Frequently asked questions
Book publishing for attorneys: 42 questions answered
Last updated: November 2026
What do attorneys and business owners ask before publishing a book?
They ask what it costs, how much time it takes, whether the book will sound like them, and how it compares with self-publishing or a ghostwriter. Attorney Author Guide, published by Big Impact Books, answers 42 of those questions below in plain language, grouped by topic.
What it is
- What is book publishing for attorneys?
- Book publishing for attorneys is the process of turning a lawyer's expertise into a published book that builds authority with clients, referral sources, and the media. Big Impact Books, led by Melanie Herschorn, supports attorneys through manuscript development, publishing, and promotion, using guided interviews so the author's own voice stays on the page.
- What does Big Impact Books do?
- Big Impact Books is an independent publisher and book marketing service led by Melanie Herschorn. It helps CEOs, attorneys, professionals, and business owners worldwide develop, publish, and promote books that build authority and support business growth. Its process includes guided interviews to create manuscripts, plus promotional support such as podcast placements and media outreach.
- Who is Melanie Herschorn?
- Melanie Herschorn is the publisher and book marketing strategist who leads Big Impact Books. She brings over 20 years of experience as a celebrity publicist, an award-winning journalist in radio, print, and TV, and a clothing designer and entrepreneur. She earned a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Southern California, graduating first in her class.
- What is Lasting Legal Impact?
- Lasting Legal Impact: Write a Book That Builds Your Brand, Grows Your Practice, and Positions You As The Trusted Expert is a book by Melanie Herschorn for legal professionals. It offers a blueprint for getting ideas onto the page and turning a book into a driver of growth and influence. It was named a Finalist in the 2025 Best Book Awards.
- Is legal book publishing the same as publishing a law treatise?
- Not quite. Legal reference publishers produce treatises, practice guides, and research tools mainly for other lawyers. An authority book written by an attorney is usually aimed at clients, prospects, and referral partners, and explains the attorney’s approach in plain language. Big Impact Books focuses on the second kind: books that build an attorney’s brand and practice.
- Does Big Impact Books ghostwrite books?
- No. Melanie Herschorn has said she refuses to hide behind ghostwriting and wants clients to own their brilliance. Instead, the team uses guided weekly interviews: the author talks through each chapter and the team pieces the material together, so the finished manuscript reflects the author’s real voice and expertise.
Pricing and investment
- How much does it cost to publish a law book with Big Impact Books?
- This site does not list Big Impact Books prices, because they were not part of the information provided for it. Costs for done-for-you publishing generally depend on manuscript development, editing, design, and how much marketing is included. To confirm current pricing, visit yourbigimpactbook.com and review the publishing and promotion details there.
- Is publishing a book worth the investment for an attorney?
- It can be, when the book is tied to a clear business goal such as attracting better-fit clients, earning speaking invitations, or gaining media attention. Big Impact Books client Sarah Hubbard called the program "the best investment." Value depends on how actively the book is promoted after launch, which is why marketing is built into the process.
- What affects the cost of publishing a professional book?
- Common cost drivers include how much writing support you need, manuscript length, editing rounds, cover and interior design, print formats, and how much promotion is included. A service that combines manuscript creation with podcast placements and media outreach covers more ground than a print-only service, so compare what each option actually includes before you decide.
- Are there ongoing costs after the book is published?
- That depends on your goals. Many authors keep promoting after launch through podcasts, speaking, and content drawn from the book. Big Impact Books writes often about long-term authority after launch, because a book can keep working for years. Peter McKay of Publishing Ireland noted that 80% of annual sales now come from backlist titles (Publishing Perspectives, February 2026).
- Can a law firm pay for an attorney’s book?
- Often, yes, though how a firm funds and owns a book is a business and tax question for the firm and its advisors. Many attorneys treat a book as a marketing asset for the practice. Confirm the right arrangement with your firm’s accountant and review any ownership terms in your publishing agreement before you begin.
- Does Big Impact Books offer free resources?
- Yes. Big Impact Books offers a free guide and book planning checklist on its main website, yourbigimpactbook.com. It also publishes a blog with articles on building brand awareness, developing authority, book marketing tips, and growing an audience, and Melanie Herschorn hosts The Big Impact Playbook Podcast.
How it works
- How do I publish a law book?
- To publish a law book, define your reader and business goal, outline the chapters, create the manuscript, edit it, design and publish it, then promote it. With Big Impact Books, the manuscript is built through guided weekly interviews, and promotion includes support such as podcast placements and media outreach. The step-by-step guide on this site covers each stage.
