How to Evaluate Self-Publishing Service Providers

The first step an indie author should take when determining whether a publishing service or consultant is worth tapping is to get a clear sense of the company's background.

"[I]f you're not dealing with a specific individual whose resume you can study, figure out who's behind the service," says Jane Friedman, a publishing expert and consultant with 15 years experience in the industry. "Do you trust who's behind it? Are there specific names attached? (There should be!) Do these people have experience that applies to what you're trying to accomplish? How many years of experience?"