and book formatting service provider (there are links in the post). You can read HR's post here.
• Canadian author Angela Googh runs an eBook formatting service. Ange has formatted many of the writing challenge eBooks I produce, and some of the To Hull And Back anthologies too. She is a diligent worker and produces fantastic eBooks that are accessible to anyone. You can learn more about Ange on my meet the team page.
• If you are considering using a vanity publisher (any publisher you pay to publish your book), Johnathon Clifford's Vanity Publishing advisory website (archived by the British Library) offers lots of free information, clearly outlining the pros and cons of vanity publishing.
• Kindlepreneur have a good resource on their website that talks you through how to format a book. It includes a list of book formatting service providers.
• Silverwood Books are a reputable self-publishing service provider based in Bristol UK. If you are considering using a firm like this, you may prefer to work with a local service provider, but Silverwood are a good example of what you can expect from this type of business and the associated costs. You can see Silverwood Book's website here. There are LOTS of other firms that offer this type of service; we simply mention this one because it operates in our local area, meaning we are familiar with them and know they have a good reputation. To find other firms, just do a Google search for 'book formatting services' or 'self-publishing services' and add your country or local area to the end of the query. We'd advise you to research any firm you plan to use prior to engaging their services, just to make sure they're reputable.

If you have any general questions about self-publishing, please feel free to contact Chris. He has a lot of experience in this area.

Historic Information About This Service

This is a service for formatting books and novels, ready for self-publishing in print, as a paperback book, and / or as a Kindle eBook. We can undertake this service for any type of book, be it fiction or non-fiction.

We can format your manuscript into a print-ready PDF or Microsoft Word document, ready to publish on Amazon or other self-publishing platforms.

Formatting an eBook can be complicated, as you have to enable a clickable table of contents and a layout compatible with eReaders. We can undertake that work for you, so you know that your book will be professionally presented when it is published.

If you want to do all the work yourself, you might be interested in my step by step self-publishing guide.

For more details, please see the FAQ section of the page.

Sorry, The Book Formatting Service Is Currently Closed

Meet The Team

Dr Lynda Nash

Dr Lynda Nash is a tutor, mentor and freelance editor. She has a PhD in Creative Writing and is the author of several books for adults and children.

Here are some links to examples of Lynda's book formatting work:

• A View From The Pit: An Autobiography of Orchestral Life, by Jeff Lloyd
• Dyed Hair Lipstick and Steroids: A Collection of Poetry, by Caerphilly Scribes
• The Detention Gang: Day of the Desperate: Volume 1, by Lynda Nash
• Tin Baths and Coal Fires: Memories of a Senghenydd Childhood, by Ethel Oates

You can learn more about Lynda on the main Meet The Team page.

***

Christopher Fielden

Chris is an award-winning short story writer. He is also the author of How to Write a Short Story, Get Published & Make Money, which has been an Amazon bestseller.

You can learn more about Chris on the main Meet The Team page.

***

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Formatting Prices

Prices for book formatting:

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How to Pay and Submit

Sorry, Our Book Formatting Service is Currently Closed

In first instance, please contact Chris by email at chris@christopherfielden.com. Please provide details about your project and the work you'd like us to undertake for you.

Chris will reply to your email within 3 days, to let you know he's received your message safely. If for any reason you do not hear from him within 3 days, please get in touch.

On occasion, Chris travels with work and takes holidays / vacations where he has no internet access. This is rare, but in these instances he sets up an 'out of office' reply on his email, letting you know if there will be a delay in his response.

Once we have discussed your project and have all the information we need, you can pay via PayPal or bank transfer.

You do not have to have a PayPal account to use PayPal, and can pay by credit card, debit card or even direct debit. We use PayPal because it is secure, safe and protects your personal information, ensuring a safe transaction. You can read more about PayPal in the FAQ.

Once you have paid, email your manuscript as a Microsoft Word document (as a .doc .docx or .rtf file) to chris@christopherfielden.com.

If you can't supply a document in the required file format, please email me - we can usually find a way around it.

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Book Manuscript Formatting Services FAQ

Here are some frequently asked questions.

Do you share my personal information with anyone else?

No. Never.

We won't give any of your personal information or writing to anyone. We treat all you send us in complete confidence. We respect your privacy at all times.

If you want any further information, please review our privacy policy.

How long will it take to receive my book?

We aim to complete your book within 8 weeks (56 days).

Please bear in mind that turnaround times vary depending on your project requirements. We will try and give you a more accurate idea of timings when discussing your project by email / Zoom.