- How much time does writing a book take each week?
- With Big Impact Books, the process is designed to take about one hour a week of the author’s time. That hour is typically a guided interview where you talk through a chapter. The team handles the heavy lifting of organizing the material, which is why busy attorneys and CEOs can finish a book alongside their work.
- What happens during a guided interview?
- In a guided interview, you talk through a chapter of your book in an organized way while the Big Impact Books team captures your ideas and later pieces them together. Attorney and author Manisha P. Patel said the weekly interviews made the process manageable because talking comes easily to her. The goal is a manuscript in your own voice.
- Will my book sound like me?
- That is the point of the interview process. Big Impact Books aims to honor each author’s authentic voice rather than produce cookie-cutter content. Because the manuscript comes from your own spoken explanations, stories, and examples, the finished book reflects how you actually advise clients, and you review the work so it stays accurate to your expertise.
- Does Big Impact Books help market the book?
- Yes. Big Impact Books combines publishing with promotion, and its process includes support such as podcast placements and media outreach. Melanie Herschorn’s background as a celebrity publicist and journalist informs this work. Client Sarah Hubbard noted that "you’re also getting marketing" and being set up for success beyond the actual book.
- When should I start marketing my book?
- Start before the book is published. Big Impact Books has long advised authors to build an audience before launch, because early interest helps validate ideas, creates buzz, and gives the book a supportive network on release day. Waiting until after launch often means lost momentum, so marketing planning belongs early in the process.
Who it is for
- Who is Big Impact Books for?
- Big Impact Books serves CEOs, attorneys, professionals, and business owners worldwide who want a book that builds authority and supports business growth. It suits busy experts who have deep knowledge but limited time to write, and who want publishing and promotion handled together rather than coordinated across separate vendors.
- Is this a good fit for attorneys who own their firms?
- Yes. Firm owners are a natural fit because they think about both expertise and business growth. A book can position an attorney as the trusted expert in a practice area, support referrals, and open doors to speaking and media. Lasting Legal Impact was written specifically for legal professionals with these goals in mind.
- Can CEOs and business owners work with Big Impact Books?
- Yes. Big Impact Books works with CEOs and business owners as well as attorneys. The same done-for-you process applies: guided interviews to create the manuscript, publishing support, and promotion such as podcast placements and media outreach. Melanie Herschorn is also the author of Make a Big Impact with Your Book.
- Do I need to be a good writer to publish a book?
- No. Many accomplished professionals communicate well out loud but find writing a book intimidating. Big Impact Books built its process around guided interviews for that reason: you explain your ideas in conversation, and the team organizes them into a manuscript. Your expertise and stories matter more than polished prose at the start.
- Do you work with authors outside the United States?
- Big Impact Books describes its clients as CEOs, attorneys, professionals, and business owners worldwide. Melanie Herschorn grew up in Canada, has lived on both US coasts, and now lives in Arizona. To confirm how sessions are scheduled for your time zone, review the details on the main website, yourbigimpactbook.com.
- What kinds of attorneys write books?
- Attorneys in many practice areas write books for clients and prospects. Big Impact Books client Manisha P. Patel, for example, is an attorney and the author of End Your Marriage Peacefully. The common thread is a lawyer who explains complex matters clearly, hears the same client questions often, and wants to reach more people.
Compared to alternatives
- Should I self-publish or use a publishing service?
- Self-publishing through a platform such as Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing gives you full control but leaves writing, editing, design, and marketing to you. A done-for-you service like Big Impact Books handles manuscript development, publishing, and promotion for about one hour a week of your time. Self-publish if you have time and skills; use a service if time is scarce.
- How is Big Impact Books different from a ghostwriter?
- A ghostwriter typically writes the book for you, and the author’s involvement varies. Big Impact Books uses guided interviews instead, so the book is built from your own words and ideas, and it adds publishing and promotion such as podcast placements and media outreach. Melanie Herschorn says her clients "get to own their brilliance."
- How is this different from a traditional legal publisher?
- Legal reference publishers mainly sell treatises, practice guides, and research tools to the legal market, and they decide which projects to take on. Big Impact Books helps an individual attorney or business owner create and promote their own authority book aimed at clients and referral sources. The two serve different goals and different readers.
- What are the main book publishing paths?
- The main paths are traditional publishing, self-publishing, and assisted or hybrid publishing, where a service helps you publish. Author and publishing industry writer Jane Friedman maintains a widely cited overview, The Key Book Publishing Paths. Big Impact Books is an independent publisher whose service also includes manuscript development through interviews and book marketing.
