COMPARE CROSSLINK WITH OTHER PUBLISHERS TO SEE THE DIFFERENCE!
Check our homepage to see some of our author testimonials!
The unfortunate truth is that it is difficult to compare publishing companies since most keep their business practices and publishing processes very close to their vest. CrossLink is different … transparent, honest, and open. We want you to know everything about publishing with us. Begin your comparison by using our simple 13 Step Test below.
We recommend setting up a spreadsheet and contacting each company you are interested in to compare answers to the following questions for starters:
Consider carefully before selecting your publisher!
Yes, we use sophisticated automation to optimize workflow within our company. We will review your document, make a recommendation to the publishing committee and email you a yes/no publishing decision within 7 days.
In the commercial book industry, physical bookstores buy books with the expectation that they can return any unsold copies for a full refund. To navigate these potential returns smoothly without causing sudden financial disruption for our authors, we maintain a temporary, highly regulated “Reserve Against Returns” from your royalty earnings.
The Right of First Look is a standard industry practice that honors our collaborative relationship by giving Crosslink Publishing the opportunity to review your next book-length project before you show it to other publishers. It allows us to grow together as author and publisher.
When you are ready, you can submit a written proposal or a partial manuscript of your next work to our team. Crosslink Publishing has precisely twenty-one (21) days from the day we receive your submission to review the material and make you a formal, binding publication offer.
You are not locked into publishing your next book with us. We believe in a fair, author-friendly partnership. If we cannot reach a mutually acceptable agreement within that 21-day window, or if we choose to decline the project, you are completely free to pitch, contract, or publish that work anywhere else. There are no ongoing obligations, restrictions, or sneaky “matching clauses” that force you to stay.
All of our books are edited by professional editors with decades of experience, using a very rigorous implementation of the Chicago Manual of Style. We do not use AI in our editing process. This ensures quality across 18 different categories, from tense consistency to simple punctuation. We do not rewrite or reorganize manuscripts but will point out obvious inconsistencies or citation issues. In addition to providing authors with the edited manuscript with versioning turned on, we also provide a style sheet to document the rule or style that precipitated the edit.
CrossLink Publishing is proud to be the only publisher to share our internal project plan with our authors. From our website you will see exactly what we are working on, when it is due to be completed, and what the next steps are throughout the process. Red, yellow, and green indicators make it easy to identify what is on track or in trouble. This is just one of the ways we build trust and transparency – a key differentiator between CrossLink and other publishers.
CrossLink books are sold to retailers at an industry standard 55% discount from retail. This ensures that your book will be available to all online retailers as well as brick and mortar stores. CrossLink’s books are returnable by retailers—a non-negotiable item for almost all brick and mortar stores.
No. Print on Demand (POD) printing, although less risky for publishers, virtually guarantees that your book will not be stocked in any stores. Our books are produced by scheduling print runs and stocked in 3 warehouses ready for shipment.
Authors can purchase any number of their books (no restrictions on use or resale to individual consumers), at a 50%discount from retail.
Instead of standard, slow-moving traditional tiers or high-volume thresholds, CrossLink offers physical print royalties as follows:
- 20% of Net Receipts on the first 2,500 physical copies sold (an unprecedented starting baseline for print).
- 25% of Net Receipts on copies sold from 2,501 up to 10,000.
- 30% of Net Receipts on copies sold from 10,001 to 25,000.
- 35% of Net Receipts on all physical copies sold above 25,000 (bringing the maximum top tier within realistic reach).
Combined with our 50% Net Receipts split on digital and audio editions and our strict policy against deducting manufacturing or overhead costs from your net calculations, these terms put CrossLink Publishing at the top of author compensation in the industry.
We want you to know exactly how royalties are calculated – transparency is one of our core values.
Lakeside Books (formerly Baker & Taylor Publishing Services) is the exclusive distributor for CrossLink books, and is one of the largest provider of distribution and marketing services for Christian publishers.
Lakeside Books also distributes through the Ingram and Spring Arbor network (world’s largest distribution channel, (including over 30,000 wholesalers, retailers, and booksellers like Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Baker & Taylor, Alibris, Bertrams, Gardners, and others).
You can expect to find your books sold by virtually every book retailer, (Amazon, Barnes&Noble, etc.) including CBA Retailers.
To give your book the strongest competitive edge, Crosslink Publishing partners directly with Lakeside Book Company (formerly Baker & Taylor Publishing Services), the largest book printing, binding, and distribution company in North America.
Lakeside Book Company serves as our primary logistical and trade sales engine. While Crosslink Publishing manages your overarching metadata, publication setup, and standard catalog listing, Lakeside handles massive retail market penetration:
Global Trade Reach: Lakeside pitches and distributes titles directly into major national bookstore chains, independent bookstores, Christian retail networks, public library accounts, mass merchandisers, and online marketplaces around the world.
Advanced Data Management: Lakeside provides sophisticated reporting systems that ensure your book’s stock information and digital metadata feed flawlessly into major retail databases like Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Ingram.
High-Volume Fulfillment: Operating out of expansive, state-of-the-art facilities, Lakeside ensures that if a brick-and-mortar bookstore orders physical copies of your work, those orders are fulfilled, tracked, and shipped seamlessly.
Book marketing is a collaborative partnership. While Lakeside and Crosslink establish the “retail bridge”—making sure your book is perfectly positioned, easily discoverable, and available for purchase worldwide—the most successful book launches rely heavily on direct author marketing. We encourage authors to exercise their purchasing benefit to purchase physical copies at a 50% flat discount to drive direct-to-consumer sales, coordinate local book signings, and build grass-roots momentum across social media platforms.
Short answer – yes. Here’s why it is important to you:
- By US law, your book is automatically copyrighted when you created the work. However, by taking the extra step and expense to register your book’s copyright, we are able to greatly enhance the value of your copyright.
- Copyright registration creates a public record of ownership. If someone infringes on your copyright, you typically have the burden of proof to demonstrate copyright ownership. But, if you’ve registered a copyright, ownership is presumed and any challengers must bear the burden of proof.
- One of the biggest benefits of registration is the ability to file a lawsuit for infringement. You cannot do this without a copyright registration.
- But the most valuable benefit we provide by registering your copyright is to make you eligible for statutory damages. This means you can be awarded monetary damages for infringements without requiring you to prove actual damages. In addition, you qualify for seeking attorney fees and all costs of a lawsuit.