im SELBSTverlag – Die Agentur für Selfpublisher:innen

What im SELBSTverlag – Die Agentur für Selfpublisher:innen does

im SELBSTverlag is a Berlin-based, founder-owned service agency that supports German-language self-publishing authors from manuscript to market. The business operates as a sole proprietorship under the legal entity "korrekt. Lektorat & Texte – Tanja Giese," which was originally established as a freelance editorial practice in 2018 and re-launched as the dedicated im SELBSTverlag agency brand in 2023. The agency delivers a full-service bundle covering an initial consultation, proofreading (Korrektorat), substantive editing (Lektorat), cover design, interior book layout and typesetting (Buchsatz), and marketing support including Instagram, Pinterest, email marketing, WordPress landing pages, freebies, and SEO blog articles. It also guides authors through platform-specific publishing workflows on tredition, Amazon KDP, and epubli.

The underlying technology stack is minimal and human-centric: editing is performed in Microsoft Word using track changes mode for transparency, and prospective clients self-serve via Calendly booking for a free 30-minute initial consultation followed by a free 6,000-character proofreading sample (Probelektorat). All quotes are individually scoped. Lead generation is driven by a content marketing footprint consisting of an educational blog, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, a monthly email newsletter, and webinars (e.g., "Die 5 fatalsten Fehler im Selfpublishing").

The business model is pure professional services revenue earned from individual authors on a project-by-project basis, with no software product, no subscription tier, no platform fees, and no institutional investment. The 6-person team serves exclusively the DACH market, with a customer base of individual self-publishing authors across genres including fiction, self-help, memoir, music, philosophy, spirituality, and specialist non-fiction. Founder Tanja Giese also serves on the jury of the Selfpublishing-Buchpreis, lending the brand additional industry credibility.

Name

im SELBSTverlag – Die Agentur für Selfpublisher:innen

Legal name

korrekt. Lektorat & Texte – Tanja Giese

Website

https://im-selbstverlag.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

im SELBSTverlag is a Berlin-based, founder-owned agency that provides end-to-end self-publishing services — editing, cover design, layout, and marketing — to German-speaking independent authors on a project basis.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Publishing Support Services

NAICS

Book Publishers (51313), Document Preparation Services (561410)

SIC

Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731), Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYMPAJAJAB

Author Service Marketplaces & Aggregators (Vetting, Bundled Services)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Publishing (Books, News, Magazines)/Self-Publishing Platforms & Author Services

SECONDARYMPAJAJAG

Editorial & Production Services (Copyediting, Proofreading, Formatting, Typesetting)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Publishing (Books, News, Magazines)/Self-Publishing Platforms & Author Services

SECONDARYMPAJAJAH

Cover Design, Illustration & Book Interior Design Services

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Publishing (Books, News, Magazines)/Self-Publishing Platforms & Author Services

SECONDARYMPAJAJAL

Author Marketing, PR & Launch Services (Ads, Book Tours, Influencers)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Publishing (Books, News, Magazines)/Self-Publishing Platforms & Author Services

Keywords

• Self-publishing services
• Book editing services
• Manuscript proofreading
• Book cover design
• Author consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Editorial Services (Lektorat): Professional editing and proofreading services for manuscripts, including content editing, structural optimization, and style improvement.
2. Cover Design Services: Custom book cover design with up to two revision rounds included.
3. Book Layout and Typesetting: Interior book design and typesetting for both print books and e-books.
4. Marketing Services: Marketing support including social media management (Instagram, Pinterest), email marketing, WordPress landing pages, SEO blog articles, and freebie creation.
5. Consulting Services: Publishing process consultation covering title protection, imprint requirements, book descriptions, and author bios.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

im SELBSTverlag is a Berlin-based agency providing end-to-end professional services for individual self-publishing authors. Offerings span the entire publishing journey: initial consulting (Beratung), proofreading (Korrektorat), professional editing (Lektorat), cover design (Covergestaltung), interior layout and typesetting (Layout/Buchsatz) for print and e-books, marketing support (social media, email, SEO), and publishing process assistance across platforms such as tredition, Amazon KDP, and epubli. Authors retain full creative control while receiving tailored, project-based support.

