Consulting & Editing

Consulting, Editing, and Ghostwriting Services

If you need strategic guidance, coaching, additional advice or services, consulting covers it. Often, new authors don’t know what they don’t know. Designed to help you every step of the way, consulting hours are flexible and cover a wide array of expertise in marketing, advertising, social media, publishing, writing and editing.

Most retainers include at least three consulting hours. You may also secure a bundle of consulting hours to help with your unique project or goals.

Consulting includes any areas of expertise held by the BCE team, primarily its founder Desireé Duffy, and head of operations Dave Duffy. Various team members may have the expertise and may be called in to offer opinions, as well, giving you a wide-array of knowledge to tap.

If a more hands-on approach is needed, BCE can support with creation of decks and guides, giving you a no-nonsense roadmap. If you need assistance implementing, we can help there, too.

Areas of expertise include the following:

Integrated book marketing, public relations and promotional strategies
Branding messages and targeting your audience
Messaging and aesthetics of marketing materials, one sheets, and promotional materials
Social media, advertising, email marketing, book reviews and audience creation
Meta data, competition analysis, market research
Book cover design concepts, design aesthetics, and strategies
Author branding, photography and visual elements
Email marketing strategies, list building and outreach
Best practices for email marketing dashboards and platforms, strategies for authors, building templates and list management
Social media earned and paid media – Facebook, Instagram (Meta), TikTok, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube
Analytics for Facebook, Instagram (Meta), and Google
Advertising (Amazon, Facebook / Instagram, Google, TikTok) strategies and audience targeting
Analysis using software platforms like Helium 10.
Advertising programs offered by third party firms and promotional programs (Such as BookBub, Fussy Librarian, Goodreads, Netgalley, and email marketers)
Types of advertising such as PPC, display, native ads, Amazon, retargeting, custom lists and look-a-like audience building
Website, evaluation, UX and UI navigations and best practices
Guiding developers and content creators, training and coaching use of dashboards in WordPress
Domain registration, hosting and app recommendations
SEO consulting
Content marketing and blogging strategies
Optimizing content, using keywords and keyword phrases, plugins like Yoast
Keyword research, metadata creation and competitor analysis
Pre-launch strategies for books and authors
Advanced reviews, advanced reading copies strategies
Review platforms like NetGalley and editorial review sites like Kirkus
Influencer marketing and online book reviews
Self-publishing vs the publishing industry, nuances of the industry and market
Interior files, book cover art files, and technical requirements, navigating dashboards such as Amazon, Ingram, etc., expectations from publishers, hybrid press, small press and industry standards
Navigating protocols within the publishing industry including working with agents, publishers, editors and consulting on developing book proposals, query letters, and communication
Strategy for pre-sale and pricing of books based on genre, platform, page-count, and more
ISBN number, Library of Congress
Local bookstore signings and outreach strategies
Virtual events and online book party launch consulting
Online book tours and outreach
Media training and talking point development
Strategies for reaching audiences, segmentation of verticals, and engaging readers
Strategies for creating media outreach and creation of media materials
Supplemental income and non-traditional review streams like online courses, paid speaking engagements, merchandise
Training, planning, and facilitating of your team. Team may include staff, publisher, third party contactors, or third-party platform representatives like Google Meta etc.
Any other areas the BCE Team feels confident in addressing – BCE has an “ask us anything” philosophy and we will offer consulting with honest opinions. The book and publishing industry is constantly changing and opinions within the industry may differ. BCE promises to offer its best advice and will be forthright if a topic falls outside our purvey

Editing and Ghostwriting Services

Black Château also provides bespoke consulting about your editing, and can further help with your editing and ghostwriting needs by utilizing our array of talent. Content editing, line editing, copy editing and proofing, as well as ghostwriting services are all options for you to consider.

What Do Black Château Editing and Ghostwriting Services Include?

The editing and ghostwriting services offered by Black Château are customizable based on your needs. Our experts will examine your writing style, evaluate the clarity of your message, your voice, story, pacing and theme, and then make recommendations.

If you have an exciting idea and are looking for a ghostwriting expert, we can help. Bring us the premise, and let’s discuss your writing goals. Our professionals can transform your story into a finished product and a marketable manuscript.

How Can Black Château Help with Book Proposals?

Black Château offers consultation, book concept evaluation, and book proposal recommendations. If you are considering writing a non-fiction book and want to secure a literary agent, talk to us first. We are happy to consult with you in the beginning to save time and energy in the long-run.

How Much Does It Cost for Consulting, Editing and Ghostwriting Services? What Are Your Book Proposal Fees?

Black Château offers consulting at $250 an hour. Complimentary hours are often included in Premium Tier Author Network (and higher) retainers. Discounts for bundles of 10 or more hours are often available, too.

Black Château can customize your editing and ghostwriting services into a retainer that meets your needs. We can also add editing services to Self-Publishing, Book Covers and Interior Formatting services. Let us know how we can assist you.