Self-Publishing Advice from Mark Twain

Famous for more than a few pithy quotes, as well as great stories, Mark Twain once said, “It ain’t what you don’t know that gets you into trouble, it’s what you know for sure that just ain’t so.”

I was reminded of this quote the other day when I opened an email from the owner of a new website that offered designers the opportunity to “upload your works and set prices for each one of them.” A visit to the site revealed that these “works” would be offered to self-publishers who would then “edit the image in our in-browser editor, change the book cover size, and put various text on it.” Then came the comment, “Most self-published books have crappy covers because self-published authors have tight budgets and cannot afford to hire a professional book cover designer.”

There are so many issues here I hardly know where to begin. For starters, the site owner ignores the entire field of typography, and apparently believes that authors can “put various text” on a nice picture and wind up with a quality cover. He and his customers should only know how many hours designers spend on a book cover.

Once a concept is created, it’s not uncommon for a designer to experiment for quite awhile with different font combinations, in different sizes, in different arrangements, using different colors, until the look is “just so”. And that’s before we show the cover to the client, which is often followed by even more adjustments.

In the FAQ section for authors, the site doesn’t explain what happens after authors create their covers and send the resulting file to a printer. Were adequate margins left all around so that the printer will not reject the file? Was the correct amount of bleed added? Is the spine size accurate to 2 or 3 decimal places? Is the image CMYK and in the proper resolution? Does the digital file meet the printer’s ink limit requirement? Is the browser view of the file anywhere near accurate, so that there will be no nasty surprises when the printer’s proof arrives? All of these issues and more are quietly taken care of by a competent book cover designer.

Pity the poor authors who spend hard-earned money on this site because they “know” that “book cover design is easy” and “anyone can do it”. When they send these files to the printer, they’ll be informed that all of the above issues (and more) do matter. Quite often today, the printer is a large “self-publishing company” with tens of thousands of customers, so the bad news will be delivered by a software “robot” that names the problem, but doesn’t explain how to fix it. What follows is often a frustrating loop of file submissions and rejections that can make anyone question why they wrote a book in the first place.

It’s not difficult to understand why authors are attracted to free or low cost design services. Most admit that they’re not sure if the book will sell, so they don’t want to spend money. But this approach can become a self-fulfilling prophecy; a poor book cover can doom a great book to failure when buyers pass it over for another that looks more professional.

Once the writing is done, you’re not an author anymore; you’re a publisher with a different goal…generating sales. To do that, you must “package” your work so that it appeals to buyers.

My advice? Hit the pause button and consider saving up until you can afford to give your book the cover and interior design it deserves…that your buyer demands, knowingly or not.

Please take Mark Twain’s advice to heart. Forget what you “know” about book cover design and consider hiring someone who really does know. Your book will look better, and sell better, and that’s smart business.

1106 Design offers 5 levels of book cover design to meet every need and almost every budget. How can we help you?

Respect Your Buyer with Interior Book Design

The following scenario is familiar to every book designer. As happens quite often, I received a call from a prospective client who had just finished writing her book.

“I’m brand new at this,” she admitted. “I’m not even sure what questions to ask, but your site feels very welcoming, and your promise of hand holding is exactly what I need.”

I thanked her for the kind words, assured her that most of our clients were new to publishing, and that we’d be happy to guide her every step of the way. I assured her that we would recommend only services that were needed, and we would never “upsell” services that were not necessary, as many “self-publishing companies” do.

After learning that her manuscript had already been edited by a pro, and that her goal was to sell books on Amazon in a very crowded genre, I recommended book cover design, interior layout, and proofreading. I told her an index probably wasn’t necessary, given that her book was divided into 10 lessons, but in its place a detailed table of contents might be useful to the reader.

So far, so good. Then she uttered the words that send book designers everywhere over the edge: “I layed out my book in Word, 6×9, and it came out to 365 pages. It looks just fine, and I don’t want to spend that much money for you to design and typeset it. Would you look at what I did and let me know what you think?”

“Sure,” I said. I braced myself for the promised email with her “layout.”

