Author Portal · Six-phase workflow · Lifetime access

Author Portal Help Center

Everything you need to publish with AuthorShelf — from first login through production, Title Live, and transparent royalty reporting. Written for how the portal actually works today.

  • Projects vs. Published Titles explained
  • Right Now & Title Live status
  • Royalties: Print Info × units sold

Download Portal Manual (PDF)

Try: “Published Titles”, “compensation”, “import CSV”

6 Production phases per project
2 Views: Projects & Published Titles
100% Royalties retained by you
∞ Lifetime portal on every package

Part 1

New author? Start here

Your Publishing Path in Five Steps

One simple idea: you should always know what happens next — from checkout through Title Live and beyond.

  1. 1

    Create your account

    Free registration unlocks lifetime portal access on any package.

    Create Account →
  2. 2

    Choose a package

    Six transparent tiers from $399 — Spark through Ultimate.

    View Packages →
  3. 3

    Complete New Title setup

    11-step wizard: metadata, print specs, pricing, and starter files.

    Open Projects →
  4. 4

    Follow your workflow

    Six phases with tasks, Right Now status, and team messages.

    Phase Guide →
  5. 5

    Go live & track royalties

    Title Live in Phase 6, then Royalties and Published Titles forever.

    Royalties Hub →

Part 2

Understand the portal

Portal Guide

Learn the sidebar tabs, the difference between Projects and Published Titles, and what each status badge means. Bookmark /author-portal/ after login.

Portal tabs at a glance

The sidebar runs along the top on mobile. Each group below covers a different part of your author life.

Your day-to-day

Dashboard

Stats, My Things To Do, shortcuts, and quick links.

Projects

Books in production. View Details shows phases, tasks, and messages.

Titles

Published books after go-live — not the same as Projects.

Messages

Global inbox for your publishing team.

Royalties & orders

Royalties

Units sold, gross royalties, and net to you by title.

Reports

Per-project rollup: royalties, tasks, and file activity.

Book Orders

Author copies and print-on-demand orders.

Service Orders

Add-on services and re-tech purchases.

Account & support

Account

Profile, milestone payments, tax info, and payout settings.

Marketing Services

Launch assets when included or purchased.

Help

Support tickets and browser requirements.

Projects vs. Published Titles

These are not the same list. This is the most common source of confusion when checking royalties or status.

During production

Projects tab

Every title in production lives here — from Phase 1 through Phase 6. Open View Details to see:

  • The six-phase stepper and progress bar
  • Right Now — whose turn it is and what it means
  • Workflow tasks (uploads, approvals, eProof)
  • Title Info & Print Info tabs (metadata and compensation)
  • Project Messages sidebar with your production team
Open Projects →
After go-live

Published Titles tab

When production completes, your book becomes a Published Title — a permanent live record. Here you can:

  • See Live or Inactive status on each title card
  • Open View Details for post-publication Title Info & Print Info
  • Request changes, pricing updates, or deactivate listing
  • Jump to royalties without digging through production tasks

Status shows Title Live when your book is published and selling — not generic “On track.”

Open Published Titles →

Right Now status badges

Inside Projects → View Details, the Right Now panel shows whose turn it is. Published Titles show Title Live instead.

Title Live

Your published title is live and selling. Royalties and sales data are available in Published Titles and Royalties.

Your turn

A workflow task needs your action — upload a file, approve a proof, or complete an orientation step.

AuthorShelf is working

Our editors, designers, or production team are preparing the next deliverable. No action needed from you yet.

On track

Production is moving forward in the current phase with no open tasks for you. Common mid-project; not shown once your title is live.

Part 3

Production workflow

The Six-Phase Workflow

Every book follows the same path. Your project card shows the current phase; View Details shows tasks and messages for that stage.

  1. 1

    Setup & Kickoff

    New Title wizard, package linked, agreements signed.

    Your project is born here. Complete the 11-step New Title wizard, confirm your package, and upload starter files. Phase 1 tasks usually finish once setup and checkout are complete.

