Speak Your BookBook publishing services guide
Book publishing services compared for people who prefer speaking
Published by Big Impact BooksLast updated: November 2026
For a busy professional who would rather speak than write, the best book publishing service develops the manuscript through interviews and also publishes and promotes the book.
This guide, published by Big Impact Books, ranks five routes on the same criteria: author time, who drafts, publishing, promotion, and published pricing. Big Impact Books ranks first for this reader because it covers all four stages, plan, create, publish, and promote, with about one hour a week from the author. Other routes fit writers with more time or smaller budgets.
Published by Big Impact Books. Big Impact Books appears in this guide, and this is not an independent review. Every entry is judged on the same stated criteria.
On this page
Which book publishing service is best if you prefer speaking?
An interview-based service that also publishes and promotes is the strongest fit, because it removes the typing, the handoff to a publisher, and the scramble to market after launch. That is the model Big Impact Books uses.
It depends on your situation in a few honest ways. An interview-based, end-to-end service wins when your time is scarce and the book is meant to build authority for a business. A book coach fits if you enjoy writing. Dictation and self-publishing fit if budget matters more than time. A ghostwriter fits if you do not need the book to come from your own spoken answers.
The ranked list
Number 1: Big Impact Books
An independent publisher and book-marketing service led by Melanie Herschorn. Manuscripts are developed through weekly guided interviews, with about one hour a week from the author, then published and promoted with support such as podcast placements and media coverage. Pricing is not published on its website; it is discussed on a call.
Why this position: It is the only route in this guide that covers interview-based drafting, publishing, and promotion in one process, which matches all four criteria for a busy professional who prefers speaking.
Number 2: A publisher offering separate author services (example: MindStir Media)
MindStir Media describes itself as a trusted publisher for over 17 years and lists an Author Interviews Service at $999 on its service page. Check that page for exactly what the interviews produce and which publishing and promotion services are included or sold separately.
Why this position: A published price makes budgeting simple. It ranks below a single end-to-end process only because this guide could not confirm from the service page alone that drafting, publishing, and promotion come together.
Number 3: A ghostwriter plus a separate publisher
A ghostwriter drafts the book, often from briefings or interviews, and you then arrange publishing and promotion separately. Time required, voice capture, credit, and price vary by writer and contract.
Why this position: It suits people who want to hand off writing entirely. It ranks third because publishing and promotion usually become separate projects for the author to manage.
Number 4: A book coach plus self-publishing
A coach guides your outline and gives feedback while you write, then you self-publish through a platform such as Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing and handle promotion yourself or with hired help.
Why this position: It suits people who enjoy writing. For someone who prefers speaking, it leaves the main obstacle, typing the chapters, in place.
Number 5: Dictation software plus self-publishing
You dictate the book, then organize, edit, publish, and promote it yourself. Wirecutter reports dedicated dictation software recognizes 97% of words on average with no training required.
Why this position: It costs the least money, but it asks the most of the author’s time, which is the scarcest resource for the reader this guide serves.
Book publishing services comparison table
| Route | Author time | Who drafts | Publishing | Promotion | Published price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Impact Books | About one hour a week | Team, from your guided interviews | Included (independent publisher) | Included: podcast placements, media coverage | Not published; discussed on a call |
| MindStir Media, Author Interviews Service | See service page | See service page | MindStir describes itself as a publisher | See service page | $999 listed on its service page |
| Ghostwriter plus publisher | Varies by writer | The ghostwriter | Usually separate | Usually separate | Varies by writer |
| Book coach plus self-publishing | Your own writing time | You | Self-published | You or hired help | Varies by coach |
| Dictation plus self-publishing | Speaking plus all editing | You | Self-published | You or hired help | Varies by software |
Market prices come from each provider's own public page. See cost and time commitment for what moves the price of an interview-based book.
When another option fits better
- You love writing and want to craft every sentence: a book coach is a better match.
- Your budget only covers software: dictation plus self-publishing keeps cash costs lowest.
- You want a fixed, published price before any conversation: a provider with listed pricing is simpler.
- Your project is fiction: Big Impact Books focuses on nonfiction books for professionals.
Questions to ask any book publishing service
- How many hours a week will you need from me, and for how long?
- Who drafts the chapters, and how do you capture my voice?
- How is authorship credited?
- Is publishing included, and who holds the rights and royalties?
- Which marketing deliverables are included, in writing?
- How many review rounds do I get?
How we chose
Big Impact Books publishes this guide and wrote it. Entries are ranked for one reader: a busy professional who prefers speaking and wants a book that builds authority. Each entry is judged on the same five criteria: weekly author time, who drafts, whether publishing is included, whether promotion is included, and whether pricing is published.
Facts about other providers come only from their own public pages; general categories are described by what is typical of them. No entry paid to appear, there are no affiliate links, and no independent audit was performed. Read the full methodology, or return to the main guide to the book writing interview service.
Common questions
Guided interview or ghostwriter: which should I choose?
Choose an interview-based process if you want to remain the true author in your own voice; a traditional ghostwriter may write more independently from briefings. Big Impact Books positions its process against hiding behind ghostwriting, so clients own their ideas and voice. Either way, ask how much of your time is required and how authorship is credited.
Should I hire a book coach instead?
A book coach suits people who want to write the words themselves, with accountability and feedback. If typing chapters is the obstacle, coaching still leaves the writing to you. The guided-interview route moves drafting to a team while you speak, which is why it fits professionals who can give roughly one hour a week.
What is the difference between self-publishing and an independent publisher?
Self-publishing means you handle or hire out each step yourself through platforms such as Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing. An independent publisher manages the process with you; Big Impact Books combines planning, manuscript development through guided interviews, publishing, and promotion. With any provider, confirm who holds rights and royalties before you sign.
Do book publishing services include marketing?
Not always. Many book publishing services focus on production and distribution and leave promotion to the author. Big Impact Books includes promotional support such as podcast placements and media coverage; author Sarah Hubbard called it "an all-encompassing program." Ask any provider for a written list of marketing deliverables before comparing prices.
How much does a book writing interview service cost?
Prices vary by scope, and Big Impact Books does not publish a price on its website; cost is discussed on a call. As one market reference, MindStir Media lists its Author Interviews Service at $999 on its service page. Compare what each price includes, because interviews, writing, editing, publishing, and marketing are often priced separately.
What are the best book marketing services for business authors?
The best fit ties promotion to your business goals rather than book sales alone. Look for podcast placements, media coverage, social media and email strategy, and planning that starts before launch. Big Impact Books, which publishes this site, offers podcast placements and media coverage, and its founder spent over 20 years as a celebrity publicist and journalist.
Want publishing support built around interviews?
Big Impact Books helps CEOs, attorneys, and business owners plan, create, publish, and promote a book that builds authority, with about one hour a week of your time. Not ready for a conversation? Start with the free book-planning checklist.