When it arrived, I was not surprised to see that every single rule of book design was broken. I couldn’t find even one aesthetically pleasing element in the book, and except for the page size, it looked exactly like a manuscript.

The text was set in 12-point Georgia, with 1.5 line spacing, and it was not justified.

Quotations and their accompanying citations, an essential element of this self-directed Bible study guide, were set exactly like the surrounding text and difficult to find.

Chapter titles were bold, but the same size as the text. They were placed at the top margin, not moved down on the page, a standard technique that gives the reader a visual cue that a new chapter is at hand. No extra space was added between the chapter title and the first paragraph of text.

There were many instances of double spaces between words and I found half a dozen typos in just a quick scan though the document. Clearly, this book needed more proofreading than had been done to this point.

I sent an email with my assessment to give the author time to think and respond.

“You’re about to make a terrible mistake,” I wrote. “A very common mistake made by self-publishers.”

I explained that if she went forward with this Word layout (assuming it could even be printed) that reviewers and retailers would immediately flag her book as a homemade job and reject it out of hand.

I added that reviewers on Amazon would deduct stars for the typos and the difficult to read text, and that this would affect sales.

Last, I explained that this homemade layout would cost her extra money for every copy printed, because a typesetter would choose a more efficient font and adjust the line spacing to reduce the page count considerably.

I attached samples of similar books we had designed to demonstrate what a well-designed book interior looks like, took a deep breath, and hit the send button.

I’m delighted to report that this story has a happy ending; the author ordered interior design. I tell this story because for every author I convince, there are probably hundreds of others formatting their book in Word right now, and someone has to stand up for the book buyer.

Don’t you feel betrayed when a company uses a pretty package to entice you to buy a poor product? I do. When authors wrap a good cover around a poor interior, they’re committing the same offense. How many times can this happen before buyers conclude that books are not worth the risk?

It wasn’t so long ago that book buyers could count on a well-researched, well-edited, beautifully designed and carefully printed book for their money. Do we really want to change that expectation?

And what about the ambitious new publisher, whose high hopes are dashed when the bad reviews on Amazon start rolling in? Too many self-publishing “gurus” are teaching new authors that it’s OK to abandon traditional publishing standards. I think there’s something terribly sad about that, and I hope you do, too.

Excuse me while I talk to this author about proofreading…

Book Design Demystified

I Need a Book Designer?

Seven years ago, when self-publishing was just beginning to take off, I talked with author Jane Kimball, who had recently learned from a book printer that the services of a book designer were required before her book could be printed.

Thus began our nearly year-long association to design her masterwork, Trench Art: An Illustrated History, a 400+ page, full-color book featuring more than 1,000 items from her personal collection of war souvenirs. These artifacts, collectively known as trench art, were meticulously crafted by soldiers from spent shell casings and other materials beginning in World War I.

“I didn’t even know there was such a thing as a book designer!” she quipped.

“That’s alright,” I replied. “I didn’t know there was such a thing as trench art!”

I relate this story because at the time I was taken aback by Jane’s comment. Until then, every customer who came to us already understood what we did. It wasn’t necessary to explain our services. The landscape, I realized, had changed, and it remains so to this day.

In subsequent conversations, Jane taught me that book design and production is a very scary subject to many first-time authors, who worry that hiring experts will cause them to lose control of their “baby.”

What follows is a brief description of a typical book design project that will hopefully put your mind at ease. Far from losing control of your book, you’ll actually collaborate closely with experts every step of the way to make your book the very best it can be.

6 Steps to a Quality Book

Step 1: Cover Design

The first task in preparing a book for publication is Book Cover Design. The designer will ask for a synopsis of your book and ask about your goals and your intended audience. He/she will then find appropriate images and fonts, and create a design that is in line with similar bestselling books on the market. This ensures that your cover will look as good as, or better than, the competitive titles that will displayed alongside it online. A good cover is absolutely essential to the success of your book. Cover design is not the place to save money. Most designers will adjust their services to your budget, if you ask.

