Manuscript Preparation

Microsoft Word (MS Word) is easy for us to work with, but we can import a variety of applications. If you have MS Word, it's an excellent choice. Whatever you use, take advantage of some if its features. To save time on proofreading and editing (even if you're an outstanding speller or typist), you should still use the spell-check function to find things that you missed, or typing errors. You'll want your manuscript as close to error-free as possible when you send it to us. It will save you time and money.

One rule applies: KEEP IT SIMPLE! If you will be turning your manuscript over to us for publishing, don't try to format your book's layout in Word. It will only create much more work for us. If you just keep your data very simple, we will arrange it for you to your specifications. Your input will be welcome at all stages of the process. Telling US how you want your layout adjusted is infinitely easier than for YOU to do it in a Word document. We know because we have done it. Much of what you might do in a Word document will not translate properly anyway, and will have to be formatted again.

Again, keep it simple. When we produce your book, it will likely be with a "serif" font. So, you may want to work with one of those, since it will give you an idea of what your book will look like. Any of the common serif fonts, like Times New Roman, are fine. Serifs are the small edges on the tops and bottoms of the letters. "Sans" means without, so sans serif fonts don't have those edges. Sans serif fonts are generally harder on the eyes for extended reading, so serif fonts are usually used for books. Among the serif fonts is Century Schoolbook, which we have used on several projects. Garamond is another example of a serif font. Whatever you use, we can convert it to a serif font when we typeset your book. And, if you use different fonts here and there for any reason, that's no problem.

Size 10 is likely what you will use in your book. We have used size 12, which is considered by some to be a bit large. We used it because certain history books we did were expected to be popular among the elderly. They appreciate the slightly larger, easy-to-read text, and we used it on several projects, creating an audience who readily purchased subsequent books from us. It did increase the number of pages in some books, but by only a small amount.

No. We will do that for you. You can provide the pertinent information on your Contents page, but it doesn't have to be perfectly formatted. We will format it for you so that it looks exactly as you intend.

No. We will place headers and page numbers for you based on your specifications.

You can use original artwork created with Photoshop or Paintshop; photo scans produced by a good scanner (1200 dpi or higher); photographs that we can scan for you; and digital photos. All graphics should be created at 300 dpi (dots per inch) or higher. If you save a version of your photograph or graphic as a ".tiff" image (Tagged Image File Format), it will retain its quality during resizing and retouching. Other formats are good, but may lose a little quality each time they are opened and saved again. You can open your image in Paintshop or any other graphic software, and then save your image, using "save as" under File options. From the popup that appears, use the dropdown menu "Save As Type" to select ".tiff" from your options.

Try to supply us with an image that is the size you will want it to be in the final book. If the image you supply to us is the same size as it will be in the book, OR if it is LARGER than it will appear in the book, it can be prepared without any loss of quality. You will decide if a graphic or photo should be full-page, half-page, or any other size, unless you want us to decide that for you. If you are supplying us with photographs that we need to scan for you, we can create them in the size you'll need.

We can apply any shape to the photos you give us, but it is best if the image you supply is in the same format (round, square, rectangular) as it will appear in your book. Remember, if you give us a rectangular photo, and the image in your book will be square, some of that image will be lost to cropping (trimming) to satisfy your specifications.

They should be named and numbered to match your list of captions. It is best to put the graphics for each chapter in a separate folder on your disk to avoid any mistakes. We can take them from your disk and place them in the document to your specifications.

You can use a separate word-processing document (or a spreadsheet document, like Excel) to number and list your captions. When we place your graphics within the text, we will use your document as a guide to place the captions with the matching graphic. You should include directions as to which page each graphic should appear on (or near which text) so that we can follow your plan. If you just want certain photos scattered throughout a certain chapter, tell us in your instructions and we will do it. Or, if you actually have the entire layout of your book planned, supplying us with a hard copy, will allow us to follow your plan precisely.

You have a couple of options. You can decide exactly what you want, and we can produce it. Or, you can choose for us to create your covers as part of the package you purchase.

Certain general guidelines apply to each of your three covers; the front, the back, and the spine. For the front cover, the components are pretty simple. You'll have the title (and subtitle, if any), your name, and whatever graphic (if any) that you decide on. The spine is also very simple. Normally, your last name will appear at the top, the title will appear in the middle, and the printer or publisher will appear at the bottom. The back cover has the greatest number of variables. The basics will appear at the bottom; the barcode, the printer or publisher, and possibly the cover designer. The bulk of the page allows for some creativity on your part, or on our part if you’ve opted for us to create your covers. You can use one or more smaller images; a crisp, enticing blurb to draw in the reader; some brief, eye-catching excerpts from the book; or a photo and description of the author and other works available.

Here's a simple idea to consider when you decide on cover features and on the inside appearance of your book. Pull books off of your shelf, or from store and library shelves, and see what others have done. Just pick what you like, and we can produce it. That is what many people do to decide how different parts of their book will appear. They just go shopping in other books to see what everyone else has done.

That's your choice. If you have a photograph that will fill the entire cover, or will span the full width of the book, then that involves "bleed," which means your photo or graphic will go to the very edge of the cover. What that also means to you is that your photograph has to be one-fourth to one-half inch longer and wider than the final cover. That will allow the printer to trim the cover to the correct size without leaving any white edges. We can superimpose the title, your name, and just about anything else on the full-cover image. Look at these two sample covers (non-bleed and bleed). We chose to have a quarter-inch of white edge on the non-bleed cover. The other cover photograph bleeds, meaning the image extends to the very edge of the book.

Yes. The less work your manuscript needs, the less time it will take to prepare your book. So, if your manuscript is completely edited and proofread, you're already in good shape. We do consider copy-editing an ongoing process, so we are always on the alert for corrections needed in grammar, spelling, and usage. As we work on your book, we will report anything that we find, and we can fix it for you. However, for us to be RESPONSIBLE for catching those types of errors, you would have to purchase one of our copy-editing services. Generally, the cost can be calculated at 1.5 to 3 cents per word. Your word-processing software (like Microsoft Word) has a word-count option under TOOLS, and you can use that to estimate the cost.

When you feel you're finished editing, you'll want to proofread the entire manuscript again. It's all part of the push to make your project as error-free as possible. Again, we offer a proofreading service at additional cost. It is just too difficult to include editing and proofreading as part of a priced package, since those two items will vary widely, based on the quality of the manuscript and the capabilities of the writer.

Almost universally, it is recommended that an author NOT try to edit and proofread his or her own work. We will not suggest that it is impossible, but honesty is important, so we will tell you this. We have edited and proofread our own works to save money, and it is VERY difficult to do it well. It saved money, but it took lots of time to get it right. I personally had to read my own book several times within one week in order to eliminate most errors. Part of the problem is that you become so familiar with your work, you already know which words are coming, and your anticipation causes you to miss things that seem very obvious later when someone else points them out.

We are sticklers for correct grammar, punctuation, and usage. If those are weaknesses of yours, prepare to be pestered about getting it right so that your final book is as error-free as we can make it.