Outskirts Press Reviewer's Comments

Our #6-ranked service, OutskirtsPress.com, takes a well-balanced, affordable approach to book publishing-offering a fairly robust publishing package, a decent bookselling reach, strong help support and the freedom to set your own royalty rates. But, this service's extremely small number of total titles in print and fewer paid services kept it outside of our top five.

Publishing Package:  

The Outskirts Press Ruby package offers an average publishing timeframe of 10 to 13 weeks and gives you the freedom of setting your own royalty percentages. To do this, you use the OutskirtsPress.com "pricing calculator" to help you set your royalty rates.

This paperback package also gives you manuscript layout, barcode creation, assigning of an ISBN number and an original cover design. And, as far as promotion goes, you get creation of a customized sales sheet, website design and web button creation. This service is also one of only a couple that includes a how-to marketing book as part of the publishing package.

On the subject of author resources, OutskirtsPress.com provides you with six free author copies, author discounts, an electronic newsletter, access to articles on writing and book publishing and information on writer's conferences, seminars and writing contests.

Bookselling Reach:  

With only 250 published titles, this service has a ways to go before it can really prove its bookselling reach. However, it does offer its books through a large number of online retailers, including its own onsite bookstore, Amazon.com, Borders.com, Powells.com, Booksamillion.com and BarnesandNoble.com. Outskirts Press also distributes through both Baker & Taylor, Inc and Ingram Book Group.

Additional Paid Services:  

For an additional cost, OutskirtsPress.com offers copyediting, copyright registration, assigning of a Library of Congress Control number, expedited publishing, ebook formatting, custom interior placement, art creation for cover design and printing in both color and hardcover. Promotional services for an additional cost include a bookseller return program, press release writing and distribution, web domain registration and creation of full-color posters, single-sheet flyers, business cards, bookmarks and postcards.

Help/Support:  

Outskirts Press offers support through a toll-free phone number, e-mail support and a long list of FAQs.

Summary:  

With much to offer, the Ruby publishing package from OutskirtsPress.com is both affordable and feature-packed, but with a limited number of published titles and fewer paid services, it just can't compete against services like iUniverse, which gives you a whole lot more, for less money.