FAQ
Here are direct answers to the questions CEOs, business owners, and professionals ask most before they write, publish, and promote a book.
Big Impact Books wrote these 45 answers from its own published facts and from published industry sources, which are named where used. Where a fact depends on your project, such as price or timeline, the answer says so and tells you how to confirm it.
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Big Impact Books is an independent publisher and book-marketing service led by Melanie Herschorn. It helps CEOs, business owners, attorneys, and other professionals plan, create, publish, and promote books that build authority and support business growth. The process combines guided interviews to develop the manuscript with promotional support such as podcast placements and media coverage.
Book publishing services for CEOs help busy executives turn their expertise into a finished, published book without running every step themselves. At Big Impact Books, that means guided interviews that develop the manuscript, publishing support, and promotion such as podcast placements and media coverage, built around about one hour a week of the CEO's time.
Melanie Herschorn is the independent publisher and book promotion expert who leads Big Impact Books. Her background spans over 20 years as a celebrity publicist, an award-winning journalist in radio, print, and TV, a clothing designer, and an entrepreneur. She earned a master's degree in journalism from the University of Southern California, graduating first in her class.
An independent publisher is a publishing company that is not part of a large traditional publishing house. Big Impact Books describes itself as an independent publisher that works directly with authors to plan, create, publish, and promote their books. Terms vary across independent publishers, so ask on a call how rights, royalties, and ownership work for your project.
Yes. Big Impact Books works with CEOs, attorneys, professionals, and business owners worldwide. Because the manuscript is developed through guided interviews, the process does not depend on being in the same city as the team. Melanie Herschorn grew up in Canada, has lived on both US coasts, and now lives in Arizona.
Yes. Melanie Herschorn is the author of Make a Big Impact with Your Book and Lasting Legal Impact: Write a Book That Builds Your Brand, Grows Your Practice, and Positions You As The Trusted Expert. Lasting Legal Impact was named a Finalist in the Business: Writing/Publishing category of the 2025 Best Book Awards, presented by American Book Fest.
Business book writing services help leaders get their expertise onto the page as a structured nonfiction book. Some providers ghostwrite. Big Impact Books uses weekly guided interviews instead: you talk through each chapter, and the team shapes your words into a manuscript that keeps your voice. Melanie Herschorn says her clients get to own their brilliance.
No. Melanie Herschorn has said she refuses to churn out cookie-cutter content or hide behind ghostwriting. The manuscript is developed from guided interviews with you, so the ideas, stories, and voice in the book are yours. She describes walking with each client through every step, so you stay involved from planning to launch.
With Big Impact Books, the done-for-you process is designed to take about one hour a week of your time. That hour is a guided interview where you talk through your material chapter by chapter. Attorney and author Manisha P. Patel described the effect plainly: "The weekly interviews made the process manageable."
It depends on the method, the research involved, and how much time you can give each week, so there is no single standard. Big Impact Books has not published a fixed timeline, so ask for an estimate on a call. Its interview process is built around one hour a week, which keeps the project moving without taking over your calendar.
Realistically, no, not a book worth putting your name on. A business book that builds authority needs planning, drafting, editing, and proofreading, and each stage takes real time. Spreading the work over steady weekly sessions, as Big Impact Books does with one-hour interviews, is more practical for a busy leader than a single marathon day.
Ghostwriter fees vary widely by experience, book length, and research, and Big Impact Books does not publish ghostwriting rates because it is not a ghostwriting service. If you are comparing options, ask each provider for a written quote listing what is included: interviews, drafting, editing, design, publishing, and marketing. Comparing like with like matters more than a headline number.
Write about the expertise and point of view that connects to where your business is going, not only where it has been. Big Impact Books encourages leaders to write for their next business move, so the book supports the clients, partnerships, and opportunities they want. Your frameworks, client stories, and lessons learned usually make the strongest material.
To publish your own book, you finish and edit the manuscript, design the cover and interior, set up an account on a platform such as Amazon KDP, upload your files, set a price, and launch. One step-by-step self-publishing guide says an ebook typically goes live within 24 to 72 hours, while a paperback might take 3 to 5 days to appear on Amazon.
