Publishing Your Manuscript
Remember! There's A Publisher in You're Own
Back Yard.E-Mail us with information about your manuscript. We will work with you to see it Published.
Everything You Need to Know About
Publishing
Your
Manuscript
With
Back Yard Publisher
(A Publisher In Your Own Back Yard)
Back Yard Publisher
5659 SE. Ault Avenue
Stuart, FL 34997-6403
If you would rather have a
hard copy of the above guide
with many more details
then this page order it on line.
Voice: 352/795-0844
Fax: 352/795-0813
e-mail wwensel@backyardpublisher.com
www.backyardpublisher.com
© 2001 W. Wensel
All rights reserved
Table of Contents
| Title Page Dedication Preface Table of Contents Chapter Headings Publishing Methods Conventional Publishing Vanity Publishing E-Books (Electronic Books) PQN (Print Quantity Needed POD (Print On Demand) Self Publishing Book Design Size of Book ( Pages) Size of Book (Physical) Paper Type Setting Formatting and Printing Printing Methods Letter Press Gravure |
Stenciling Lithography Computer Printing Type Justification v/s Ragged Right Type Selection Printers Terminology Computer Printers Page Layout Camera Ready Art Pictures Page Computer Scanners and Printers Covers Cover Design Layout With Bleeds Layout of the Spine Binding Submitting Material and Special Services Special Services title Page |
Copyright and ISBN Final Printing and Promotion Promotion and Marketing Estimating Your Selling Price Where the Money Goes Author Purchases Book Internet Sales Page 42 Distributor and Book Store Sales No matter how the book is sold remember! The Author has to do the selling! Nobody else Does! Authors Costs Page Count Price per Page Author Services |
Title Page
The title page is the first page of information
it contains all of the publishing information
about your book. It will contain:
Title of book
Copyright information
ISBN Number
Edition Number
Rights
Publisher information
Library of Congress information
Where it can be purchased
Price of book
Dedication
If you wish to have a dedication it can be
placed on the first right hand page after
the Title Page.
Preface
The Preface is placed on the third right
hand page of the book. It is usually a short
synopsis of the book. This is where your
best pitch for buying the book is placed
over the cover pitch.
Table of Contents
A Table of contents is normally used in a
nonfiction book. It is normally not used
in a book of fiction; however, chapter titles
are sometimes used in fiction books. The
table of contents should always start on
a right hand page.
Note: Many times it is easier to generate
the table of contents after the last page
of the book rather then at its normal position
in the front of the book. Generating it in
the front of the book will normally change
the page count and make it incorrect.
We normally save all front matter in a separate
file and start the page count with Chapter
I, Page I.
Leave about 6 spaces of white space above
the heading when starting a chapter.
Chapter Headings
Chapters always start on a Right Hand (Odd
Number) page. There is no reason for this
other then TRADITION. If the start of your
chapter falls on a left hand page simply
add a blank page to insure the chapter is
starting on the right hand page.
Publishing Methods
Conventional Publishing
Author writes manuscript and quires Agent
Agent accepts writers manuscript
Agent sells manuscript to Publisher
Publisher sends author bundles of money and
sends author on whirlwind book signing tour.
Unit Cost $1.50-$3.00 per book
Author gets royalties of 6% to 10% on the
selling price of the book. Author pays agent
10%-15% out of his earnings.
PROS:
Author does nothing but bank money and enjoys
the fruits of his labor.
Everyone involved makes a fortune.
Cons:
The above scenario happens less often then
the chances of winning the lottery.
You better have a thick skin to accept the
normal amount of rejections. (60-70 is not
unusual)
The time frame from completed manuscript
to banking money is a minimum of 18 months
to several years.
Once you sign a contract with a publisher
you lose control over the project. The publisher
can change the name of the book and the cover
design. At this point it is pretty much his
book. Not Yours.
Vanity Publishing
Author hires a printer and binder to produce
a book.
Pros
The book is done the way you want it done.
Time frame is very short.
Cost per book is minimal with large press
runs.
Used when a large number of sales are anticipated.
Cons:
Large up front costs. (Can be as high as
$15,000.00)
Large amount of books to store. (3,000 is
normal)
No distribution.
Vanity publishing has a bad name. Most reviewers
will not review books by vanity publishers.
E-Books (Electronic Books)
E-books are electronic books. They are a
program on the publishers computer. They
are to be downloaded to the new book readers
and read on the electronic book readers.
There is no book on paper unless you print
it on your computer and printer.
Pros:
A book can be placed in the system on a moments
notice.
Books are very cheap. (Usually from $5.00-
$9.00)
Books never go out of print.
Author retains control.
Large royalties. (20% to 50%)
Cons:
E-books have not caught on. Subsequently
there are very few sales.
There are a lot of sites selling e-books
so there is a lot of competition.
