How We're Different

WE'RE SELECTIVE (AND HONEST ABOUT IT)

We turn down at least half the people who reach out to us.

Not because we're snobs. Because we care more about your success than making a sale.

If we don't believe your project is ready, we'll tell you what needs to change first. If your goals are unrealistic given your platform or budget, we'll be honest. If we think you're chasing vanity metrics that won't serve your business, we'll redirect you.

We publish fewer than 15 books a year. Most companies in this space publish hundreds or even thousands. 

We're a boutique, not a factory. Your book gets obsessive attention, not assembly-line treatment.

WE'RE WOMAN-FOUNDED AND LED

Legacy Launch Pad was founded and is run by Anna David, a five-time traditionally published New York Times bestselling author who understands both sides of the publishing world. As a woman-owned business, we bring a collaborative, author-first approach that prioritizes your vision and goals above all else.

WE STAY AHEAD WHILE THE BIG PLAYERS FALL BEHIND

Publishing used to change every five years. Now it changes every five weeks—sometimes every five days.

AI tools. New distribution channels. Shifting algorithms. Emerging platforms. Evolving reader expectations. 

The big publishing companies—both traditional and hybrid—can't keep up. They're too big, too bureaucratic, too stuck in their ways. They're still doing things the way they did them in 2019.

We pivot in real time.

We're small enough to be agile, obsessive enough to stay on top of every shift and strategic enough to know which changes matter and which are just noise.

We Build Author Websites that AI Actually Recommends

Here's a question that should keep you up at night: When someone asks ChatGPT or Claude to recommend a book about your topic, does yours show up?

For most authors, the answer is no. Because most author websites are built for Google, not for AI.

And AI-powered search is already here. Millions of people ask ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity and other AI systems for book recommendations every day. If your website isn't built for AI crawlers, you're invisible.

We build yours to be found using:

• Schema markup that tells AI systems exactly what your book is about, who it's for and why it matters
• AI-optimized FAQ pages that answer the questions AI systems prioritize when making recommendations
• ISBN and metadata integration that connects your book across platforms so AI can verify and recommend your work
• GoodReads optimization (AI systems increasingly reference it for book recommendations)
• Technical architecture that AI crawlers prioritize but most author sites lack

Why this matters for your business:

When potential clients ask AI, "Who's the expert on [your topic]?" or "What book should I read about [your specialty]?"—you show up.

If your website isn't built for AI discovery, you don't exist in that conversation.

We make sure you do.

But here's the critical part: we pair AI efficiency with human strategy and taste.

AI can execute. It can't tell you whether you should. It can generate text, but it can't build a strategic narrative arc. It can design covers, but it can't discern what actually resonates with your specific audience.

That's where decades of traditional publishing expertise comes in.

Our team has written for The New York Times, The Atlantic and The Wall Street Journal. We've published with HarperCollins and Simon & Schuster. We know the difference between "good enough" and "legacy-leaving."

We use AI to make our services faster and more efficient. But strategy, taste and quality? Those still require humans who know what they're doing.

And because we're not beholden to investors or trying to scale to 1,000 books a year, we can maintain that human touch on every project.

WE'RE INDEPENDENT (AND THAT MATTERS MORE THAN YOU THINK)

Here's something most authors don't know: many of the big hybrid publishers have been bought by venture capitalists.

That changes everything.

When VCs take over, the mandate shifts from "create great books" to "scale fast and maximize returns." Quality becomes a cost to minimize. Client service becomes a bottleneck to eliminate. Strategic guidance becomes an inefficiency to streamline. Their clients aren't getting on top shows because they simply aren't getting the sort of attention that booking those appearances requires.

Translation: they become factory production.

Assembly-line processes. Cookie-cutter templates. Junior staff churning through as many books as possible. Upsells at every turn. And declining quality that reflects poorly on the authors who trusted them.

We've watched it happen again and again. Great boutique publishers get acquired, promise nothing will change and within 18 months they're unrecognizable.

Legacy Launch Pad is independently owned. We're not for sale.

We're not trying to scale to 500 books a year to hit investor targets. We're not cutting corners to improve margins. We're not replacing experienced editors with junior staff to reduce costs.

We're staying small, staying nimble and staying obsessed with quality.

Every book we publish reflects on us. Every author we work with is part of our reputation. We can't afford to phone it in—and we wouldn't want to even if we could.

WE'RE BRUTALLY HONEST (EVEN WHEN IT COSTS US)

Many companies make money from confusion.

They profit when authors:

• Don't know the difference between high and low quality
• Chase irrelevant metrics like bookstore placement
• Buy services they don't need
• Don't understand what will actually move the needle for their business

We make money from your success.

Not from upselling unnecessary add-ons. Not from promising results we can't deliver. Not from taking on projects that aren't ready.

That's why we tell you:

• When your expectations are unrealistic given your platform
• When a service you're asking for won't serve your goals
• When you're not ready to invest what's required for a quality result

We'd rather lose a sale today than watch you waste tens of thousands of dollars on a project that doesn't deliver.

Because in this business, your success is our reputation.

When your book earns you seven figures in terms of new opportunities, you tell people about us. When it gets you on stages and podcasts, you tell people about us. When it gets you in and on the biggest TV shows, podcasts and publications, you tell people about us. When it positions you as the go-to authority in your industry, you tell people about us.

That's our business model. Not volume. Not upsells. Results.

THE BOTTOM LINE

You have three options when it comes to publishing your book:

• Traditional Publishing Work with a major publisher. Give up creative control, most of your royalties and wait 18-24 months. Good for celebrities and people who want to be career authors. Wrong for most business owners.
• The Publishing Factories Work with a high-volume hybrid publisher or self-publishing mill. Get assembly-line treatment, cookie-cutter processes and declining quality from VC-backed companies optimizing for scale, not excellence.
• Legacy Launch Pad Work with a selective boutique that turns down half its inquiries, publishes fewer than 15 books a year, stays ahead of every industry shift and cares more about your success than making a quick sale.

We're not the cheapest option. We don't churn your book out overnight. And we're definitely not for everyone.

But if you want a strategic partner who will:

• Tell you the truth even when it costs them
• Focus on what actually drives results for your business
• Create a book that's indistinguishable from a New York Times bestseller
• Get it into the right hands, not just any hands
• Stay obsessively on top of every change in publishing

Then we should talk.

APPLY FOR A CALL

STILL NOT SURE IF WE'RE RIGHT FOR YOU?

We're the right fit if:

• You see your book as a strategic business asset, not just something to do
• You want honest guidance, not just vendors executing orders
• You're willing to be challenged on your assumptions
• You care more about reaching the right 100 people than vanity metrics
• You want traditional publishing quality without giving up control
• You're prepared to invest appropriately in a legacy-leaving book

We're NOT the right fit if:

• You just want someone to execute your vision without questions
• You're looking for the cheapest option available
• You're not open to strategic feedback
• You want your book published in the next 60 days
• You care more about volume metrics than business impact
• You're shopping for services rather than seeking a strategic partner

The only way to know for sure? Schedule a call and let's talk.

We'll be honest about whether we're a fit. And if we're not, we'll tell you why—and what you might want to do instead.

READY TO CREATE A BOOK THAT ACTUALLY TRANSFORMS YOUR BUSINESS?

APPLY NOW