Please also bear in mind that the 8 week timeframe allows:

• us to discuss your project in detail
• us to prepare you a draft of your book
• you to review the draft and request amendments
• us to make changes and supply a second draft
• you to upload your book to your chosen self-publishing platform and order a printed proof
• you to receive the printed proof, review it and request changes
• us to prepare a final draft of your book
• you to upload and publish your book

Kindle eBooks can be turned around more quickly as you do not have to wait for a printed proof to arrive by post. If you only want an eBook, please allow up to 6 weeks for your project to be completed.

Book formatting is a time consuming process. We list this information here to help set realistic expectations with turnaround times :-)

Please can you give me some more details on what I can expect from this service?

Yes! You will receive a professionally formatted book interior, ready to publish in your desired formats (paperback book and / or Kindle eBook).

We will discuss options with you as we go through the process. This can include:

• Book size
• Colour options
• Interior presentation
• Images
• Much more

What we discuss depends on the requirements of your project.

What don’t you do?

We do not proofread your book or make edits. We simply prepare your manuscript for publication.

If you want your book copy edited, please review our copy editing service page.

If you want a critique, please review our critique service page.

We do not design / prepare book covers. We recommend using a professional artist. You can use a basic cover generator on most self-publishing platforms, but professioanlly designed book covers tend to look better, generating more sales.

We do not offer a fast-track service.

What will I need to send you?

A manuscript of your book, preferably in Microsoft Word format.

Why do you use PayPal to receive payments?

PayPal is a world leading payment service provider. They offer a secure service, ensuring that monetary transactions are quick, easy and safe. You can set up an account and pay via your bank in any currency, or you can simply pay by debit or credit card without setting up an account. Whichever payment method you prefer, you can be confident that your personal information is safe.

Setting up secure payments within this website would be very costly and is not something we're currently able to do. PayPal are trusted and widely used, most famously being eBay’s preferred payment service provider. For more details, check out the PayPal website.

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Testimonials

Ted K, November 2020

Formatting my first paperback novel – The Alleyway Murders – was causing me a few headaches. At first, I tried to format the book myself. When I saw my author's proof copy, I felt like hanging my head in shame. The margins were too wide, blank pages were here and there and the errors were too numerous to count. I had other books on the go and felt overwhelmed.  Impatient friends and family members  had been promised copies over a year ago. My budget was a shoestring. Bestseller sales with my first attempt were unlikely to say the least!

Eventually, Chris's name turned up when I searched online. From the start it was clear he knew what he was doing. The price was affordable and everything was a doddle from then on. With his patience and understanding, he took time to get my novel looking exactly the way I wanted. The final paperback sent me over the moon. I sent copies to English friends and my daughters in Australia yesterday.

I wouldn't hesitate to recommend him for novel formatting.

Here is a link to Ted's book.

Janice S, May 2020

I spent so much time, frustrated and trying to format my book correctly. I hired a young lady to do my illustrations. Finally (sigh) I realized that I also needed someone to help with formatting my book. I found Christopher online and researched reviews and the books he has worked on.

I'm so glad to report that he is honest, helpful and produces results quickly. He also answered my questions but also kindly made suggestions that made my book look great. The formatting was perfect, spot on. We connected by Zoom (woohoo) and I was able to watch him (split screen) make the changes as we talked. Amazing.

Most of all - trustworthy. There is no need to fear using someone miles away. He is in England, I am in America. I would use his service without any hesitation. He can make your hard work look even better.

Here is a link to Janice's book.

Liz O, April 2020

I was a novice to self-publishing and realised I needed help with the business of  formatting my manuscript as well as guidance on dealing with KDP.

I am so glad I decided to use Chris Fielden. Not only did he do an excellent job of formatting the book, but more importantly as far as I was concerned, he was ever patient with my limited computer skills and cheerfully steered me through the  complexities of  loading everything on to KDP.

He was a real pleasure  to work with and made a daunting undertaking seem much less arduous. I would thoroughly recommend him to anyone who is looking for assistance in preparing their manuscript for publication.

Here is a link to Liz's book.

William M, April 2020

I am very grateful to Lynda and yourself for the good work you have done. I have particularly appreciated your responsiveness and the support you have given me in getting Themed Crosswords by Boffles published.

Here is a link to William's book.

Cheryl N, February 2019

Consider yourselves patted on the back. I highly recommend the attention to detail and timely delivery, so between you and Lynda (well, mostly Lynda!) I am very happy with the result. Well done.

Here is a link to Cheryl's book.

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