Author has nothing to hand to a potential
buyer. It is very difficult to sell a virtual
product. (You can't sell from an empty cart.)
PQN (Print Quantity Needed)
Print Quantity Needed is one of the new publishing
methods. It is used when the volume to be
printed is between 250 and 500 copies. This
is a digital publishing system similar to
print on demand.
POD (Print On Demand)
Print On Demand is the publication system
used by Back Yard Publisher. We have a high
speed laser printer which prints on both
sides of the page (duplex) at 17 pages per
minute. A book of 200 pages can be printed
in about seven minutes. Four color covers
are printed on either a large ink jet printer
or a large laser printer.
Binding is done on a hot melt glue binder
which makes a perfect bound book. (This is
called a Quality Trade Paperback.)
Pros:
Small quantities can be produced as needed.
No large inventory to maintain.
Author controls all aspects of the book.
No long lead times. Once a book is formatted
a single copy can be delivered in a short
time.
Larger profits for author.
Lower shipping costs. Many times author can
pick up finished books with no shipping costs.
Cons:
Per book costs are higher due to intensive
labor and printer toner costs.
Laser published books are printed and bound
one book at a time and will not attain the
high quality standards of expensive printing
presses and binding machines. (You determine
if the quality meets your standards prior
to publication.)
Author is responsible for contents, editing
and formatting. Publisher does none of the
above.
Self Publishing
Why would anyone want to self publish? Some
of the reasons for self publishing are:
. Author must promote book. No matter who
publishes the book.
. Local advantage. Books about local and
regional topics can be published and sold
profitably.
. Author has 100% control over the finished
book.
. Author has sole ownership over every aspect
of the book.
. The book can be published while the material
is current. There are no Agent or Publishers
18 month to 10 year delays.
. Special interest books can be published
as small quantities, to fill a niche, can
be done economically.
. Family books can be produced. The book
does not have to turn a profit.
. A larger profit can be obtained from fewer
copies.
. No agent or publisher will even read your
manuscript.
. Possible tax breaks.
. The author is in better bargaining position
if the book takes off
. There may be no other way to ever see the
book in print.
Book Design
Size of Book ( Pages)
Most books are between 150 and 200 pages
although there is nothing sacred in this
size except that the buying public thinks
a book of this size and subsequent price
is a good buy. Keep in mind the larger the
book the more it must sell for. Smaller books
can sell for less money, but they are more
costly to make thus, less profitable for
the author. It is also difficult to perfect
bind less then 50 pages and the printing
on the spine becomes so small it is unreadable.
Size of Book (Physical)
Economically, the physical size of the book
is controlled by the availability of paper
sizes and the method of printing. For all
intents and purposes most books done by POD
publishers are of two sizes, namely 5 ½ "
x 8 ½" or 8 1/2" x 11". The
larger size is a full sheet of common typing,
computer printer or copier paper. The smaller
size is the same size paper folded in half.
A slightly larger size book can be made if
a sheet of legal paper is used. This will
then make a book which is
11" x 14" when a full sized page
is used or 7" x 11" when a half
sheet is used.
Another factor which controls the size of
the finished book are the printing presses
that the book is printed on. Small presses
print on a sheet of paper that is 11 inches
by 17 inches, were as larger presses print
on a larger sheet of paper where the most
economical size of the book is six inches
by nine inches. This is the reason most hardcover
books are of the larger size.
Special sizes of books can be constructed,
however; it must be remembered that an unusual
size of the paper will require excess trimming
resulting in excess waste which will be added
to the costs of the book.
Paper
The standard for paper for printing books
is 60# offset. In office supply terms this
is called Premium Copy Paper. This weight
of paper is opaque enough to prevent bleed
through, has a nice hefty feel and in general
makes a good looking book.
Paper color or brightness is also a factor
in purchasing paper. The higher the number
the whiter the paper, for example a #94 paper
is whiter then a #84.
There are several points to consider when
selecting paper besides the thickness and
the color of the paper.
1. A bright white paper is more difficult
to read then an off white paper. Actually
a slightly cream colored paper is the easiest
to read.
2. The brighter the paper the smoother the
surface which adds to the reading problems.
3. If pictures are to be used a smoother,
whiter paper must be used to increase the
snap of the photos. More will be said about
this when we talk about pictures.
4. The whiter and smoother the paper the
more expensive it is.
5. Unless there is a special reason a colored
paper is never used for a book.
Type Setting Formatting and Printing
Printing Methods
To understand the printing today we must
understand the various methods of getting
ink on paper and how they have evolved over
the years.
Letter Press
Letter press printing is the original method
of transferring ink to paper which was the
predominant method of printing until the
last thirty to fifty years. In this method
ink is rolled on the face of the type, then
a piece of paper is pressed into the wet
ink and transferred to the paper. Obviously
the method worked very well, although the
pressure necessary to transfer the ink to
the paper created many problems by smashing
the soft lead type and making it useless.
