Terms of Service
These Terms of Service (“Terms”) govern your use of the BookPublishersNYC.com website and the book publishing services provided by [legal entity name], doing business as BookPublishersNYC.com (“we”, “us” or “our”). By using the website, requesting a quote or buying a service, you agree to these Terms. If you do not agree, please do not use the website or the services.
Important Note: These Terms work together with the documents you sign for each project. If you buy services, you will sign a Publishing Services Agreement and a Non-Disclosure Agreement before work begins. If these Terms differ from the signed Publishing Services Agreement about a project, the signed agreement applies to that project.
The Main Points
BookPublishersNYC.com is a book publishing services provider. It is not a traditional or hybrid publisher.
Authors keep ownership of their books. We do not take a percentage of royalties for our services.
Every project starts with a quote, then signed agreements and an advance payment. No work begins before that.
Prices, billing bases, exclusions and turnaround estimates are stated in the quote. Turnaround times are estimates and not guaranteed delivery dates.
We do not guarantee sales, reviews, rankings or acceptance by any platform.
Our Services
BookPublishersNYC.com is based in New York City and provides book publishing services to authors in the United States and worldwide, remotely. The services are book editing, book proofreading, book formatting, book cover design, publishing setup and distribution assistance, book marketing and audiobook production, and the three publishing packages that combine some of them.
We do not select manuscripts for publication, pay advances, offer publishing contracts or publish books under our own name. The author publishes the book. Our services are intended for individuals aged 18 or older who are legally capable of entering into a binding agreement. Any exception, such as a minor author represented by a parent or legal guardian, is subject to legal review and our written approval.
The information provided on this website is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax, or financial advice. Any information regarding copyright, publishing rights, permissions, royalties, or distribution policies is provided for general informational purposes and should not be relied upon as a substitute for advice from a qualified professional.
Quotes, Prices and Billing
Quotes
We provide a quote after the author describes the book and the services wanted. The quote states the deliverables, the billing basis, the price and the exclusions. A quote is valid for 30 calendar days from the date it is issued. After that, pricing and availability may be subject to confirmation.
Published rates and starting prices
Prices on this website are published rates or starting prices. The three publishing packages are starting prices, and the final price may depend on manuscript length, complexity, selected formats, distribution requirements and optional services.
Billing bases
Each service is billed on its own basis. Editing and proofreading are billed per 250 manuscript words, with the rounding method stated in the quote. Formatting is billed by final formatted book pages, which can differ from the pages of the original document. Cover design is a fixed project price. Audiobook production is quoted by estimated finished audio hours. Marketing is priced by agreed deliverables and campaign duration.
Costs that are not part of our fees
Platform fees, ISBN purchases, advertising spend, narrator fees, printing, shipping and other third-party charges are not part of our service fees unless the quote says so. Paid advertising management is a separate service, and advertising spend is always paid separately.
Agreements, Advance Payment and Start of Work
No work begins until three things have happened: the author has accepted the quote, the author and we have signed the Publishing Services Agreement and the Non-Disclosure Agreement, and we have received the advance payment stated in the agreement. The agreement also states the payment milestones and due dates.
Estimated turnaround times run from the point at which we have received the signed agreements, the advance payment and complete files and information. Final files are delivered by email or Dropbox once the agreed fees are paid, and audiobooks are delivered as MP3 files.
Overdue Payments
If a payment is overdue, we may pause work until the outstanding balance is paid. We notify the author before pausing the project, and the timeline extends by the length of the pause. Late fees apply only if the service agreement states them and the law permits them. We do not apply fees that have not been disclosed.
Turnaround Times Are Estimates
The turnaround times on this website, such as about two days for cover design, three to four days for formatting and proofreading, about three weeks for editing and about four to five weeks for audiobook production, are 4 to 5 weeks. They are not guaranteed delivery dates.
They depend on complete files, the information we need, payment and the author’s approvals, and delays in any of these extend the timeline. Marketing engagements run for the one, two or three months the author books.
What We Ask of Authors
The author agrees to:
provide complete and accurate files and information, and respond to our questions promptly;
own, or have obtained permission to use, everything the author supplies, including text, images, quotations, illustrations, music and data;
hold the rights needed for the services requested, including the audio rights for an audiobook;
obtain the rights and permissions needed from any third-party contributor, such as an illustrator or co-author;
give approvals in writing;
pay the agreed fees; and
for publishing setup, hold, or set up, the platform accounts needed and meet each platform’s terms.
The author is responsible for the accuracy and legality of the book’s content. We do not fact-check content or review it for legal compliance, and we are not responsible for claims by third parties about it.
