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Self-Publishing
Your Poetry Book
The
information on this page is designed for those who are self-publishing
their poetry book. We have summarized the process into 5 simple steps
complete with how to submit your file and general information on
pricing. If you have any questions and would like to speak directly
with one of our customer service representatives, please click
here.
Table
Of Contents - Self-Publishing Your Poetry Book
First
Step – Writing Your
Poetry
Book
Given
the chance, most people who have undertaken the task of writing their
poetry book will quite often say that computer software posed the biggest
challenge to them. This is why at the outset, we recommend using
software that you are familiar with. Take time to familiarize yourself
with basic keyboard functions and toolbar commands.
Do not use 2 or more varieties of
software to produce your manuscript. Choose one type of software and
stick with it. If the software you have originally chosen is causing
problems, we would suggest copying the files to a Microsoft Word
document. While Microsoft Word is not a perfect software, we have
found it to be among the most stable.
Use
a single computer. Using 2 or more computers or a variety of software
can cause a number of problems with your file, the most serious being
text-re-flow. Text Re-flow is the repositioning of text on the page.
For example, if the word “afternoon” appears as the first word on
a page on your computer, that same word may end up on the last line of
the previous page when we print the proof of your poetry book. This
problem is not insurmountable but in most cases is avoidable. Using
a single software on a single computer will minimize the risk of
developing problems like this later on.
Software
We
have listed a variety of the most common software used to create a
poetry book. We have rated each type of software according to its
performance.
| SOFTWARE |
COMMENTS |
RATING |
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Microsoft
Word
|
(Most
common) (90%)
|
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Microsoft
Works
|
(Similar
to Word - Not as stable with large file sizes)
|
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Microsoft
Publisher
|
(Serious
text re-flowing problems - Very Unstable - Many
service providers will not accept Publisher files)
|
|
Adobe
PageMaker
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(Large
learning curve - Problems in transferring files
Seldom used)
|
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Adobe
InDesign & Quark Express
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(Large
learning curve - The best, but also the most expensive)
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Corel
WordPerfect
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(Possibly
the most user friendly but not compatible with commercial
printing presses ) |
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Unfortunately for users of Corel WordPerfect, font restrictions built
into the software make it very difficult to print the file on our
large commercial presses. We would strongly recommend copying the file
into Microsoft Word before proceeding.
If
you are interested in purchasing software to write your poetry book, we
would suggest you search online at ebay.
Second
Step – Editing Your Manuscript
Editing
is a term which simply means To
prepare (written material) for publication, as by correcting,
revising, or adapting. We
would strongly advise having your file edited before you submit your
manuscript to be produced. This is to avoid delays in printing due to
last minute corrections and the added cost of printing several proofs.
First, as a cost saving measure, we would suggest a friend or family
member who is qualified do the editing. Another option is to hire a
student from a local community college or University to do the
editing. A third option is to hire a professional editor. Although we
do not provide an editing service, we would be pleased to recommend a
qualified editor.
As the author, you should never do the final edit. If there are
mistakes you probably won’t catch your own mistakes, no matter how
many times you read through the manuscript.
Third
Step –Choose
A Binding Style and Page Dimensions For Your Poetry Book
The
most common page size for a poetry book is the standard 5 ½” x 8 ½”
format. Other page sizes may be used, but they are not as common or
economical as the 5 ½” x 8 ½” format.
The two most
common binding styles for poetry books are hardcover and paperback binding.
Hardcover
Our standard hardcover book
comes with a full color dust jacket while the standard paperback comes
with a glossy full color cover. As a rule, the cost of producing
hardcover books is approximately twice that of paperback books. Having
said that, the price at which your book would retail in the bookstore
is roughly twice that of a paperback. The advantage to producing your
poetry book in hardcover is the low minimum order of only 50 copies. This
minimum order means cheaper production costs and allows you the
opportunity to test market your book and assess its potential.
Paperback
We produce only the highest quality paperback books using state
of the art printing and binding equipment.
The minimum order for our paperback books is 200 copies. The advantage to producing your poetry book as a paperback is the
lower per book price.
Fourth Step –
Page Layout
The
information found in this step is designed for those who wish to
produce their own page layout. For complete information on having our
professionals create your layout click here.
Page layout is a term which refers to the way in which text and images
are situated on a page. The layout of your manuscript should be adjusted
to look exactly the way you want to see it in print. Quite often people
will look at previously bound books for their ideas. Sample
books are very helpful for showing how to set headers, position page
numbers, set margin width, or choose a font style. In
order for your book to have a professional look and feel, there are four
basic principles to follow.
Contrast
In
order for your page layout to be visually appealing and to keep the
readers interest, you should have contrast on your pages. Use a
contrasting type for headings, keeping the headings very different from
the body type. Don't go overboard, use one type for the body copy and a
different one for the headings. Consider a newspaper and how the
headings are larger and bolder.
Alignment
Choose
one justification and stick to it. Center justification is commonly
used for poetry books. Left justification will
give a more conservative professional look. Full justification
within the layout will give your pages a clean orderly look. With
full justification, your headings could be either left, right, or
centered on the page.
Repetition
Create a sense of
unity to your book by adding a few visual elements that you like,
and then repeat them throughout. Look through some of your favorite
books to see what they have used on their pages, you may get some
inspiration. Perhaps a decorative ornament under the heading of each
chapter, or a decorative drop cap to start each chapter might give your
book a special look.
Proximity
Organize your type
properly by grouping things together that relate to each other.
Compare these two examples:
John
Smith,
Page Layout & Design
204-944-1000
John
Smith,
Page Layout & Design
204-944-1000
The
second example is more appealing because of its organization and
contrast.
