Archway Publishing

Archway Publishing: self-publishing with the backing of Simon & Schuster

Archway Publishing is a self-publishing company operated by Author Solutions and created in collaboration with Simon & Schuster. The company offers authors a way to publish their works with professional design, formatting, editing, and marketing services, while retaining full ownership of the content and the final design.

Simon & Schuster brings its nearly one hundred years of experience in the publishing industry and has participated in defining design guidelines, developing exclusive services, and designing packages tailored to authors' specific goals. Author Solutions, for its part, is responsible for actually providing the services included in each package.

Publishing packages by category

Archway Publishing's offerings are organized into specific packages based on the type of work. Each package combines design, layout, and marketing services aimed at helping the book achieve a professional standard and reach its potential audience.

• Fiction: packages that integrate design, formatting, and marketing for narrative works.
• Nonfiction: services focused on helping the author achieve their goals with works of factual content.
• Business: packages aimed at publications in the business and professional sphere.
• Children's: options that include color illustrations, carefully crafted covers, and marketing services to connect with young readers.
• Color: packages with specific services for full-color books.

Services and resources for authors

In addition to publishing packages, Archway Publishing makes a range of educational resources available to authors. The company hosts free webinars with industry professionals, including editors from imprints such as Aladdin, Gallery Books, Margaret K. McElderry Books, and Pocket Books, as well as digital marketing and social media managers from Simon & Schuster. Topics covered include an introduction to children's publishing, social media best practices for authors, how to capture attention on digital platforms, how to pitch a book without a literary agent, the most common mistakes writers make, the keys to an effective cover, and strategies for connecting with educators and librarians.

The company also offers a free guide on how Simon & Schuster evaluates books published with Archway, detailing what traditional imprints look for in terms of audience, platform, and manuscript quality.

Relationship with Simon & Schuster and discovery opportunities

The collaboration between Simon & Schuster and Author Solutions gave rise to Archway Publishing with the goal of helping new and emerging authors find their own path to publication. Simon & Schuster keeps track of titles that perform well in the market, and an outstanding Archway work may catch the attention of a traditional imprint. One example cited by the company itself is the acquisition by Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing of the self-published title Strays, by Virginia Castleman, for Aladdin Books. Likewise, Pete Honsberger's book was acquired by Adams Media, an imprint of Simon & Schuster.

Archway Publishing emphasizes that authors retain ownership of everything from the text to the design, and that the company simply provides help and guidance throughout the process.

Testimonials and ratings

The company displays testimonials from authors who highlight the creation of a team environment, meeting tight deadlines, and the design team's ability to bring cover ideas to life. On Google, the firm maintains a 4.4-star rating according to the information on its site.

Contact and requesting consultations

Archway Publishing handles publishing inquiries via the phone number 844-669-3957 and offers the option to request a free consultation through a form on its website. The company also provides a complementary publishing guide for those who wish to begin the process.