- auxarczen
- Jan 20
- 3 min read
Updated: 6 days ago
Writing a book is brave.
Publishing it can be confusing and leave you feeling exposed and venerable.
You can do it yourself, but you don't have to do it alone.
GO!PRESS was created for independent authors who want to self-publish with real support, real standards, and real care.
Not a factory.
Not a maze.
Not a shrug of the shoulders and a "good luck"
Indie, but not alone.
GO!PRESS is a hands-on small press under Auxarczen (Ozark Zen) our umbrella for photography, design, and publishing.
We are not guessing from the sidelines. We are in the trenches. We are working on our 30th published book. And we have learned every lesson the hard way, through late nights, upload errors, formatting weirdness, metadata headaches, and all the little traps that don't show up in tutorials.
We have run into the problems so you don't have to.
You get the map, the shortcuts, and the calm.
Indie, but not alone.
We created GO!PRESS for the authors that -
have a draft that is finished and need a plan for what is next
want your book to look professional without losing its soul
feel stuck in the "I don't know what I don't know" part of publishing
want guidance that is both artistic and practical
need someone to design their book cover
want a team in their corner through all the steps.
Indie, but not alone.
Think of us as a behind the scenes crew that helps your book hit its marks.
What GO!PRESS will help with
THE COVER
For many indie authors, the cover is the biggest hurdle. The cover has to do three jobs at once, catch the eye, signal the genre, and promise the experience inside. A great cover is not just "pretty." It takes the story and turns it into a clear visual message that readers instantly understand. Michael will design your cover so that it doesn't look DIY or generic. We build covers that look professional, intentional, and right for your story.
THE BOOK ITSELF
editing & proofreading
story guidance
formatting guidance (print + ebook)
publishing set-up and support (accounts, uploads, sanity checks)
design of interior and exterior
What it feels like to work with us
Because the publishers are artists themselves, Auxarczen is the perfect house for perfectionists like me who can’t let go of their precious art. I don’t mean to be facetious. Michael and Jennifer Cartright could not be more sensitive to the fact that writers and poets are stubborn about creative control. That is probably what I love most about this small press. Without allowing artists to do any crazy thing they want, the publishers trust the client’s instincts, a phenomenon, I assume, is rare in the publishing world. Otherwise, Auxarczen is the whole package – talented editor, designer and photographer who cares about the client’s work as if it’s their own. Which it is.
-Matt McGowan
Michael and Jen of Auxarczen Press worked their magic again on my book of poems, Alchemy of Headwinds. Their enthusiasm, devotion and creativity turned a difficult (in places) manuscript into a living breathing thing of beauty, starting with Jen's evocative cover photo. I've enjoyed working with them on both of my books (also, 2020's Desert Threnody, a work of essays and short fiction) and have benefited from their generosity and professionalism.
Their ideas for social media promotion are as well, effective and original. They complimented several of the poems with Jen's photos (along with music) to create mini-videos on line that capture the spirit and immediacy of the writing.
- John Macker
THE PROCESS
Discovery conversation - where you are, what you need, what matters most
Plan + Pathway - a map of where we are going and how we will get there
The work
The launch
We will continue to be a resource for the authors we work with
If you have been holding a book inside you and you don't know where to start,
or it is half finished and you are stuck,
or if it is ready to go and you need a cover design.....
It is time to CONTACT GO!PRESS