Letter press is seldom used today.
Gravure
In gravure printing the letters are etched
into a plate (usually Copper), then ink is
forced into the letters, scraped from the
area around the letters and paper is forced
onto the ink at extremely high pressure.
The ink is then transferred to the paper.
This is what the song "In Your Easter
Bonnet" is all about. The presses were
very large and ran at a very high speed.
It was the first really successful method
of printing color. Gravure can still be used
for some high quality slick surface magazines
where large print runs are used.
Stenciling
The major use of stenciling today is in the
silk screening of almost anything such as
T-shirts and coffee cups. In this process
the pattern is transferred to a silk (Rayon
Today) screen which leaves holes in the pattern
where the ink is to be applied to the paper.
The paper is placed under the screen and
a squeegee is used to force the ink onto
the paper. One screen must be cut for each
color in the design. In the past the chief
use of the silk screen process was the mimeograph
machine.
Lithography
Lithography means "Stone Writing."
This printing is based upon the fact that
water and oil do not mix. In the olden days
this was exactly how the printing was done.
A piece of limestone was smoothed and the
information drawn on it with a greasy pencil.
The stone was first coated with water and
then ink. The ink stuck to the greasy drawing
and not to the wet stone. A piece of paper
was then pressed onto the stone and the inked
image transferred to the paper.
Modern Lithography relies on the same principle.
Only the method of applying the ink and the
water have changed in our modern printing
presses. This is the method of choice for
almost all large scale printing done today.
Computer Printing
Computers and computer printers are rapidly
becoming the printing method of choice for
the small POD and PQN publishers. High speed
(17 pages per minute and up) and duplex (printed
on both sides) laser printers have become
the standard for rapidly producing small
quantities of books at a reasonable price.
Both laser and ink jet printers are used
to produce four color covers of high quality.
Type
Johannes Gutenberg invented movable type
in 1440 and every since that time there has
been a struggle between topographers, the
people who design the type and the printers
or use it.
Typographers have been concerned with how
the type appeared on the page and how easily
it could be read. In their effort to make
it more readable they designed special features
called Ligatures. For instance some of the
common ligatures are ff, fl and ae.
They also use a technique for adjusting the
spacing between letters called kerning. In
normal typesetting, kerning is seldom used
as the algorithms used by the word processing
programs is adequate to properly adjust the
letters on the page. It is used, very often,
when designing headlines or titles for books.
Many times the title just doesn't look right,
usually there is a gap between two letters.
This is where manual kerning can be used
to move the letters closer together and improve
the visual appearance.
Justification v/s Ragged Right
Printers, on the other hand, have had to
deal with a different set of problems, one
of the biggest was the smashing and destruction
of their precious type. This was especially
true when one line of type extended beyond
the normal ends of the rows of type. To prevent
this destruction of the type the printer
simply put some of the spacing he would normally
have at the end of the lines between the
words (called word spacing) or between the
letters (called letter spacing) thus, solving
his problem. When this happened we then had
a justified page.
This is the only reason there ever was a
justified page; however, over the years the
reading public has been taught that this
is the way a professional book should be
printed even though recent studies have shown
that ragged right is easier to read.
In a recent unofficial survey of the best
sellers in a local book store it was observed
that some of the best sellers are still justified
where others are not. Even the newspapers
have some columns that are justified and
some that are not. Justification or ragged
right are your choice. There is no apparent
standard today.
If you are going to fully justify your type
be sure to turn hyphenation on.
Type Selection
Many books have been written on the use of
type so it will not be discussed here. The
important things one should know about type
is that there are two basic styles of type.
One is known as serif; the other as san-serif.
A serif type is the style used throughout
this book. The small lines under the letters,
slashes on the "S" etc. are the
serifs. There were probably added to the
basic letter style by the typographer to
prevent smashing the type in the days of
letter press printing.
San-serif (without serif) type is the standard
for reading on computer screens. The original
screens did not have the resolution of our
current screens and as such could not duplicate
the fine serifs, thus a san-serif type was
easier to read.
As a general rule, stick to the serif type
for book work. The only font (style of type)
that is on all computers is "Times New
Roman." There is no standard san-serif
font standard for all computers.
Arial is normally the font of choice for
IBM compatible, and Helvetica is the san-serif
font of choice for the Apple compatible.
Use the san-serif fonts for titles and headings.
Use the decorative fonts sparingly for accent
and decoration.
Printers Terminology
Over the centuries printers have developed
a measuring system of their own. Two of these
are the point and the pica.
One point is equal to 1/72 of and inch and
a pica is equal to 12 points; therefore,
the old pica type of yesteryears typewriters
is equal to 12 point type on today's computer.
