Redemption Press Blog

Five Things to Ask Before Choosing a Christian Publisher

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You’re ready to publish a story or message God has given you. What next? Unless you are planning to tackle the steep learning curve of learning how to self-publish, you will need a publisher. But which one? And how to find a Christian publishing company you can trust?

Everyone wants a publisher with integrity who will treat you and your manuscript with respect, as well as produce a professional-appearing product.

Over the last decade there has been a dramatic rise in publishers who present themselves as Christian-based but do not evidence the principles and virtues you would expect from a company bearing the name of Christ. That’s why it’s so important to do your due diligence and not just take the first contract offered you.

Shop around, interview potential publishers, and prayerfully determine which one is the best fit for you and your message. Of course, we believe Redemption Press has the qualities you are looking for. We wouldn’t be helping authors if we didn’t.

I want to give you five key questions to help you make the right decision as well as highlight the Redemption difference.

1. What sets you apart from the competition?

Publishers have varying strengths that give them an edge over the competition. It’s worth asking the question to find out where their strengths lie and determine if these strengths are a good fit for you as an author and a believer.

The Redemption difference is our personable service and customized options. We don’t believe the “one-size-fits-all” model works well.

New and seasoned authors alike need to be provided with a publishing and marketing strategy that is custom tailored to their needs, genre, skill level, audience, time and travel restrictions, online presence, budget and personality, just to name a few!

2. What are your core values as a Christian publisher? 

We believe the core values of a company you choose to yoke yourself with should resonate with you and make you feel connected and in sync. If the core values are the foundation of how the company runs, then it should matter to you what foundation that business is built on.

Redemption Press is a full-service custom book publisher for Christian writers, speakers, thought leaders and ministry ambassadors. We conduct our business with these core values:

Empower—We strive to empower believers by helping them distribute their message.

Communication—We listen to our authors to serve them well through all our communications.

Excellence—We believe in publishing with the highest professional standards in the industry.

Integrity—We are committed to consistently follow through in what we promise.

Innovation—We keep up with the latest publishing trends to help the message of our authors stay relevant.

Authenticity—We work to be upfront and honest with our authors and admit when we’re wrong and make it right. We treat you the way you deserve to be treated.

Trust—We foster a community of trust with our staff and our authors.

Our vision at Redemption Press is to help authors get their message into print using best business practices in keeping with a biblical worldview. Your message is our mission.

3. How can you help me accomplish my goals for my book? 

There are publishers that allow you to just upload your manuscript and press “Publish!” This does authors a great disservice, as they skip the analysis and fine-tuning that is so important.

We start by having a conversation with you and then reviewing your manuscript before we ever ask you for a commitment. Then we provide the services that make the most sense for you and are tailored to your needs.

If your book idea is just that, a title on a napkin or story circling around in your brain, we offer group and individual coaching to solidify your direction and resulting steps to accomplish the best outcome.

You and your message are unique. The way you approach publishing and promoting your book will be completely different from the next person. We treat you like an individual and spend the time to provide you with personalized recommendations based on our many years of walking authors through the publishing process.

Wherever you are in your Christian author journey, we’re here to help you. If you’re ready for a no-obligation, free consultation with one of our publishing consultants, please reach out to us. We love helping authors!

4. Do you have your contract available on your website?

Publishers may employ sales people who promise services and outcomes that are not substantiated in their publishing agreements. Often the wording is complicated and filled with legalese and not easily understandable.

Because authenticity and transparency are important to us, our Terms of Publishing Services are clear and straightforward and can be found in the bottom footer on our website.

5.  How do I know I can trust your company? 

I believe the best way to find out about a company is to Google the company name and add “consumer complaints.” You’ll be amazed at what you find there.

Redemption Press A+ Better Business Bureau Rating

We’re proud of our A+ BBB rating!

Also, check the company’s Facebook page. Do they allow people to rate their company? If not, what does that tell you? Do they freely offer names and contact information of authors who are happy to recommend them to potential authors?

Do they have complaints on their Better Business Bureau rating page? How many customer reviews do they have? How many complaints have they had to address?

Lastly, how did the company rate in The Fine Print of Self-Publishing 6th Edition? This was written and published by Mark Levine before he sold his company to the parent company of Xulon Press. It’s no longer in print but a few copies can be found selling for $600 a piece on Amazon!

TIP: You can use the “Search Inside This Book” feature on Amazon after clicking the “Look Inside” icon above the cover to find details about a specific publisher.

You can trust Redemption Press because we have nothing to hide. Google us. Look at our reviews on our Facebook page. Ask us for recommendations. Look at our BBB page. Not only are we recommended by Mark Levine, but we rated #1 over Westbow, Xulon, and the now-defunct Tate in the 2016 edition of his book.

I frequently give free copies of my memoir, Full Circle: Coming Home to the Faithfulness of God to potential authors to make them aware of the full story of my thirty years in publishing so they can understand the faithfulness of God that reigns over Redemption Press.

The choice is yours. As you ask these five questions, may God lead you to the answers that will help you make the best choice for both you and your work.

Athena Dean Holtz
Founder / Publisher
Redemption Press

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Meet the Publisher

I've been around Christian publishing since 1987 when I helped our ministry self-publish an important resource for Vietnam veterans and their families. That book went on to be picked up by a royalty publisher and has since sold over 250,000 copies with a million in print.

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