Ownership and Intellectual Property
The author’s book
The author retains all right, title and interest in the author’s manuscript, book content, title, characters, original intellectual property and other materials the author supplies, subject to any pre-existing third-party rights. We do not acquire ownership of the author’s book by providing services, and we do not claim a percentage of the author’s royalties merely for providing them. Royalties and payments remain subject to the terms, deductions and payment policies of the relevant platforms.
Final deliverables
Subject to payment of the agreed fees and any applicable third-party licence terms, the author owns the final deliverables created specifically for the author, to the extent permitted by law and the agreement.
Third-party materials
Third-party fonts, stock images, illustrations, software, templates and other licensed materials remain subject to their licence terms. No rights beyond those licences are transferred to the author.
Our website and materials
The website, its text, design, logo and other materials belong to us or our licensors. You may view and use them to learn about our services, and you may not copy, republish or sell them without our written permission.
Portfolio use
We use an author’s work in our portfolio or marketing only if the author separately authorizes it in writing. Giving or refusing that permission does not affect the services.
Permission to process files
The author permits us to access and process the author’s files only as needed to provide the contracted services.
Confidentiality
The author’s manuscript and project files are Confidential Information under the Non-Disclosure Agreement, which is signed before work begins. We use them only to evaluate or deliver the agreed services, share them only with personnel who need them and are bound by confidentiality obligations, and apply reasonable security measures. No arrangement can guarantee absolute security, and the law may require disclosure in some cases. How we handle personal information is described in our Privacy Policy.
Revisions, Approvals and Support After Delivery
The deliverables for each project, and the procedure for revisions and approvals, are stated in the quote and the Publishing Services Agreement. A request that goes beyond the agreed deliverables, such as new design work, is quoted separately and starts only after the author approves the quote in writing.
Post-Delivery Support
We provide support after delivery for questions about the files and deliverables supplied under the agreed services, including reasonable help with book sizing, trim dimensions and bleed requirements. Support is available for [90 days] after final delivery, as the service agreement states. New requests, substantial revisions and changes to the original scope may need a separate agreement and quote.
Cancellation and Refunds
The author may cancel by written notice. The terms depend on when the author cancels.
Before work begins
The advance payment is refundable, less any payment-processing fees that the law permits us to keep and that we disclosed before taking payment.
After work begins
The author is responsible for the value of the work completed and for any non-refundable third-party costs incurred or committed with the author’s authorization. We refund any remaining balance after those amounts.
Disclosure
We disclose the cancellation terms and the refund process before we accept payment, and the service agreement states them.
Platforms, Third Parties and Results
Sales and distribution platforms set their own rules, fees, formats, eligibility conditions and review processes, and they can change them. We do not guarantee that any platform will accept, approve or continue to list a book, or that a book will be available on every platform or in every territory.
We do not guarantee sales, reviews, rankings, bestseller status, advertising returns or any particular audience response. Marketing and publishing outcomes depend on many factors outside our control.
Using This Website
You agree to use the website lawfully. You will not try to disrupt or gain unauthorized access to the website or its systems, send harmful code, collect information about other users, or use the website to send unsolicited commercial messages. We may block access to anyone who misuses it.
The website may contain links to other websites, including sales platforms. We do not control them and are not responsible for their content or practices.
Disclaimers and Limitation of Liability
General Disclaimers
The website and its information are provided as they are. We try to keep them accurate and current, but we do not promise that they are free of errors or always available.
Limitation of Liability
To the extent the law permits, our total liability for any claim arising from the services is limited to the fees the author paid for the services giving rise to the claim, and we are not liable for indirect, incidental or consequential loss, including lost sales, profits or opportunities. Nothing in these Terms limits liability that the law does not allow to be limited.
Responsibility for Content and Ending the Relationship
Responsibility for Content
The author agrees to be responsible for claims by third parties that arise from content the author supplied or from the author’s breach of these Terms or the agreement, to the extent the law permits.
Ending the Relationship
We may stop providing services, with notice, if the author does not pay, does not provide what is needed, or breaches the agreement. The author may stop the services as the agreement allows. Provisions that by their nature continue, such as ownership, confidentiality, payment and liability, continue after the services end.
Governing Law and Disputes
These Terms are governed by the laws of [governing law]. We encourage anyone with a concern to contact us first so we can try to resolve it. Any dispute that is not resolved will be handled in the courts of [venue], unless the Publishing Services Agreement provides another method.
Ready to Start Your Publishing Journey?
Whether you need a custom quote for your manuscript or want to explore our structured publishing packages, we are here to help bring your book to life.