There a 6 picas to the inch for whatever
value that is to someone who is not a printer.
Printers also like to use terms such as 12
point type on an 18 point body or 12 point
type leaded 6 points. All this is simply
equal to 1 ½ line spacing on the computer.
As a general rule if you want to have a book
that is easy to read use 12 pt. type with
1 ½ line spacing. Smaller type with less
spacing will make a smaller book that will
be harder to read and more then 1 ½ line
spacing does not significantly improve the
readability.
As a side note the "Courier" type
face is also available on most computers.
It is the old monotype that was used on typewriters.
In this font every letter has the same space.
An I occupies the same space as a W. It is
at best a difficult type face to read but,
when it was all we had it was better then
hand written.
Computer Printers
With only minor exception computer printers
come in two varieties laser and ink jet.
Both have their advantages and disadvantages.
Ink jets print by squirting small droplets
of ink onto the page. Their main use is in
printing checks as the ink migrates into
the paper and cannot be removed. Their main
drawback is that the type has fuzzy edges
that make it more difficult to read. They
print photos in a dithered pattern instead
of a halftone dot pattern. Dithered and halftone
patters will be discussed with pictures.
Laser printers print by applying a heat sensitive
toner to the page and then heating it to
make it adhere to the page. Laser printers
do not allow the toner to penetrate into
the paper, thus are venerable to reheating
the toner or scraping it from the face of
the document allowing for possible document
alteration such as on the face of a check.
Laser printers have very sharp edges to there
letters making them the printer of choice
for easy reading.
To see the difference look at each printers
output under a ten power magnifying glass
and the difference in print quality will
be amazing.
Page Layout
The 5 1/2" x 8 1/2" book margins
should be set at .75" for all sides.
The space between the two pages in the center
of the book is called the gutter. Normally
the gutter should be wider then the margin
to allow for easy reading without breaking
the spine of the book. Most word processing
programs allow for "binding offset."
When binding offset is used it moves the
type block away from the gutter an amount
equal to the selected binding offset. Unfortunately,
the programs do not change the size of the
type block to compensate for the offset therefore
the binding offset must be taken into account
when laying out the page. When a binding
offset of .25" is to be used it would
be better to set the left and right and margins
to one inch rather then the .75" inch
normally used. In this situation keep the
top and bottom margins at the .75" inch.
The value of .75" may seem large; however,
you must remember there will be a substantial
amount trimmed from the book after binding.
Allowance for trimming must be made during
this initial layout.
Without binding offset the type block would
be 4" inches wide and 7" high.
With a .25" binding offset the type
block is 3.75" wide and 7" high.
Similar margin allowances must be made for
books of different sizes.
Camera Ready Art
The term Camera Ready Art is a printing term
used in Offset Lithography. It means the
total page (Including type and Pictures)
are ready to make a full size negative that
can actually be burned into the printing
plate. Needless to say there is no room for
changes at this stage of the production.
In computer terminology this means the copy
is in computer language ready to send to
the high speed printers. There is no typesetting,
formatting or other adjustments possible
at this time.
Pictures
Photographs are called halftones in the printing
trade. This is because printing presses cannot
apply ink in any manner then solid black.
Conversely, if there is no ink applied the
paper is white. To allow for the shades of
gray in photographs the original photo must
be screened. The screening process converts
the photograph to its respective shades of
gray by making dots a size equal to the density
of the original photograph. If the original
photograph is black the dots are very large;
if the photograph is nearly white the dots
are very small. All shades of gray very in
dot size in between the black and white dots.
Look at printed photographs with a magnifier
to see the dot patterns.
Prior to the development of computers and
scanners all halftones were made in a large
camera called a process camera. In this camera
the original photograph is copied through
a halftone screen. It is the halftone screen
that makes the dot pattern. The resulting
negative is the actual size the picture will
be printed.
Halftone screens are available in various
Lines Per Inch. The lines per inch are the
actual lines that are etched into the screen
when it is manufactured. The more lines per
inch the finer the screen and the more shades
of gray the finished print will contain.
For course newspaper work a screen of 65
lines per inch can be used. For finer reproductions
screens of up to 133 lines per inch can be
used.
The selection of the screen must therefore
be associated with the quality of the finished
reproduction. Another consideration is the
quality of the paper. It is impossible to
run a 133 line screen on a rough surfaced
paper. To maintain the resolution of the
133 line screen you must run it on a coated
stock similar to the paper used in the slick
magazines which are so popular today. If
you are going to use a rough paper you must
use a courser screen.
Note: Do not write on the back of artwork,
including pictures. The writing instrument
can cause the writing to telegraph to the
front and be visible when reproduced. Write
on self adhesive notes and apply them to
the back of the print.
