How We Work
Step-by-step process explainers for every HMD Publishing service. Honest pricing. Realistic timelines. What to expect at every stage — from intake through delivery and beyond.
Each page below covers the same shape: who it's for, the step-by-step rhythm, what you provide vs what we manage, the revision policy, and the FAQs that come up most. We'd rather answer ten questions upfront than hit a misunderstanding mid- project.
Production & Design Services
The services that turn your manuscript into a finished, retailer- ready book — from interior layout to audiobook production.
Book Formatting
A friendly walk-through of how we format your book: what we need from you, how the sample-approval step works, and exactly how design revisions and content edits are priced.
Book Cover Design
A friendly walk-through of how we design your book cover: what we need from you, how concepts and revisions work, and why we design for genre fit above personal taste.
Editing
A friendly walk-through of how we edit your manuscript: which editing tier you actually need (developmental, line, copy, or proofread), how the editor-author conversation works, and exactly what's included in each pass.
Audiobook Production
A friendly walk-through of how we produce your audiobook: how narrator selection works, what 'finished hours' really means, ACX/Audible delivery specs, and exactly how the recording, editing, and mastering stages run.
Ghostwriting
A friendly walk-through of how we ghostwrite your book: who actually owns the manuscript, how voice-capture works, the chapter-by-chapter writing rhythm, NDA and credit terms, and exactly how the project runs from intake to final delivery.
Amazon A+ Content
A friendly walk-through of how we design and ship Amazon A+ Content for KDP authors and brand-registered sellers: Brand Registry requirements, module design, Amazon's approval timeline, and exactly which spec gotchas trip people up.
Translation
A friendly walk-through of how we translate your book into target languages: native-speaker translator selection, sample chapter approval, full translation + editorial QA, localisation choices, and exactly how rights and territory questions get answered before you commit.
Illustrations
A friendly walk-through of how we illustrate your children's book: how spreads are planned, character consistency across illustrations, AI-assisted vs hand-drawn vs premium tiers, sketch-then-final workflow, and exactly how rights and revisions work.
Video Trailer
A friendly walk-through of how we produce your book trailer: script + storyboard, voiceover and music selection, motion design and stock footage choices, platform-specific aspect ratios (Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Amazon), and exactly what's included at each tier.
Marketing & Promotion Services
The recurring marketing services that put your finished book in front of readers — Amazon Ads, launch coordination, email sequences, PR outreach, and review management.
Amazon Advertising
A realistic walk-through of how we run Amazon Ads campaigns for self-published authors: account audit, campaign structure, the 30-day learning phase, ACOS targets by genre, ongoing optimisation, and exactly what we manage versus what you provide.
Launch Strategy
A friendly walk-through of how we plan and execute your book launch: pre-launch buildout (ARC team, retailer pages, launch-day positioning), launch-week execution, and post-launch sustain — with realistic expectations about what 'bestseller' actually requires.
Email Marketing
A friendly walk-through of how we build email sequences for authors: lead-magnet design, welcome series, launch sequences, list-warming for new releases, and exactly which platforms (Mailchimp, ConvertKit, MailerLite) we work with — with realistic open-rate and conversion benchmarks.
PR & Podcast Outreach
A friendly walk-through of how we run PR campaigns and podcast outreach for authors: target list building, custom pitches, response rates by media type, what realistic placement looks like, and exactly what's included at each tier — with honest expectations about success rates.
Review Management
A friendly walk-through of how we acquire honest book reviews — ARC team setup, NetGalley placement, ethical review-acquisition channels, the conversion rates that actually matter, and exactly what we do (and never do) to comply with Amazon and FTC review policies.
Looking for the right service?
If you're unsure which service fits your stage, the free consultation is the right place to talk it through. Bring your manuscript, your goals, and your timeline — we'll point you to the service (or services) that actually moves the needle.