Product overview

im SELBSTverlag is a service-based self-publishing agency offering a comprehensive suite of services for independent authors. The company provides end-to-end support through consulting, proofreading (Korrektorat), professional editing (Lektorat), cover design, book layout/typesetting (Buchsatz), and marketing services. Authors receive hands-on guidance from initial consultation through final publication, with the agency working across platforms like tredition, Amazon KDP, and epubli. The core offering combines individual services into a complete self-publishing package while allowing authors to maintain creative control.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Beratung (Publishing Consulting) Initial in-depth consulting engagement for self-publishing authors to determine individual needs and goals and map out options for the book project, including guidance on title protection, imprint requirements, book descriptions, and author bios.
• Lektorat (Professional Editing) Content and style editing of manuscripts that refines clarity, coherence, structure, and stylistic quality while preserving the author's voice and style.
• Korrektorat (Proofreading) Proofreading of manuscripts focused on spelling, grammar, punctuation, and typographic consistency.
• Layout / Buchsatz (Book Layout and Typesetting) Interior design and typesetting of print books and e-books to create a professional reading experience and visual presentation.
• Covergestaltung (Book Cover Design) Custom book cover design tailored to the book's genre and target audience, including up to two revision rounds.
• Marketing Support Author marketing services including Instagram and Pinterest management, email marketing, WordPress landing pages, freebie creation, and SEO blog articles to build visibility and reader relationships.
• Veröffentlichungsunterstützung (Publishing Process Support) Hands-on support through the entire publication process including title protection, imprint requirements, book blurb drafting, author bio, and platform-specific guidance for tredition, Amazon KDP, and epubli.

Quantifiable outcome

• Authors retain full control over their book while receiving professional support
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• treditioncoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributortredition is a Print-on-Demand service provider that the agency recommends to clients for book printing and distribution. Authors upload their completed books to tredition for physical and digital distribution. tredition provides free ISBN for authors publishing through their platform.
• Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAmazon KDP is recommended as a publishing platform for authors. The agency provides guidance on publishing through KDP, including KDP Select program options, royalties calculation, and W-8BEN tax form completion for German authors.
• epubliminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributorepubli is mentioned as a self-publishing platform alternative for authors. Like tredition, authors can publish through epubli without registering a separate business, as billing and sales are handled directly through the platform.
• Buch7minorOthersBuch7 is a social bookstore mentioned as a recommended alternative to major online retailers. The agency notes they support Buch7 as a socially-conscious book retailer.
• Sophie Weise-Meißner (Ganz in Weise)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSophie Weise-Meißner provides portrait photography services for the agency's founder and brand materials.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• epubli: epubli is a German self-publishing platform providing print, e-book, and distribution services. It is referenced as a partner platform by im SELBSTverlag but also competes by offering author services directly.
• BookRix: BookRix is a global self-publishing and e-book distribution platform with a strong German-language author community, offering free publishing and marketing tools that compete for the same indie author demographic.
• tredition: tredition is a Hamburg-based self-publishing platform offering publishing, printing, ISBN, and distribution services. It is also listed as a core channel partner of im SELBSTverlag but operates in the same author-services space.
• Lektorat.de: Lektorat.de is Germany's largest online marketplace connecting authors with professional editors, proofreaders, and translators. It competes directly with im SELBSTverlag's editorial (Lektorat) service line for German-language manuscripts.
• Nova MD: Nova MD is a German self-publishing imprint that provides editing, cover design, layout, and marketing services to independent authors — directly comparable to im SELBSTverlag's bundled agency offering.
• BoD (Books on Demand): BoD is one of Germany's largest self-publishing platforms, offering authors ISBN, print-on-demand, cover design, and distribution services — directly overlapping with im SELBSTverlag's bundled publishing support offering.

Broad incumbents

• Tolino Media: Tolino Media is a European self-publishing service backed by major German-language bookstores (Thalia, Hugendubel, Osiander). It offers e-book and print publishing and is a comparable European self-publishing destination for German-speaking authors.
• Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP): Amazon KDP is the global incumbent self-publishing platform and the dominant destination for German self-publishers. While not a service agency, it is recommended by im SELBSTverlag as a publishing platform and shapes author expectations around cost and convenience.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/im.selbstverlag
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/im-selbstverlag
• Instagraminstagram.com/im_selbstverlag

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about im SELBSTverlag – Die Agentur für Selfpublisher:innen