Computer Scanners and Printers
The world of conventional printing has been
turned topsy turvy with the advent of the
computer systems. No longer do we just have
lines per inch we now have dots per inch
or pixels per inch. There does not seem to
be a direct correlation between the various
measurements of the various computer systems.
Actually, there is little reason for concern
as most of the computer printers will only
print to it's installed standards. For the
most part you will only be able to print
at 300 dpi, 600 dpi or 1200 dpi on a laser
printer and at 360 dpi, 720 dpi or 1400 dpi
on an ink jet printer. The constraints of
the printer must be taken into account when
the artwork is being scanned.
Two factors to consider when scanning. First
the finished size of the artwork on the page.
Use the scanner to enlarge or reduce the
original art to the finished size in the
book. Do not think that if you make a large
sized scan that will be reduced in the finished
book that you will have a better picture.
It won't happen. All you are going to do
is have a larger file on your computer that
will go unused in your printer. Second, do
not use a higher resolution then your printer
can print, again it will only make a larger
computer file without any better picture.
The two types of printers commonly available
(Laser and Ink Jet) have different methods
of printing with different results. Laser
printers produce a halftone with a dot structure
similar to the original halftone screens.
They will produce a sharp image which can
be used for reproduction. Ink Jet printers
use a dithered output which is composed of
small dots of ink sprayed onto the page in
such a manner as to produce various shades
of gray. The difference can easily be observed
with a magnifying glass. Though ink jet pictures
look very good they do not reproduce well.
For high quality work a laser printer must
be used.
When color images are used four dots (Red,
Blue and Yellow as well as Black) must be
inserted into the same amount of space as
would normally be used for the black dots
alone, therefore, greater accuracy of dot
placement must be maintained. It is this
accuracy which makes presses and high quality
laser printers very expensive and the use
of color almost prohibitive on small production
runs.
Registration is a term used when running
color work. Many times the lack of registration
can be seen, especially when looking at the
newspaper. The unregistered color will look
like a ghost image as it is out of its proper
location on the printed page.
Covers
The cover of the book is the most important
selling point of the book. It must be attractive
and reflect the contents of the publication.
To understand what can and cannot be done
with covers we must understand paper and
papermaking. When paper is made fibers of
wood or cotton are mixed in solution with
a binder and then placed on a conveyer. Once
the mixture has solidified it is then sent
through a series of high pressure rollers
where it is compressed into a roll of paper.
The rolling process is called calendering
and makes the final surface texture of the
paper.
When a finer, harder surface, is desired
such as the glossy finish for the cover of
a book, the paper is then coated or filled
with a material such as clay to give it extra
weight and a harder surface. The paper is
then calendered to a higher level providing
the desired finish.
Cover stock is normally rated the same as
regular paper, only heavier. Normal cover
stock is 67 pound or 110 pound papers with
various colors and finishes giving different
results.
The clay filled coated stocks are rated according
to thickness rather then weight. One of the
more common cover stocks is Kromecoat. This
stock is rated as 10 point or 12 point stock.
Unfortunately, the point system used for
cover thickness is not the same point system
used by the printer. In this case the points
referred to a 1/1000 of an inch; therefore,
a 10 point stock is equal to .010 inches.
Curly covers are one of the modern problems when using coated stock. Paper, like the wood it is made from, has a tendency warp. The application of coating material to one side of the page seals that side of the page. With the other side of the page left un-coated, moisture enters the un-coated side causing it to expand; Thus, the curl. There is little recourse from this problem, other then not using coated stock.
Plastic laminating will also make a nice
shiny cover that will curl excessively. The
only solution is to laminate both sides of
the cover, thus balancing the cover and eliminating
the tendency to curl. Laminating both sides
of the cover is normally only feasible when
a comb type bind is to be used. The laminating
plastic will not stick to the perfect binding
glue.
Cover Design
The design of your cover can be accomplished
in one of three ways.
1. Back Yard Publisher will design a cover
which will require your approval. There is
no charge for this service.
2. You can design your own cover. Artwork
can be scanned and included at no additional
cost.
3. You can have a cover professionally designed.
Back Yard publisher will help you locate
a professional designer. All agreements and
fees are the responsibility of the author.
Most professional designers charge fees starting
at $100.00 and go up from there.
No matter who designs your cover it is recommended
that you spend some time at the web site
www.bookcovers.com They are professional
designers that have a world of information
concerning color, layout an a multitude of
other items to consider when designing a
cover. It will be well worth your time.
Note: White ink cannot be printed on colored
paper to get white lettering. You must print
on white paper to get white lettering or
artwork on your cover. If you print with
white ink on a red paper you will get a pink
letter rather then the white lettering.
Layout With Bleeds
Bleeding is the name given to artwork that
will extend to the edges of the cover and
have the edges trimmed so the art will not
have a border on the finished book. Or stated
another way the artwork will bleed off from
the page.
