Publish Great Literature.
We’ll Handle Your Metadata, Slush Pile & Distribution Queues.
Stop losing valuable editorial hours to entering 50-field ONIX metadata, chasing Bowker ISBN assignments, auditing IngramSpark print proofs, screening unformatted manuscripts in Submittable, and assembling bi-annual author royalty statements. Get a dedicated, vetted publishing assistant—supervised by one dedicated Project Manager at $0 extra charge.
Up to 70%
Over In-House Admin
$0
Free PM Oversight
100% Vetted
ONIX & Slush Trained
Zero Fees
No Platform Markups
Dedicated Project Manager
Free Daily Protocol Oversight
Editorial & Production · Live Desk
Single Point of Contact Active
BISAC Subject Codes, Thema categories, and 13-digit ISBNs mapped for Fall releases.
Word count verification, genre compliance checks, and formatted reader notes attached.
Digital galley requests approved; Booklist and Foreword review deadlines logged.
Managed Rates From
$6 / Hour
Billing Model
Pay Only for Pure Work
Software & Trade Databases Your Indie Press Assistant Already Knows
Zero training curve. Our literary operations assistants arrive proficient in standard book distribution dashboards, bibliographic metadata registries, submission portals, and royalty engines.
Distribution & POD Ingestion
Print-on-demand uploads, wholesale discount settings, spine width calculations, and proof approvals.
Identifiers & Discovery
ISBN assignments, Library of Congress PCN / CIP data, BISAC taxonomies, and sales tracking.
Manuscript Intake & Formatting
Reading queue triage, reader assignment, copyedit tracking, and ebook/print interior formatting.
ARCs, Royalties & Commerce
Advance reader copies, reviewer outreach, author royalty statements, and D2C book shipments.
What Your Indie Press Assistant Takes Off Your Desk
Free your publisher, editor-in-chief, and acquisitions team from administrative gridlock so you can discover breakout voices, edit manuscripts, and nurture author relationships.
Title Ingestion, ISBNs & BISAC Metadata
Metadata accuracy determines whether bookstores and libraries can find and order your books. Your VA assigns Bowker ISBNs, sets up titles in IngramSpark and KDP, and maps precise BISAC and Thema subject codes.
- Assigning 13-digit ISBNs across paperback, hardcover & ebook editions
- Configuring wholesale trade discounts (55% returnable vs. short discount)
- Populating Library of Congress PCN and CIP data blocks
Slush Pile Screening & Reader Coordination
Keep your submissions inbox organized during open reading periods. Your VA screens queries against your word count and genre guidelines, rejects non-conforming submissions politely, and assigns qualified manuscripts to readers.
- Managing open reading windows in Submittable or QueryManager
- Routing promising submissions to volunteer/first readers
- Tagging reader scores and preparing weekly acquisition summaries
NetGalley, ARCs & Blurb Campaign Tracking
Early buzz makes or breaks a small press launch. Your VA uploads digital galleys to NetGalley and BookFunnel, approves verified book reviewers, coordinates physical ARC mailings, and tracks blurb requests sent to authors.
- Vetting NetGalley auto-approval criteria and reviewer badges
- Submitting galleys to PW, Kirkus, Booklist & Library Journal deadlines
- Assembling blurbs and quotes for cover and marketing integration
Edelweiss+ Catalogs & Indie Bookstore Orders
Ensure independent bookstore buyers and library acquisition librarians see your upcoming seasonal lists. Your assistant builds and maintains seasonal Edelweiss+ digital catalogs and handles direct bookstore consignment requests.
- Building seasonal publisher catalogs in Edelweiss+ (Treeline)
- Uploading high-res 3D covers, interior author photos, and marketing copy
- Managing local indie bookstore consignment agreements and invoices
Author Royalty Statements & Sales Audits
Bi-annual royalty statements don't have to trigger panic. Your VA exports sales reports from Ingram, Amazon KDP, and Shopify, calculates contractual royalty splits, deducts advance balances, and formats author-ready PDFs.
- Reconciling print, ebook, and audiobook units sold across channels
- Calculating tiered royalty escalators (e.g. 8% first 5K, 10% thereafter)
- Tracking reserve-against-returns percentages and author advance balances
D2C Fulfillment, Offset Bids & Event Boxes
Direct web sales offer the highest profit margins for indie presses. Your assistant monitors your Shopify bookstore, prints ShipStation labels, coordinates offset short-run print bids, and ships book launch boxes to authors.
- Processing daily website orders and custom bookplate signings
- Requesting quotes from short-run offset printers (paper, foiling, ribbons)
- Shipping author promotional boxes for AWP, regional festivals, or tours
Four Simple Phases to an Organized Publishing Desk
A remote workforce without the management overhead. Access vetted publishing virtual assistants through one dedicated Project Manager at absolutely no extra charge.
Submit Requirements
Share your press profile (titles per year, distribution channels, Submittable setup, royalty cycles) and primary back-office bottlenecks. Reach out via Email, Contact Form, or WhatsApp.