Start by deciding which path fits your goals: traditional publishing, hybrid or independent publishing, a service company, or doing it yourself. Then shortlist publishers that work with your kind of book and author. For CEOs and business owners, Big Impact Books is one independent option that combines manuscript development, publishing, and promotion in a single process.
Widely used self-publishing platforms include Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) and Lulu, which offers free ebook creation and self-publishing. The right choice depends on where your readers buy books. One self-publishing guide reports that more than 80 percent of all US ebook sales happen through a single online retailer, Amazon, which is why many authors start there.
Neither is better for everyone. Writer Cosmos, citing ALLi's 2025 survey, reports that indie authors earn a median of $13,500 a year, compared with a $6,000 to $8,000 median for traditionally published authors. Self-publishing offers more control and speed; traditional publishing offers an established route into bookstores but is harder to enter.
Generally, no. Individuals can publish books under their own name on most self-publishing platforms. Some authors set up a formal publishing company for branding, tax, or liability reasons. Rules differ by country and state, so confirm with an accountant or attorney before deciding. If you work with an independent publisher like Big Impact Books, ask how the imprint is handled.
Once files are final, uploading is fast. One step-by-step guide reports that an ebook typically goes live within 24 to 72 hours after you click publish, while a paperback might take 3 to 5 days to appear on Amazon. The longer stages come earlier: editing, proofreading, cover design, and interior formatting.
Many self-published authors price ebooks between $2.99 and $9.99, because one self-publishing guide notes that range earns the highest royalty rate. Writer Cosmos describes authors keeping up to 70% royalties on ebooks. For a CEO, price often matters less than putting the book in front of the right readers, since the book's main job is building authority.
A hybrid publisher sits between traditional and self-publishing. The author typically invests in production and receives professional editing, design, and distribution, often with higher royalties than a traditional deal. Terms vary a lot, so compare what each contract covers. Jane Friedman's guide to the key book publishing paths is a useful, regularly updated overview.
Book marketing services promote a book and its author so the right readers find it. At Big Impact Books, promotion includes podcast placements and media coverage. Its blog also covers social media, email marketing, blogging and guest posting, influencer partnerships, book signings and launch events, and targeted ads on platforms such as Amazon, Facebook, or Google.
Start before the book is published. Big Impact Books advises authors to begin building an audience as early as the idea or outline stage. Waiting until after launch loses valuable time to grow your audience and credibility, while early buzz and anticipation can translate into stronger sales and better reviews once the book is available.
Podcast interviews put you in front of an audience that already trusts the host, and they let listeners hear your expertise in your own words. Big Impact Books includes podcast placements in its promotional support. Melanie Herschorn also hosts The Big Impact Playbook Podcast and Authority Marketing LIVE!, so podcasting is central to how the business approaches visibility.
For business authors, the most useful book marketing services focus on authority as well as sales: media coverage, podcast interviews, and content that shows your expertise. Look for a provider that starts marketing before launch and keeps the book relevant afterward. Big Impact Books plans publishing and promotion together, which suits CEOs who want the book to support growth.
Keep engaging your audience, keep promoting through podcasts, events, and review sites, and update the content when your field changes. Big Impact Books calls this a legacy book plan. A book that stays relevant can keep attracting readers and lead to speaking engagements, media interviews, and collaborations long after launch day.
If your book is already published, a book marketing agency can focus on promotion alone. If you have not written the book yet, a publisher that also markets keeps strategy consistent from the first interview to launch. Big Impact Books offers both publishing and promotion, so the positioning of the book and its marketing are planned together.
Usually, sales trickle in or stop and the book does little for your reputation. Big Impact Books notes that neglecting marketing can lead to missed opportunities and limited sales. The fix is to start now: share useful content drawn from the book, pursue podcast and media opportunities, and connect the book to your business offers.
Costs vary by provider and by what is included, such as manuscript development, editing, design, publishing, and promotion. Big Impact Books does not publish fixed prices on its website, so the way to get a real number is a call with the team. Ask any provider for a written scope so you can compare offers on the same terms.
It depends on whether you mean producing it or buying it. Production costs vary with editing, design, and printing choices, so no single price applies. On the buying side, one self-publishing guide uses a $14.99 list price as its example. If you want to publish one, ask Big Impact Books for a scoped quote.