To insure the art will bleed off the page
it must be correctly formatted when designing
the cover. In most cases a 1/8" extra
art should be provided for the trim and insure
a good bleed.
If possible do not have artwork end at the
fold between the cover and the spine. A break
at this point is very difficult to control
during the manual binding process used in
POD printing. It is much better to have the
art stop short of the fold or to have it
extend past the fold 1/32" onto the
spine. The easiest and best layout is to
have the artwork completely cover the back
cover, thus eliminating the problem.
Layout of the Spine
The spine or the back of the book is possibly
the most difficult portion of the cover to
design. Both of the folds must be in the
correct position for the text on the spine
to be centered and correctly positioned.
To determine the width of a spine with 60#
paper multiply the number of pages (Include
ALL pages even blank pages) times .0023.
Work will be easier if you convert the final
answer to a fractional equivalent.
Binding
Saddle stitching is the recommended binding
for books smaller then 50 pages. This is
a folded book with staples through the gutter.
Thicker books up to 1/2" can be stapled
through the binding edge. This process requires
additional space in the gutter as a substantial
amount of space is used as the staples must
be inserted far enough to prevent breakout.
Plastic comb bindings are used for books
that are required to lay flat when open.
It is normally used for cook books and lab
type books. This is not considered a substantial
binding; however, it does have the advantage
of allowing for page replacement when necessary.
It is also reasonably fast and does not require
expensive machinery although the combs are
expensive. Allow an additional 3/8"
when designing a cover to use comb bindings.
The extra material will be used by the binding.
Perfect Binding is the choice for most soft
cover books. Books over 50 pages can have
the name of the book and the author printed
on the spine which allows for identification
when on the book shelf.
Hard cover binding is the standard for libraries.
It is expensive but strong. Hard cover binding
must be done on special machines which normally
sew the book, bind it and attach the cover.
Submitting Material and Special Services
Adobe PDF (Portable Data File) format is
rapidly becoming the preferred method for
submitting material. Once a file is converted
to PDF format it is virtually impossible
to change it during publication. In addition,
this format is available on both the Apple
and the IBM computer systems.
When the file is submitted in formats, other
than PDF, a printed version must be submitted
along with a computer version of the material.
The algorithms used by the computer printers
will make changes whenever a file is transferred
from one printer to another. This is not
a major problem, but requires the use of
the printed copy to be used as a standard.
If PDF is not available the file can be submitted
on 3 1/2" disk or CD using WordPerfect,
Microsoft Word or HTML. WordPerfect is the
preferred method of submission.
Special Services
Scanning and formatting. If your manuscript
was written on a typewriter it must be converted
to computer language using an Optical Scanning
Program. This is a special service listed
in the pricing section.
If you wish to use pictures and do not have
a scanner we can scan the pictures onto a
CD or into your manuscript.
Pages can be laminated on one or two sides
for books that receive excessive use such
as children's books. If laminating is to
be done it is recommended that both sides
of the page is laminated to prevent curling.
Laminated pages cannot be perfect bound as
the adhesive will not adhere to the plastic.
Full color printing can be done, but is not
recommended due to the costs involved in
the short run process. If color is necessary
it is suggested it be done at the local copy
shop and then inserted into the final publication.
In most cases two sided color printing on
the same sheet is not recommended. It is
better to print on two separate pages and
then glue them back to back.
Copyright and ISBN
According to the latest interpretation of
the copyright laws all material is copyrighted
at the time of it's inception. As soon as
you put the information on paper it is then
copyrighted in your name, for the rest of
your life plus 50 years.
To gain additional protection of your copyright
it can be registered with the Copyright Office
of The Library of Congress. The form (TX)
and information for filling it out is available
from the Copyright Office at:
http:www.loc.gov/copyright/forms. If you
prefer Back Yard Publisher will fill out
the forms and submit them to the Library
of Congress. All material is Copyrighted
in the name of the author. We can also code
and submit your material to the CIP (Cataloging
In Publication) Office of the Library Of
Congress for inclusion in their publications.
(See the price list for information) The
CIP data is used by libraries for cataloging
in the Dewy Decimal System. It can only be
submitted for books over 100 pages and there
are other requirements which must be met
for submission. For more information see
their web site at:
http:/pcn.loc.gov/pcn.
ISBN and bar codes are only required if you
wish to sell your books through any stores
which use a scanner and computer for sales
and control. ISBN numbers must be purchased
from:
R.R. Bowker
121 Chanlon Road
New Providence, New Jersey 07974
The price for a block of 10 numbers (The
minimum they sell) is $225.00.
Back Yard Publisher can supply you with the
ISBN, include your book in Books In Print
and provide the matching bar code. See the
price list for information. In addition to
the costs involved the author must provide
three copies of the finished book. Two of
which are sent to the Copyright Office and
one is sent to the CIP office.