Finalise the Deal
Our dedicated Project Manager connects with you promptly to review your publishing calendar, outline a tailored strategy, and map custom standard operating procedures (SOPs).
Expert Execution
Your Project Manager takes full charge of operations, getting metadata uploads, slush screening, and royalty statements done seamlessly through our internal team of vetted experts.
Pay Only for Output
We log and charge exclusively for the virtual assistant's actual working time. Your dedicated Project Manager's supervision is completely free of charge.
Why Indie Press Owners Choose SageDoer
Avoid the constant turnover, unpredictable quality, and hidden fees of hiring solo freelancers to manage your literary operations.
| Publishing Operations Factor | Traditional Freelance Platforms |
The Smart Choice: SageDoer
|
|---|---|---|
| Platform & Management Fees | Up to 40% in hidden markups, bidding, and subscription fees | 0% Hidden Fees. Pay strictly for hours worked. |
| Daily Team Management | Publishers must micromanage and train freelancers while trying to edit books | Dedicated Project Manager acts as your single point of contact |
| Quality Assurance | Hit-or-miss talent with unverified knowledge of ONIX, BISAC, or POD proofs | Internally vetted, rigorously trained publishing administrative experts |
| Hiring & Deployment Speed | Endless cycles of reading bids and testing candidate skills during launch windows | Instant delegation. We immediately assign the right specialist. |
| Billing & Invoicing | Complex, messy multi-freelancer invoices with currency headaches | Simple, unified, centralised USD invoicing with clear time tracking |
| Staff Turnover & Continuity | Freelancer vanishes weeks before publication date; you start from scratch | Seamless internal replacements with zero workflow disruption |
Flexible Pricing Tailored to Your Press Release Schedule
No platform fees, no hidden markups, zero wasted time. Access an expert virtual assistant through one dedicated Project Manager at absolutely no extra charge.
Part-Time
Ideal for micro-presses releasing 3–6 titles per year needing metadata setup, slush triage, and royalty reports.
Est. $560 USD / Month (4 Weeks)
- Pay only for hours of pure work
- Dedicated Project Manager included
- Free management supervision
- Zero setup or onboarding fees
- No monthly membership charges
- Consolidated reporting & centralised time tracking
Full-Time
Designed for active independent presses with ongoing seasonal lists, trade distributor relationships, and heavy direct sales.
Est. $960 USD / Month (4 Weeks)
- Pay only for hours of pure work
- Dedicated Project Manager included
- Free management supervision
- Zero setup or onboarding fees
- No monthly membership charges
- Priority rapid response times & consolidated weekly logs
Trusted by Independent Publishers & Literary Press Directors
See how SageDoer assistants help small presses scale catalogs while giving editors back 15+ hours weekly.
"We publish 8 fiction titles a year. Before SageDoer, entering metadata across Bowker, IngramSpark, and Amazon KDP used to eat up whole weekends. Our assistant manages title ingestion, BISAC codes, and spine widths flawlessly."
Eleanor Wright
Publisher, Foxglove Press, Minneapolis
"The free Project Manager oversight is what sets SageDoer apart. I never have to train someone on how Submittable works or explain what an ARC campaign is. Our PM ensures reviewer approvals in NetGalley are handled every single day."
Julian Thorne
Editor-in-Chief, Ironbark Literary, Portland
"Our bi-annual author royalty statements used to cause so much anxiety. Sagedoer’s assistant reconciled data across Ingram, KDP, and Shopify, deducted advance balances, and generated clean statements in Stison. Incredible value at $6/hr."
Marta Rodriguez
Managing Director, Solstice Poetry House, Austin
"When our primary assistant had planned time off during our Fall catalog release on Edelweiss+, SageDoer deployed a cross-trained backup who already knew our catalog guidelines. Zero disruption to our bookstore sales rep meetings."
David Pendergast
Co-Founder, North Star Independent Books, Seattle
"We publish 8 fiction titles a year. Before SageDoer, entering metadata across Bowker, IngramSpark, and Amazon KDP used to eat up whole weekends. Our assistant manages title ingestion, BISAC codes, and spine widths flawlessly."
Eleanor Wright
Publisher, Foxglove Press, Minneapolis
"The free Project Manager oversight is what sets SageDoer apart. I never have to train someone on how Submittable works or explain what an ARC campaign is. Our PM ensures reviewer approvals in NetGalley are handled every single day."
Julian Thorne
Editor-in-Chief, Ironbark Literary, Portland
Genuine Questions from Indie Press Owners
Clear, transparent answers regarding manuscript confidentiality, copyright protection, metadata fidelity, and seasonal release surges.
Reclaim Editorial Time to Champion Great Books
Tell us about your press catalog, active submission queues, and daily administrative bottlenecks. Our dedicated Project Manager will map out your tailored publishing execution plan within 24 hours.
Book a Strategy Discovery Call
30 Min via Calendly
Instant Direct Chat
+91 80170 67191 (WhatsApp)
Official Inquiry Email
info@sagedoer.com
Prefer Website Form Submission?
Visit sagedoer.com/contact/ anytime.Tell Us Your Publishing Requirements
We respond promptly to outline your custom execution plan.