Frequently Asked Questions
At LifeWork Press, we make publishing your book easy. But if this is your first publishing experience, it may still seem like a complicated process. These questions and answers are designed to "cover the bases." If you have further questions, please don't hesitate to contact us.

What does your name mean?
How long have you been in business?
Who is Salem Communications?
Why should I choose LifeWork Press?
Can I trust LifeWork Press?
Who are your business partners?
What is on-demand publishing?
Who founded LifeWork Press?
What kinds of books do you publish?
Do I get a chance to review the book before it goes to press?
How long does it take?
Do I get to keep the rights to my book?
What kind of experience does your staff have?
How is LifeWork Press different from all others?
Will you return my phone calls?
How many books do I have to purchase?
Is LifeWork a "vanity" publisher?
What will my book look like?
Will bookstores stock my book on their shelves?
Will my book be listed with Amazon.com?
Do I get my own personal online book page?
Can readers order my book by telephone?
Who determines the retail price of my book?
How do I pay for copies I purchase?
Will my book have an ISBN?
Who owns the copyright to my book?
Are there any other costs associated with your service, besides the submission fee?
Do you publish books for authors who do not reside in North America?
Do you publish books in full-color?
Do you offer editorial services?

What does your name mean?

Why should I choose LifeWork Press?
It's fast, easy, and affordable. You just give us your manuscript and let us take care of the rest. Our seasoned staff will design an attractive, quality book. You don't have to purchase a single copy to get published, and our revolutionary printing process lets you purchase copies in any quantity. You keep your rights, and we make your book available to 25,000 bookstores and libraries. Plus, you'll be a part of the largest family of Christian authors in the world (there's strength in numbers!).

What is on-demand publishing?
On-demand publishing means exactly what it implies: books are printed only as they are ordered. We use digital technology to store and print your book electronically. That means we print books only as the market demands them, removing the need to warehouse books. We can print a 500-page book in less than one minute, in any quantity, even one book at a time, fulfilling orders fast.

What kinds of books do you publish?
LifeWork publishes Christian books, and we reserve the right not to publish any book. We publish books in many categories including Christian living, theology, church growth, discipleship, Bible studies, fiction, poetry, biographies, and many others.

Do I get a chance to review the book before it goes to press?
Absolutely. We will post online both the text (a galley) and the book cover design (a cover comp) for your review. We can mail you a printed "hard copy" of your cover or text for a fee.

How long does it take?
Generally, it takes about 90 days to get your book published and ready to order (45 days if you choose RUSH service). If you choose to review cover and text files on "hard copy," instead of online, it will take an additional 2 to 3 weeks to deliver materials back and forth between you and our office. Scanned books may take 4-5 weeks longer to publish. Authors should not schedule book signings or other special promotions until they have their printed FREE books in hand.

Do I get to keep the rights to my book?
Yes! Our publishing services agreement is author-friendly and allows you to take your book to another publisher if you so desire. Just let us know in writing. The manuscript will always remain your work and the original work will always remain in your name and ownership.

What kind of experience does your staff have?
One thing that sets LifeWork Press apart from other online publishers is our experience.

We have more than 150 years' combined experience in Christian publishing. All of the company’s managers have experience working for traditional publishing companies, including Thomas Nelson, Creation House, Harrison House, and Group Publishing, while several staff members are also authors.

How is LifeWork Press different from all others?
Simple, we’ve published more Christian titles than any other publisher in North America – and we’ve printed more than one million books! How can THOUSANDS of Christian authors be wrong?

Will you return my phone calls?
Every time, and even better than that you’ll be assigned a personal Author Service Representative to work closely with you all along the way. We value our relationship with our authors and know that the success of our books depends upon our relationship with you.

How many books do I have to purchase?
None. You aren't obligated to purchase a single book to get published. We don't bankrupt authors by demanding they purchase lots of books. There is no minimum order. We'll print and ship your order in 2-4 business days. Larger orders of more than 250 books can take an additional 2 to 3 days. All orders are shipped by UPS.

Is LifeWork a "vanity" publisher?
No. Vanity publishers will charge you thousands of dollars to print a truckload of books, which they will not help you distribute. LifeWork uses technology to keep your costs down, allowing you to buy books only as you need them. We also help you distribute your book to bookstores and on the Web, paying you a handsome royalty for each copy sold.

What will my book look like?
LifeWork books are comparable with any you might find at a bookstore or library. We use an easy-on-the-eyes off-white, acid-free, library-edition stock (paper). Our book covers are printed on a high-quality, laminated stock. We can print books from 48 pages to 500 pages.

Will bookstores stock my book on their shelves?
It's up to each individual store, based solely on demand. We can't promise stores will stock your book. But most bookstores in the country will be able to search for, find, and order your book on-demand.

Will my book be listed with Amazon.com?
Yes. LifeWork has teamed up with Amazon.com so that hundreds of millions of readers can view and purchase your book. You'll be able to post your own review, check on sales rankings, and even link your own website.

Do I get my own personal online book page?
If you enrolled in the Best-Seller or Premium publishing programs, your book will get its own book page in the LifeWork Press online bookstore at http://www.LifeWorkpress.com/bookstore/

Can readers order my book by telephone?
Yes. Your book qualifies for our Order, Pak & Ship service. Your book will be available to order 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at the toll-free number 1-866-909-BOOK (2665). We'll print, pack, and ship the book for you, so you can focus on promoting your book, not taking orders, packaging, and running to the post office.

Who determines the retail price of my book?
The retail price is determined by your book's page count. The retail price is imbedded (hidden) in the bar code, so retailers will know how to price your book. But the price is not printed on your book. This way you may offer your book at whatever price you choose.

How do I pay for copies I purchase?
We accept checks, money orders, and all major credit cards. LifeWork Press does not invoice authors for books purchased. Payment must be made when your order is placed. Orders paid by personal check may take 4-5 days longer to process.

Will my book have an ISBN?
Yes. Your book will be assigned the International Standard Book Number required by book sales channels to track and order your books. In addition, LifeWork will place a machine-readable Bookland/EAN bar code on your book's cover. Without this, bookstores can't order copies of your book.

Who owns the copyright to my book?
You do. When you wrote your book, you automatically asserted copyright ownership. But registering with the U.S. Congress Copyright Office, which records this ownership more formally, gives you better recourse in case of infringement. As of March 25, 2008, LifeWork Press began offering copyright filing service to its authors. For more information, click on this link:
LifeWork's copyright filing service .

Are there any other costs associated with your service, besides
the submission fee?
No. From time to time we offer our authors expanded marketing opportunities, but you are under no obligation to participate. Additionally, if authors request changes to their text or cover while their book is in production or after it has been published, extra fees will be incurred.

Do you publish books for authors who do not reside in North America?
Yes, if you live in Europe or Australia we can help publish your book. We do not publish books for authors who reside in Africa. Please note, if you don’t reside in North America, you must use wire transfer to send us funds as we don’t accept checks from banks outside the United States of America.

Do you publish books in full-color?
No. We cannot publish interior pages in color.

Do you offer editorial services?
LifeWork Press does not offer editorial services, but we do have a list of independent contractors who have done good work for LifeWork authors. To view this list, simply click on this link: “Editorial Service Providers”