One self-publishing guide says authors will make anywhere from $1 to $3 per book, using a $14.99 list price as its example. Actual earnings depend on format, printing cost, platform, and royalty rate. For most CEOs, the larger return comes from the clients, speaking, and media opportunities a book creates rather than royalties.
At the $1 to $3 per book that one self-publishing guide cites, you would need to sell roughly 333,334 to 1,000,000 copies to earn $1,000,000 in royalties. That is why business authors rarely treat royalties as the main return. Big Impact Books describes a book as an asset that builds authority and supports business growth.
Using the $1 to $3 per book figure from one self-publishing guide, you would need to sell about 33,334 to 100,000 copies to earn $100,000 in royalties. You can try other numbers with the estimate tool on our costs page. For a CEO, one new client or speaking engagement can matter more than thousands of copies.
For a business leader, the return usually comes from authority, meaning new clients, speaking invitations, media interviews, and partnerships, more than royalties. Big Impact Books has written about the real ROI of publishing a book and describes a book as an asset that keeps growing. Track the opportunities that mention your book to see its value over time.
Published market figures do not point to a decline. Writer Cosmos reports the global books market at approximately $135.49 billion in 2026, growing at a 3.11% CAGR, and says the global self-publishing market is growing at a 16.7% CAGR. Formats keep shifting across print, ebooks, and audio, but people are still buying books.
Big Impact Books is built first for CEOs and business owners who want a book that builds authority and supports their next business move. It also serves attorneys and other professionals with deep expertise. It fits leaders who have more knowledge than free time and want a guided process with promotion included, rather than managing every step alone.
Yes. Attorneys are a core audience. Melanie Herschorn wrote Lasting Legal Impact, a blueprint for legal professionals who want a book that builds their brand, grows their practice, and positions them as the trusted expert. Attorney Manisha P. Patel, author of End Your Marriage Peacefully, worked with Melanie and her team on her book.
A ghostwriter usually writes the book for you in a voice designed to sound like you. Big Impact Books develops the manuscript from weekly guided interviews, so the content comes directly from you and keeps your voice, and it adds publishing and promotion. A ghostwriter may suit someone who wants minimal involvement and will handle publishing separately.
Doing it yourself can work if you have time to manage writing, editing, design, uploading, and marketing, and many self-publishing guides recommend it for authors who enjoy learning each step. Busy CEOs often lack that time, which is where a guided service like Big Impact Books fits: about one hour a week, with publishing and promotion included.
If you want bookstore distribution through a large house and are ready to pursue an agent, traditional publishing may suit you. If you enjoy managing every production detail, doing it yourself may be enough. If you want someone else to write the entire book with little input, a ghostwriter fits better. Big Impact Books suits leaders who want their own voice, guidance, and promotion.
A legacy book captures a leader's experience, values, and lessons so they keep reaching people beyond the leader's day-to-day work. Big Impact Books uses the idea in two ways: a book that builds a legacy beyond your company, and a legacy book plan that keeps the book relevant after launch through ongoing promotion and updates.
Start with a conversation. Use the contact page on the Big Impact Books website to share your goals, or email hello@yourbigimpactbook.com. The team can walk you through the interview process, publishing, and promotion. If you are still planning, the free book planning checklist on the main website is a useful first step.
Bring your goal for the book, who you want to read it, and the business result you hope it supports, such as new clients, speaking, or media. A rough topic list or a few stories you always tell is plenty. You do not need a manuscript, because Big Impact Books develops it with you through guided interviews.
Use a process that fits your calendar instead of waiting for free time to appear. Big Impact Books designs its done-for-you process around about one hour a week, spent talking through chapters in guided interviews. Manisha P. Patel said her biggest frustration was figuring out how to write and publish her book until the weekly interviews made it manageable.
Yes. Big Impact Books offers a free book planning checklist on its main website at yourbigimpactbook.com/checklist. It is a practical starting point for organizing your idea, your readers, and your goals before you commit to writing. The main website also offers a book marketing checklist for authors who are already promoting a book.
Still have a question? Start with the main guide on book publishing services for CEOs.
The Big Impact Books team can answer questions about your specific book.