  2. 2

    Manuscript Development

    Uploads, editorial services, author review of edits.

    Upload your manuscript and references. Developmental editing, copyediting, and proofreading included in your package run here. Watch for editorial review tasks and respond inside View Details.

  3. 3

    Design & Branding

    Cover concepts, interior layout, design approvals.

    Cover design and interior formatting for print and eBook. Review concepts in workflow tasks, leave feedback in Messages, and approve direction before proofing begins.

  4. 4

    Proofing & Final Approval

    eProof review — approve or request final changes.

    Your eProof (and physical proof if ordered) arrives as a workflow task. Read every page carefully, then Approve or Request Changes. Revision rounds depend on your package tier.

  5. 5

    Production & Distribution

    Final files, metadata lock, retailer upload.

    ISBN assignment, metadata lock, and distribution upload. Core listing data is locked after this phase — finalize title spelling, categories, and pricing before your eProof approval.

  6. 6

    Marketing & Post-Publication

    Title Live, royalties, optional marketing.

    Your book goes live. Complete Title Live & Royalties orientation, then track sales in Royalties and Published Titles. Optional marketing tasks may appear based on your package.

Full Phase-by-Phase Guide Read The Process Open My Projects

Part 4

Step-by-step

Portal Deep Dive

Expand any topic below for detailed walkthroughs that match what you see in the live portal.

View Details — what you see inside a project+

Click View Details on any project card to open the full production workspace:

  • Hero bar — Book title, current phase label, and progress percentage.
  • Right Now — Status badge (Your turn, AuthorShelf is working, On track, or Title Live) plus plain-language explanation.
  • Meta pills — Trim size, page count, package tier, ISBN when assigned.
  • Production Phases — Click any phase in the stepper to see its tasks.
  • Action items — Open tasks with upload fields, approve/disapprove buttons, and instructions.
  • Title Info / Print Info — Read-only metadata and per-market compensation from your saved pricing.
  • Project Messages — Chat with your team without leaving the project.

Tip: Use ↻ Refresh after uploading files or completing a task so Right Now updates immediately.

New Title wizard — all 11 steps+

Launch from Dashboard or Projects → Add New Title. Progress saves as you go.

  1. Package & Title — Link your purchase and name the project.
  2. About the Book — Title, subtitle, series, descriptions, and publication date.
  3. Contributors — Author name display, roles, bios, and additional credits.
  4. Categories & Subjects — BISAC and discoverability.
  5. Print Specifications — Trim, binding, interior color, and page count.
  6. Pricing — Retail price, wholesale discount, and compensation per book (powers royalty estimates after go-live).
  7. Print Extras — Laminate, cover finish, physical proof, and media options.
  8. Markets & Strategy — Territories, pricing notes, and distribution goals.
  9. Content & Files — Manuscript and reference uploads.
  10. Review & Finalize — Confirm everything before submit.
  11. Submit & Checkout — Submit the title, then complete payment if your package is still pending checkout.

Metadata stays editable until Phase 5 metadata lock. Compensation in Print Info is what powers units-only royalty calculations after go-live.

Phase 6 — Title Live & Royalties+

Phase 6 is Marketing & Post-Publication. Key steps include:

  • Post-publication orientation — Read the guide and acknowledge when prompted.
  • Title Live & Royalties — Confirm you understand how to track sales after go-live.
  • Optional marketing deliverables if included in your package.

Once live, your title appears under Published Titles with a Title Live badge. Royalties populate when sales reports are imported — see the Royalties section below for how amounts are calculated.

Open Published Titles · Open Royalties

Files, uploads, and recommended formats+

Where to upload:

  • New Title wizard → Content & Files
  • Projects → View Details → phase-specific tasks (manuscript, references, marked-up proofs)
  • Messages — attach files when your team requests them

Recommended formats:

  • Manuscript: Word (.docx) preferred, or PDF
  • Cover reference: JPG/PNG at 300 dpi
  • Author photo: JPG/PNG under 1 MB

Your team is notified on upload. Add a note in the task or Messages so they know what you sent.