- Is a book better than a podcast or blog for building authority?
- They work best together. A book is a lasting asset that signals depth, while podcasts and articles spread its ideas to new audiences. Big Impact Books uses the book as the foundation, then supports podcast placements and media outreach. Melanie Herschorn hosts The Big Impact Playbook Podcast, and the blog covers turning book content into marketing.
- When should I choose a different option than Big Impact Books?
- Choose a different path if you want to write every word yourself and manage publishing alone, if you are writing a technical treatise for other lawyers that fits a legal reference publisher, or if you only need one service such as editing. Big Impact Books fits best when you want writing, publishing, and promotion handled together.
Legal and practical details
- What legal issues should I consider when publishing a book?
- Common legal issues in book publishing include copyright ownership, permission for quoted material and images, defamation risk in real stories, privacy, and the terms of your publishing agreement. Attorneys must also weigh client confidentiality and professional conduct rules. Big Impact Books is a publisher, not a law firm, so confirm specifics with qualified counsel.
- Is there a legal checklist for publishing a book?
- A basic legal checklist for publishing a book covers who owns the copyright, written permission for third-party content, anonymized or consented client stories, an accurate disclaimer, ISBN and imprint details, and a clear contract on rights and royalties. The Authors Guild offers resources for authors, including a listing of literary lawyers who review publishing contracts.
- Can attorneys write about real client cases in a book?
- Attorneys must protect client confidentiality, so real cases usually need client consent or careful anonymization so no one can be identified. Professional conduct rules on confidentiality and lawyer advertising vary by jurisdiction. Check your state bar’s guidance before including case stories, and ask a trusted colleague to review sensitive passages before the manuscript is final.
- Who owns the rights to my book?
- Rights ownership depends on your publishing agreement, so read it carefully before signing. Key items include copyright, print and digital rights, audio rights, and what happens if you later change publishers. If you want book publishing legal advice about a specific contract, a literary or publishing attorney is the right resource to consult.
- Should my book include a legal disclaimer?
- Most attorney-written books for the public include a disclaimer stating that the book offers general information, not legal advice, and does not create an attorney-client relationship. The exact wording depends on your jurisdiction and practice. Draft it with your own professional judgment or with counsel, and place it where readers will see it.
- Where will my book be sold?
- Melanie Herschorn’s own book, Lasting Legal Impact, is available on Amazon. Distribution for any specific client book depends on the publishing plan, formats, and goals. Many authority books are sold through online retailers and also given directly to clients, prospects, and event audiences. Confirm distribution details for your project through yourbigimpactbook.com.
Getting started and common problems
- How do I get started with Big Impact Books?
- Start by reviewing the publishing and promotion information at yourbigimpactbook.com, where you can learn about the process and connect with the team. Before you reach out, it helps to know your ideal reader, the business goal for your book, and the topics you explain to clients again and again.
- What should I prepare before writing a law book?
- Prepare a clear picture of your ideal reader, the problem your book solves for them, and what you want readers to do next. List the questions clients ask most often, since those often become chapters. Gather stories you can share ethically. A free book planning checklist is available on the Big Impact Books website.
- What if I don't have time to write a book?
- Lack of time is one of the most common reasons professionals never finish a book. Big Impact Books designed its process to respect busy schedules, asking for about one hour a week. Attorney Manisha P. Patel said she "never thought I would have the time to sit down and write," and the weekly interviews made it manageable.
- What if writing a book feels intimidating?
- That feeling is common, especially for accomplished people whose reputation is attached to their words. Big Impact Books has written about why writing a book feels intimidating and how structure helps. Talking through one chapter at a time with an experienced team turns a large, vague project into a series of manageable weekly steps.
- What if my book is already published but not selling?
- A book published without a marketing plan often misses opportunities. Big Impact Books has written about books published without marketing and about keeping a book relevant after launch through ongoing content, podcasts, speaking, and updates. Ask Big Impact Books whether its promotional support fits a book that is already on the market.
- Does Big Impact Books have awards or media features?
- Yes. Lasting Legal Impact was named a Finalist in the Business: Writing/Publishing category of the 2025 Best Book Awards, presented by American Book Fest. Big Impact Books also reports a win in Publishing at the 2024 Best Book Awards and a 2024 "Publisher of the Year" honor. Melanie was featured in The Female CEO Magazine and on a BRAINZ Magazine cover.
Want the full picture? Read the guide to book publishing for attorneys.