Final Printing and Promotion
Back Yard Publisher will provide the author
with two copies of the final book. One copy
is to be corrected and returned to BYP. If
the corrections are minor they will be inserted
and final printing will take place. If the
corrections are major a second review by
the author will be made. Quantity printing
will not start until author returns a book
signed and noted OK to print.
This is where the book is set in stone. All
changes after this time will be made at the
authors expense. (See pricing information)
Promotion and Marketing
Publisher will include your book on their
secure web site which can accept credit cards
at: www.backyardpublisher.com, Your book
will also be available through Amazon.com,
Dust Books and through the distributor Baker
and Taylor. All other promotion must be done
by author.
It is highly recommended that the author
develop their own web page and join as many
author Web Rings as possible. It is a great
way to promote your book with little or no
cost. It is also advisable to place a mail
order page at the back of your book. Make
it easy for the customer to order extra copies.
Don't be hesitant about promoting your own
work. If you don't tell me you wrote a book
how am I to know you wrote one. Most authors
are hesitant at first then find it's a lot
of fun selling the product they have spent
so many hours creating. You will justifiably
stand taller when they come back and tell
you how much they enjoyed your book.
Estimating Your Selling Price
To estimate the book selling price base the
price on the number of pages in your final
book as follows:
Book printed on ½ standard 8 ½ x11 paper.
Finished book 5"x8" = $0.06 per
page
Book Printer on ½ sheet of 11" x 14"
Legal sized paper. Finished Book 6"
x 8" = $0.08 per page
Book printed on full 8 ½ x 11 Page. Finished
book 8" x 10 ½" = $0.15 per page
Note: Other sizes can be printed; however,
prices must be quoted individually due to
wasted paper.
Go to a book store and check other books
like yours. Make sure your price is in line
with other books of the same subject that
would be purchased by the same type of customer.
Example: A 200 page book printed on ½ page
of standard 8 ½'" x 11" paper.
(Most Common)
200 x .06 = $12.00 This is the retail selling
price of the book. Other prices are figured
from this price.
_______________________________________________
Where the Money Goes
The are several different methods of selling
the book. Each method has a different profit
structure. The methods are 1. Author purchases
and sells the book. 2. The book is sold over
the INTERNET by publisher. 3 The book is
sold through a distributor and book stores.(This
includes Internet distributors.)
_______________________________________________
Author Purchases Book
Author purchases book and sells it. In this
case the author does all of the work and
makes the most profit. Simply, your estimated
selling price of the book minus the cost
from "Author Cost" at the back
of this book.
Internet Sales
The book is sold over the publishers Internet
web page. www.backyardpublisher.com. In this
case the author does nothing but tell their
friends and family to order the book over
the Internet from the above web site. (Note:
This is a secure site where credit cards
can be accepted by Pay Pal) If the book is sold through
the Internet On Amazon.com., Barnes and Nobel.com.
And other distributors this discount does
not apply. See Distributor/store discount
schedule below.
In this case the author receives a royalty
of 20% of the selling price of the book.
Example: $12.00 book x .20% = $2.40 In this
case the author receives $2.40
Distributor and Book Store Sales
The book is sold through a distributor and/or
book store. Under this condition specific
numbers cannot be given as the discount rates
for the various distributors can vary from
50% to 65%.
For instance Amazon requires a discount of
50%.
Barnes and Noble require a discount of which
can vary from 55% to 60%.
Under this scenario the author receives a
royalty of 20% of the publishers selling
price of the book.
As an example if we use a 55% discount the
numbers would be as follows:
Retail selling price of book $12.00 - $6.60
= $5.40 (This is the price the distributor
buys the book from the publisher. It is the
publishers selling price of the book.
20% royalty on the publishers selling price
of the book = $5.40 x 20% = $1.08 The author
receives $1.08 for every book sold through
the distributor/book store arrangement.
Why do the distributors get such a large
discount?
1. The book is discounted to the customer
at 20% - 40% off from the selling price.
2. The store makes a profit of 30% or more.
3. The distributor and shipping charges get
the rest of the money.
Looking at some hypothetical numbers they
could be as follows:
$12.00 Retail price on book. (The Price generated
based on 200 pages at $0.06 per page.)
x.30 (30% Discount to customer)
$8.40 (Actual price customer who purchases
the book pays for book)
$8.40 (Actual price the customer pays for
the book.)
x.30 (Store Profit)
$5.88 (Actual price store Pays Distributor)
$12.00 (Selling price of the book.)
- .60 (Discount to distributor)
$4.80 (The publishers selling price)( Note:
The difference between the $5.88 the store
actually pays for the book and the $4.80
the ($1.08) distributor buys the book from
the publisher is the distributors profit
- warehouse expenses and shipping.)