Messaging your publishing team+
  1. Global inbox — Messages tab. Filter threads, compose new messages, optionally attach a project.
  2. Inside a project — View Details → Project Messages sidebar on the right.

Keep production feedback in the portal so it stays on record. For account or billing issues, use Help → Submit Ticket or Contact Author Support.

Part 5

Browse by topic

Article Library

Short guides open in a popup. Full guides link to dedicated pages. Click any card to read more.

Getting Started with AuthorShelf

Account setup, first login, checkout, and what happens before Phase 1 tasks appear.

Start here

Welcome to AuthorShelf

Portal-first publishing, lifetime access, and where to get support.

How to Create Your Author Account

Free registration at Create Account — then land in the Author Portal.

Logging Into the Author Portal

Header link, Author Login, or bookmark /author-portal/.

What Happens After You Purchase a Package

Order confirmation, project creation, and your first workflow tasks.

Using the Author Portal

Dashboard, navigation, New Title setup, files, and team communication.

Essential

Navigating Your Author Dashboard

Every sidebar tab — Dashboard through Help — and what each one does.

My Things To Do — Action Items

How pending approvals, uploads, and payments surface on your dashboard.

Projects vs. Published Titles (Detailed)

When to use each tab, View Details differences, and Title Live status.

Adding a New Title (11-Step Setup)

Full wizard: package, metadata, specs, compensation, files, submit.

Uploading Files and Manuscripts

New Title Step 8, workflow tasks, and recommended file formats.

Messaging Your Publishing Team

Global inbox or per-project Messages & Team Inbox.

Managing Your Publishing Project

Workflow tasks, proofs, revisions, Right Now status, and collaborating with editors and designers.

Full guide

Project Stages Explained

Deep dive into all six phases — what we do and what you need to do in each.

 Full guide

Approvals and Revisions

Review eProofs in Phase 4, approve or request changes, and understand revision rounds.

Tracking Project Progress

Phase stepper, Right Now panel, progress bar, and task list inside View Details.

Title Live Status Explained

Why you see Title Live instead of On track after publication.

Metadata Lock in Phase 5

Why title data locks before distribution — and how to plan changes early.

Working with Your Editor and Designer

Clear feedback, revision best practices, and keeping communication in the portal.

Royalties and Payments

Print Info compensation, sales imports, gross vs. net, quarterly payouts, and package milestone plans.

Full guide

How Royalties Work at AuthorShelf

100% royalties to you, quarterly reporting, payout setup, and what we never take.
Important

Print Info Compensation × Units Sold

The formula for Title/ISBN sales exports: gross = net = compensation per book × units.

Viewing Your Royalty Reports

Royalties tab, Reports tab, Published Titles, and per-channel breakdowns.

Importing Sales & Royalty CSVs

Title/ISBN exports, KDP, Ingram — what each source type means for your totals.

When and How You Get Paid

Quarterly royalty payouts vs. package milestone plans — two separate tracks.

Package Payment Plans

Pay in full at our lowest price, or choose a milestone plan (+ $149 setup fee).

Packages, Services & Pricing

Six publishing tiers, à la carte add-ons, and bundle savings.

Compare tiers

2026 Publishing Packages

Spark ($399) through Ultimate ($2,989) — full feature comparison chart.

Which Package Is Right for Me?

Match your goals, budget, and timeline to the right tier.

Add-On Services & 10% Bundle Savings

Editing, marketing, audiobook, websites — mix with any package or buy standalone.

Compare AuthorShelf vs. Other Publishers

Transparent pricing vs. AuthorHouse and similar companies.

We're here for authors

Still need help?

Message your publishing team from the portal, submit a support ticket, or contact us — we typically respond within one business day.

Contact Author Support Open Portal Messages Portal Help Tab

Every package includes lifetime AuthorShelf Portal access · transparent royalty reporting · 100% rights retained