HOW IT WORKS - OUR PROCESS

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People are curious and we like to satisfy their curiosity. There’s probably too much information here and most of it, you definitely don’t need.... But hey, you asked.

Generally the process follows this outline:

1. Decide the sort of book it will be. → 2. Submit your manuscript → 3. We design your interior and covers. → 4. You review / approve. → 5. We market / print your book.

Here’s a more detailed breakdown:

DECISIONS & RESEARCH

You’ll need to decide a couple of things before we begin:

A. If you want a print-book or e-book or both:

    For print books, we'll need to know the 'type' of book you want (e.g.: hardcover / softcover. black&white) and its size (5” by 7”, 6” by 9”, etc.)

B. Whether you want to put your book into distribution or sell it privately.

C. If you want editing and/or design services.

D. If you’re putting the title into distribution, then the retail price of the book (for UPC bar and catalog filings)

Now, you’re ready to go:

SUBMISSION & SIGN-UP

1.1 Sign-up and submit your manuscript to us in Microsoft Word, text, Open Office, epub or mobi format. We’ll do the rest.

1.2 Decide whether your manscript would benefit from editing services. If Yes, go to step 2 - Editing. If not, we proceed to step 3 - Book Interior Design.

Editing and Design follow a basic process:

EDITING.

Have you opted for editing services? If so read below, otherwise proceed to Step 3= Book INTERIOR DESIGN.

2.1 Editing - We perform edits. A revision document with marked edits as well as a clean document with committed edits is returned to you for approval.

2.2 Discussions and Review - Edits approved? If yes, proceed to 2.3 otherwise repeat 2.1 as necessary.

2.3 Approval & Sign-off - Once you approve the edits, we “freeze on content” - every comma, period and edit has been approved and everyone is delighted with the work. We are able to proceed.

Next to editing, the design of your book cover is next most critical aspect of your self-publishing project.

BOOK INTERIOR DESIGN

Tell us the sort of book you want and we do the rest!

3.1. Physical Design -You specify the type (e.g.: hardcover / softcover) and size (5” by 7”, 6” by 9”, etc.) and we design the interior of the book:

3.2 Specifications -We add copyright statement page and CIP data pages for later inclusion if necessary.

3.3. Discussions and Review -Finalized galleys are submitted to author / publisher for review. If approved, proceed to 3.4 otherwise repeat 3.1-3.2 as necessary.

3.4 Approval & Sign-off -Once you approve the design, we “freeze” on layout - the book pages are ready to go to print.

BOOK COVER DESIGN

Determine whether you want us to design your cover for you or whether you will be supplying the finished cover.

4.1. Artwork Submission - Submit any artwork you would like included in your cover. Otherwise, we can generate it from your ideas.

4.2 Biographical & Bibliographical Information - Submit your author photo, bio statement and book description (for the back copy). We will help.

4.3 Cover Art Work Generation -We design/finalize the cover, including UPC bar code placement, ISBN and pricing information, and backcopy. Book widths are calculated and the spine is designed.

4.4 Discussions and Review -Design approved? If yes, proceed to 4.5 otherwise repeat 4.1-4.3 as necessary.

4.5 Approval & Sign-off - Once you approve the desgin, we “freeze on cover”. We are able to proceed.

REGISTRATION & FILINGS

If you intend to market it your book and have it distributed by retailers, then an ISBN along with a scanner-readable UPC code (for cash registering and inventory controls) will be absolutely necessary. And now that we’ve designed the book, we know page count, dimensions and weight and any other pertinent catalog information. Here’s what we will do:

5.1 ISBN & COPYRIGHT - International ISBN rights-protected and copyright filings with relevant authorities in your name.

5.2 Bar Code Generation - Professional EAN ISBN-13 UPC bar code generation for later inclusion in cover.

5.3 CIP Data filing. Cataloging-In-Publication data with national libraries.

5.4. ONIX Data Creation - ONIX data for marketing and distribution broadcast.

Your print book / e-book is now ready. You can place orders for your book yourself whenever you like and for however many you like. You pay only the printing and shipping costs.

Did you opt for marketing and distribution services? If so, your title will be available for ordering at most retailers and chains. This is how it works:

Marketing & Distribution

6.1 Distribution - Print Books - Your title will be placed in cataloging with all the major book distributors both sides of the Atlantic. (See our website for a full list). This means your book will be available for ordering at bookstores and on-line sites everywhere. You can also ‘push’ physical inventory to retail bookstores should you choose to promote more agressively in certain areas/cities. (See our Marketing & Promotion Services)

6.2 Distribution - E-Books - Your book will be listed in those sales channels you have opted for (e.g.: KOBO, Kindle, NOOK, etc.) Your book will be specially formatted and designed for the devices and file standards proprietary to the sales channels selected.

6.3 Order Fulfillment - Customers will be able to buy your book in a number of ways. How this book sale is effected determines how much you get paid, Customers will be able to buy the book at a (1) bookstore, (2) online bookstore (3) from you or your representative(s). How all this is done is entirely up to you,. You will have to extend a discount to the bookstores. You determine the discount you wish to extend. We take a 15% service charge. In all cases, you keep 85% of the profits. The general formula for author return is as follows: (Retail Price) - (Print Cost) - (15% of Retail Price) - (Retailer Discount if any). For example, let’s say you are selling your book in print for $24.99 and an e-book version for $.4.99; that printing cost for your book is $4.50 and  that you extend a 35% discount to bookstores retailers and a 20% discount to online distributors. Your return on each book sale would be :

(1) Bookstore sale

Return on Print Book : $24.99 - $4.50- 35% (24.99) - 15%(24..99) = $8.00

(2) Online Distributor Sale

Return on Print Book: $24.99 - $4.50- 20% (24.99) - 15%(24..99) = $11.75

Return on E-book: $4.99 - 20% (4.99) - 15%(4..99) = $3.24

(3) Direct Sale

Return on Print Book: $24.99 - $4.50 - 15%(24..99) = $16.74

Return on E-book: $4.99 - 15%(4..99) = $4.24

TIMELINE - These timelines are estimates as every book is unique and time spent varies greatly depending on services opted for, as in for instance, editing. Size of bars are not intended to reflect duration.