What is a Book Shepherd?

A Book Shepherd is an expert who knows all phases of the writing, editing, publishing, and book promotion processes and guides the author through each stage. He knows best practices and can offer resources that will benefit the author.

A Book Shepherd works with the author from the first draft to the published book. The goal is to produce the best book possible and to help the author achieve a wide readership. The author is willing to listen to the book Shepherd because he has the education and experience to help.

What do I bring to the table as a Christian Book Shepherd?

M.A. degree in Communications.
M.Div. degree in Theology.
I have written books (over 40), and magazine articles, and blog posts that have inspired millions of readers.
Have a traditional publishing background.
Was a pioneer in digital/self-publishing.
Have edited and/or produced a large number of books for clients.
Awareness of market trends and best writing and publishing practices.

See my brief bio here.

I understand and support your biblical views. My academic theological training and practical experience will help you create a book you will be proud to publish. I become your publishing mentor and help you produce a better Christian book.

Why this Book Shepherding Program is Important

I see a lot of Christian books, and I’m concerned about the decline in the quality of both subject matter and production values. I have decided to act as a Book Shepherd for six books per year on behalf of motivated Christian authors. I want to try to do my part to encourage dedicated writers and lift the quality of self-published (independently published) Christian books.

The conflicting voices from questionable “experts” you hear on Facebook or other social media sites can hurt you. Work with someone who has the training, experience, and depth of knowledge you deserve.

The authors in this program will get clear, objective, kind input from a seasoned professional, not a phalanx of conflicted opinions like those available on Facebook or elsewhere. I cannot ensure success because no one can. However, I can help you produce a book that you’ll be proud of, and that has a chance for success in the mar

ketplace.

The ALL-INCLUSIVE Service I Offer

Once you commission me, I provide ALL these services for ONE fee:

Developmental (Substantive) Editing

A comprehensive analysis of your book structure and content (fiction or nonfiction).
An analysis of the clarity of your writing (sentence and paragraph structure, word choice, etc.).
A helpful evaluation of your writing style from an objective point of view.
A positive critique of specific elements you can change to make your book more reader-friendly.
A professional opinion about your book’s potential for commercial success, including preliminary market research.
I catch hidden issues, problems, and blunders for you to fix before copy editing.

You get a personalized, objective written appraisal of your book. Normally my written reports are from 10-25 pages. This assessment normally takes 7-10 business days. I have taught at the university level, so my analysis is a teaching-learning process for you, not negative criticism. After you have time to digest my report, we will discuss it by Zoom, email, or phone (in the US) so you can ask questions or seek clarification about my notes on your manuscript. See more details here.

You do your final revisions at this point, and your manuscript is ready for copy editing.

My comments emphasize both the strong and weak points of your manuscript. There is no harsh criticism.

Copy (Line) Editing

I help perfect your manuscript by reviewing and improving grammar, punctuation, and spelling. Here’s a partial list of the things I check and correct when I do the line editing of your book: See a partial list of issues I address here.

Note that I use the AP Stylebook, The Chicago Manual of Style for footnotes, and my house rules for Christian writing. If you have a difference preference, you must inform be before editing begins. That is how we avoid ever-changing personal preferences. Once I have copy-edited your book, you read it and give final authorization for publication.

Copy editing has many subjective elements and my clients entrust me with that aspect of book development. They acknowledge that when engaging my services.

Book Production (Bookcraft)

I package and publish the book under your brand. This includes:

Doing interior design, including typography for both a paperback and ebook, which you approve.
Creating the cover and working with you on the design, including text.
Publishing the paperback and ebook on your Amazon KDP account. This includes researching proper categories and keywords to enhance your search visibility.

Your book will be ready for distribution upon your approval when this work is complete.

How long does this process take? It depends largely on the speed of your response to my work, but most books go from first draft to published book in 60-90 DAYS.

Book Promotion

I do these aspects of book promotion for you:

Identify the sales viability of your book in the Developmental editing stage and suggest changes that might make it more marketable.
Books are discovered by computer search today, not bookstore browsing. I include all the proper metadata in your Amazon listing to enhance this. This includes not only the hidden metadata but also such things as your author and book description. There are other places you can distribute your book, and I can advise you about that as part of my service to you, but Amazon is the largest worldwide bookseller, and they set the standard.
I will provide you with a written list of the best methods and places to promote your book. Every author needs his or her own website for promotional purposes. Ask me for a price quote if you do not have one.
I will consult with you about the results of your promotion and possible alterations to your plan.

I do not personally promote your book. Even traditional publishers require authors to promote their own books today, and authors accept that. My book promotion services are limited to consulting with you about your promotional activities and offering resources and best practices.

ALL work is done with your advice and consent. I provide the reasons for my recommendations, but you are free to make other decisions at your own risk.

Ongoing Consulting

Have problems or need questions answered about this book after you release it? I’m available to you for 60 days after release to help you reach your goals. This would normally attract an extra consulting fee, but it is part of this special Book Shepherding program.

Book Shepherding Terms

MY FEE FOR ALL SERVICES ABOVE is $2,995 for most books up to 55,000 words.

I do not offer partial services at this low rate. Ask for a regular quote if you only want a portion of my services. I do not discount my published rates or provide them at no cost. There may be an extra fee for books beyond that word count, more than 5 interior images, or other factors. We’ll discuss the fee after I have viewed your manuscript and requirements during your free initial review. Almost all of my Book Shepherding projects are completed for the fee stated above.

Why so inexpensive when I regularly get paid thousands more for all these services from others? I simply want to help birth better Christian books. I only accept a few books into this program each year.

I am as transparent as possible with all my clients. All fees are payable in advance by credit card. See my refund policy here. All the work on this page is usually completed, and your book is ready for publication in about 60-90 days, although we sell set mutually agreeable deadlines after I have reviewed your book and before you pay. Much of the timeframe depends upon your turn-around times for different facets of the project, not mine. What if you have some life emergency and cannot do your part? You can ask for one 90-day extension, and your fee will then be forfeited.

Your Next Step

1, Make initial contact with me here.

2. After I receive your query, I’ll contact you and ask you to send your book manuscript to me for a free initial review. After the review, I’ll suggest a way forward, including a timeline for completion.

3, You decide if you want to proceed. The process begins on the business day following your payment submission.