Technology and the virtual marketplace have changed today's publishing industry so that authors, both traditionally and independently published, hold greater accountability for the business-end of their careers, such as product development, design, distribution and marketing. The more time spent on these activities, however, the less time authors have to write.

Author assistants are joining the ensemble of niche publishing support services, like book formatters and blog tour coordinators. But unlike these service providers, the role and duties of author assistants vary widely. No two author/assistant relationships work the same way or feature the same dynamics. This lack of a consistent, broadly understood definition is both a challenge and an advantage. The challenge comes in each author having to define what they need from an author assistant and how that support will be provided. The advantage is that authors can define and negotiate a support partnership that fits their unique needs and preferences.

Written by a professional, full-time author assistant who has worked with more than 50 writers across multiple genres, this guide provides authors with practical, experience-based tips and tools for finding, hiring and keeping an excellent assistant. Content covered in this handbook includes:

Explanation of what an author assistant is and does

Overview of the types of services offered by author assistants

Benefits of hiring an author assistant

How to locate and screen an author assistant

Author and assistant expectations and responsibilities

How to negotiate and establish a successful working relationship

Tools and resources to enhance the author/assistant relationship

Candid advice from authors and assistants

Only two duties cannot be delegated by an author to an assistant: writing and reader engagement. Finding the right assistant to help with tasks that can be delegated is one of the smartest business strategies today's authors can utilize. Learn how to Do Less in order to Write More by finding, hiring and keeping an excellent author assistant.