The history of how this little company came into being follows. Before you read it, do know that I (Lisa) was reluctant to write this page because Tasfil isn’t about me. I’m not some guru with all the answers about how to get your book published. Nor am I some egomaniac insisting my way is the greatest way to publish a book. I’m just someone who’s been learning these ropes for over a decade and is willing to be a supportive partner for authors wanting to publish their books.

Here’s the thing though: there’s nothing proprietary about anything here. There’s no “Tasfil method of book writing” or any of that nonsense. While, yes, there are books in the works to help writers create ones of their own, here’s the secret: we—all us self-publishing services providers, all of us providing resources on how to write—are doing and saying the same thing. We’re just doing it with different branding.

Good books evolve out of good writing, standard conventions, and structure. Whether they are nonfiction books providing a solution to a problem, inspirational tomes offering hope for a better future, or entertaining reads delivering a respite from life (or all three), the good ones are pretty conventional and follow most of the “rules” of writing, editing, design, etc.

What sets this company (me) apart from the others is that I’m your contact, your problem solver, your project manager, your brainstormer, your provider of bespoke service. I have a team of people who are really good at what they do: ghostwriters, coaches, editors of every ilk, book designers, and marketers, and I’m the central core managing the process of writing or publishing your book and making it as easy and fun as possible.

And now, here’s the “about us” page marketers like to tell me I need to create. “Write your story, Lisa!” they demand. So, here it is…

Tasfil founder, Lisa Shiroff, knows books. She can tell you all about writing, editing, publishing, and bookmaking in general—bookmaking as in how books are put together—not the gambling kind of bookmaking. (Though if you ask, she’ll tell you if the track is wet, bet on the heavier dog.)

She’s the ghostwriter behind numerous nonfiction works and the unashamed author of some self-published novels.

She started Tasfil as a micropress back in 2013 to answer the call of a few other writers who had great book ideas but who couldn’t get past the gatekeepers of traditional publishing houses. Her experience in the freelance world, combined with the education she gleaned from joining the Independent Book Publishers Association (https://www.ibpa-online.org/default.aspx) provided what she needed to publish those books with success. At that time, publishing was not something she expected to do as a full-time career, despite the insistence of her accountant to find a cheaper hobby.

She continued to learn, though. In particular, she focused on how to better her craft (writing) and how to improve her editing chops. She also stayed up to date with what was happening in the publishing industry as it morphed and evolved at the speed of light. Meanwhile, she had a family that needed things like food, clothing, and shelter, so she continued to freelance ghostwriting, book/author coaching (which she called book development back then), and editing.

Eventually, she worked full-time for a company that was considered a giant in the publishing services space. There she took note of their processes, some of which she felt were great, some she thought were quite the opposite, and some in between.

That giant failed (and when it did, she wasn’t surprised). That failure, while it was a bit uncomfortable at first because there was an immediate stop to things like income and benefits, was a gift. She realized that over the years, she had developed a strong, wide-reaching network of professional ghostwriters, editors, designers, and book publicists. Coupling that network with her industry knowledge and publishing-insider insight, she realized she could provide everything the giant did.

So she is.

Only she’s doing it a little differently.

She’s picky about which books she takes on. And she works on a limited number each year. She’s not trying to become the next giant. Instead, she’s offering concierge-style services to authors who want to produce unique, quality books without being stressed or aggravated by the process.

Let’s Talk Books!

Complete the form below, and we’ll reach out to discuss your book idea, where you are in the process, and what we can do to help you make it across the finish line.