Margins,
Header/Footers
When
setting the margins for your pages, it is important to not set them less
than ¾” to ensure that proper space between the printing and the edge
of the page remains at the binding edge. We recommend that when choosing
a margin setting for your page layout, you should allow 1/8” extra for
the binding edge. For example, if you have selected a margin setting of
¾” for the top, bottom, and right hand side of the page, the left
hand, or binding edge should be set at 7/8”. This makes the text
appear balanced on the page when the book is bound. Microsoft Word uses
a measurement which is referred to as a gutter.
When using the gutter,
margins should all be set at ¾" with a gutter measurement of
.2". Care should also be taken when placing information in the
headers or footers, such as chapter heading or page numbers, that
sufficient room remains between the edge of the print and the edge of
the page. A header/footer measurement of ½” is a common setting for a
standard page layout.
Microsoft Word
Tutorials
Create
Different Headers for Odd and Even Pages
Delete
a single Header
Setting
Type
When
typing your manuscript, forget everything you learned in typing class.
Computers have come a long way from the typewriter, and the rules for
professional page layout are different. Here are just some basic layout
rules.
Only use one space after periods.
Indent paragraphs one em space. This is equal to approximately two
spaces.
Choose either a double space between paragraphs, or an indent. Do not
use both.
If you are choosing to indent your paragraphs, you need not indent the
first one of each
chapter.
Watch for hyphenated words at the end of each line. If there are
too many, you may want
to adjust your kerning.
Fonts
Choosing
font styles for your poetry book is very important for both the appearance and
for transferring files for printing. The most common fonts used for
books are the Oldstyle fonts, as they are easily readable for large body
copy. Among the most common are Times Roman, Goudy, Garamond, and
Baskerville. Remember to choose a contrasting font for your
headings. A sans serif font such as Arial is a common choice. A sans
serif font is one without the "hooks" at the ends of each
letter. These "hooks" help to guide the eye from one letter to
another making the text easily readable. This is why sans serif fonts
such as Arial should never be used for the main body of the text.
Children's books are commonly set in a slab serif font, because of their
clean straight lines. Some common Slab serif fonts are New Century
Schoolbook, Classic SSK, and Clarendon.
Oldstyle
Slab Serif Arial
In regard to printing, it is
important to ensure that all fonts being used are resident in your
Windows font folder. This includes both bold and italicized versions of
each font. Simply using the bold or italicize commands on the toolbar
may not necessarily ensure the font is available. For example, Microsoft
Word will manufacture its own version of a font if it is not already
installed on your computer. If this is done, the bold font will appear
to be two images side by side when printed on a high quality digital
press. The italicized versions may not print at all. The simple solution
to font problems is to avoid unusual fonts such as Wing Dings and
Symbol, and stay with more common book fonts such as Times New Roman and Garamond.
Copyright,
ISBN
Copyright,
ISBN, CIP, and Library of Congress information should be placed on the
page directly after the title page. This page is commonly known as the
copyright page. If you have decided to produce your own page layout, we
will check to make sure all the necessary information is included on the
copyright page. For more information on copyright / ISBN and CIP applications
click here.
Page
Numbers/Chapter Headings
The title page and chapter
heading pages should always be placed on a right hand page. It may be
necessary to leave a left hand page blank in order to start a chapter as
a right hand page. Inserting a section break at the end of each chapter
will automatically force the following chapter to begin in the proper
right hand position.
When numbering the pages
in your book, you should also keep in mind that right hand pages are
always odd number pages while left hand pages are even numbers. It is
also common to number the pages preceding the first chapter with roman
numerals.
Scanning
If
you are planning to add photographs to your poetry book,
they must first be scanned. For those who prefer not to scan their own
photographs, we offer a complete scanning service which includes photo
touch-up and adjustment for overexposed or underexposed images. For more
information on our scanning service click
here.
There are many brands of scanners available on the market. Even the most
inexpensive scanner will be able to produce the high quality images
needed for printing.
For
best results, photos should be scanned as 300 DPI TIFF or JPEG files.
Some
scanners automatically default to 72 DPI between uses so be careful.
Photos scanned and printed at 72 DPI would not be considered
acceptable for printing.
Higher
resolution is not necessarily better. A resolution over 300 DPI will
only increase your file size (sometimes dramatically) and cause your
computer to run more slowly.
Fifth
Step - Cover Design
As
with all books produced with us, we will provide you with a professional
cover design at no additional cost. Our designers invite your input in
the process and will work closely with you to create an outstanding
design for your poetry book. For complete information on our cover design
process,
click here.
Pricing
The
most common question we receive is regarding the price of our various
services. The cost of our more common services is as follows:
Manuscript Typing
$1.50 per page.
Page Layout (Typesetting)
$1.50 - $1.95 per page.
Photograph Scanning
$3.50 ea.
The
cost of producing your poetry book is dependant on several variables. Please
click
here to request a
quotation online or call us toll free at 1-866-944-2999 for an immediate
quotation.
Submitting
Your File For Printing
As
a rule, files can usually be saved on a 3.5” floppy disk or sent by
email. Files which exceed 5 megabytes in size should be burned onto a CD
or uploaded to our FTP site. FTP stands for File Transfer Protocol, and
it is an excellent way to send large files quickly and easily. Please
contact us for instructions on how to upload your file to our FTP site.
All books are kept on file and can be reprinted in
2 weeks.
For
information on sending your manuscript for self-publishing, please call us
toll free at
1-866-944-2999 to speak to a customer service
representative.
Self-Publishing
Poetry
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