$4.80 (Publishers selling price)
x.20
$0.96 (Author Royalty){Disgusting Isn't it!}
$4.80 - .96 = $3.84 (This is the price the
publisher must make the book and pay for
the shipping to the distributor.
Needless to say! Nobody makes much when selling books in this manner.
Why would anyone go this route?
Theoretically the distributor/book store combination has the ability to
sell a large number of books.
This may or may not be true.
There is one more kicker in this program.
IF THE BOOK STORE DOES NOT SELL THE BOOKS IN A SPECIFIED AMOUNT OF TIME IT CAN RETURN THE BOOKS TO THE DISTRIBUTOR AND THEN TO THE PUBLISHER. THE PUBLISHER MUST PAY THE RETURN SHIPPING.
In most cases the publisher sells these books at an extremely discounted
price (LOSS).
The books are then called residuals and are the books you buy at the ½
price book stores.
No matter how the book is sold remember!
The Author has to do the selling! Nobody
else Does!
Authors Costs
Prices are based on a book size of 5 ½" x 8 ½" with camera ready art.
Camera ready art means that whatever you send is what you get in print.
We do nothing but adjust our printers to match your sample book.
All prices are subject to change.
Page count.
Count all pages including blank pages this includes title page, index, table of contents, dedication etc.
in other words ALL PAGES!
Note: There is a one time setup charge of $250.00 regardless of how many
books you purchase.
The minimum order we will accept is for 100 books on the first order and 25 books thereafter.
Cover-Binding and Trimming Charge (Per Book) $2.50
Price per Page $0.02
Example for a 200 page book
Cover charge $2.50
200 x .02 = $4.00
Total $6.50 (per book)
Pictures
Black and White
Multiply the length and width of the picture and divide by 4
add the dividend to the total number of pages.
Example if the picture measures 3 inches by 4 inches
3x4=12 / 4 = 3 add three extra pages to your page count
Color
Calculate the pages the same as a Black and White picture and
multiply the answer times 10
add the total to the page count as above
For 8 1/2" x 11" books double the
above prices.
Large quantities must be quoted separately.
The above prices includes:
Perfect Binding
60# Standard white paper stock
Four Color cover
A typical first order for 100 - 200 page books with 5 - 3x4 B&W pictures
could be calculated as follows:
(These pages are added even if the pictures are on the same page)
Cover and binding $2.50 x 100 = $250.00
3x4=12/4=3 x 5 = 15 extra pages
200 basic pages plus 15 extra pages =215 total pages
215 x .02 = $4.30
Single book costs $2.50 + 4.30 = $6.80
Total for 100 books $6.80 x 100 = $680.00
Set up Charge = $250.00
ISBN and Barcode if desired $75.00 (See Above)
Copyright Registration if desired $75.00 (See Above)
Total $1080.00
(Add Florida Sales tax and additional services from below as applicable)
Author Services:
Scanning and formatting $3.50 per page
Pictures scanned on to CD $2.50 each
Laminating $1.75 per page
Color Printing Available. Prices Quoted Separately.
Binding and trimming only $5.00 per book
Corrections after original printing 1/hr min. ($75.00/hour) plus another set up charge ($250.00)
Copy right registration $75.00 plus 2 books
ISBN $75.00 this includes listing in Books In Print and Barcode.
Formatting from ASCII or text files $2.50 per page.
Plastic Comb Binding $.75 per book.
Premium 70# super white paper is available
for an additional 10% of the book cost.
Ordering Information for all books and bottle fillers.
If you do not wish to use PayPal you can order books by check from
Back Yard Publisher
7720 N. Moonwind Terrace
Dunnellon, FL 34433-4517
Please include $5.00 shipping and handling on all book orders, $25.00 for bottle fillers
Voice: 352/795-0844
Fax: 352/795-0815
E-mail: wensel@direcway.com
Some Great Links to follow
Policy Statement
Books
Back Yard Publisher, Recipes: A Compendium for the Cultivated
Palate, The Poems of Captain Bill, , Tiny Bubbles (Carbonation), Self Steering You Can Build , Woodworking, Beyond the Basics , The River Runs South: A Saga of the Mississippi , Publishing Your Manuscript , Picture Gallery, , Deadly Crossing , Humorous Beat: Funny Police Stories , My Journey: The Autobiography Of An Immigrant , ,The Adventures of Little Willie and Little
Wilma, The Pipsqueak Papers and Other Short Stories, Adventure is Adventure: The Sea Stories of
Captain Bill, The Fall of The Dollar, Freighter World Cruising, Ketch, Zest of Life, Jims' Journey, I Survived the Bataan Death March, Island Issues, Mirth and Misery, Hans' Journal Korean Conflict (WAR)
Bottle Filler
Wensel's CounterPressure Filler (Not a Book a Unit)
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