Step 2: Manuscript Editing

The benefits of Professional Editing, offered by an experienced book editor, cannot be overstated. When we read our own writing, we know what we mean to say, so our brain fills in the gaps. The fresh eyes of an outside editor will find and correct these gaps for a smoother reading experience, without changing your style or your voice. Authors can always decline the editor’s suggestions, but most are pleasantly surprised at the skills an editor brings to the table.

Step 3: Interior Layout (aka Typesetting)

When editing is complete, the next step in book production is Book Interior Layout, also known as Typesetting. Designers usually show one or more sample interior designs to give the author an opportunity to compare different type fonts, type sizes, chapter openers, sidebars, and other decorative elements that may be employed to enhance the appearance of the text. Once a sample chapter has been approved, the rest of the book is typeset to match. You’ll be amazed at how much better  your text looks, compared to the original Word document, when it is designed by a pro.

Step 4: Proofreading

After Interior Layout, the next step in the book production process is Proofreading. Proofreading should always be done after the book is typeset (as well as before). Those pesky typos, extra word spaces, and unnecessary tabs that escaped detection in Word stand out like a sore thumb in typeset text. Many self-publishers unfortunately decline this service, thinking it’s not needed, to the detriment of their book. I can attest that we have never once proofed a book without finding errors, sometimes hundreds of errors, even when the manuscript was previously edited.

Step 5: Corrections and Final Review

Once Proofreading is complete, and the errors identified by the proofreader are fixed, it’s time to read the book from start to finish one final time. Yes, I know, you just can’t stand to read it one more time . . . but you must. There’s an old saying in publishing, “You don’t complete a book; you declare an ending.” The proofreading and correction process never really ends, but at some point you just have to go to press.

Step 6: Digital File Prep

The final step in the production process is to prepare the digital files for printing. You can relax at this stage, because this behind-the-scenes geeky stuff is entirely the responsibility of your designer. This final step ensures that your book will print successfully.

So, How Long Does All This Take?

It’s always good to schedule far more time than you think you’ll need for book production. I recommend at least 2 weeks each for steps 1-5 above, though some services, such as cover design and editing, can be worked on concurrently. If you must have books in hand by a specific date, be sure to tell your designer, so the two of you, along with the eventual printer, can create a schedule with milestones to make it happen.

How Much of My Time is Required?

That depends on your experience, your personality, and your available time. Many authors relish the “hands-on” approach and enjoy the prospect of talking with multiple providers. Others prefer to hand the project over to a company that will manage the entire project for them. Fortunately, providers are available to suit every preference.

Experts = An Enjoyable Process and a Better Book

The fear of losing control prompts many first-time authors to adopt the “do-it-yourself” approach, or to sign up with huge “self-publishing factories” who produce terrible work for very low fees, but both of these approaches are usually a mistake. Experts abound in every area of life, from medicine to pest control. Their knowledge and experience, even in areas that may seem low skilled or mundane, enhance our lives and give us far better products and services than we can ever hope to produce on our own. Book design is no exception.

If you’re about to enter one of the most brutally competitive industries on the planet, I hope this post has helped to clarify the process so that the book design process is an enjoyable one and the book you eventually offer to the public will be the very best it can be, and one that you will be proud to market.

Why Book Publishers Need a Corporate Image

What is a “Corporate Image” and Why Does It Matter?

A professionally-designed book cover is absolutely essential when it comes to marketing your book. If your book looks good and stands out from the crowd, it has a better chance to sell.

The exact same principle also applies when prospective buyers are viewing the marketing materials of your publishing company. It’s imperative to cut through the clutter, establish credibility, and help busy buyers pay attention to your sales message.

A “corporate image” is a graphic “plan” that  begins with a professional logo and carries on with consistent use of type fonts, colors, even the arrangement of elements on the page, that will identify your publishing company to the prospective buyer before they have a chance to read one word. For an example of this, notice your own response to printed materials, and how you instantly recognize that a flyer or insert is from a particular store, without the need to actually see the store’s logo.

The same principle can be employed to your benefit as a publisher. It doesn’t matter if you publish one book or a hundred, buyers will likely see your marketing message more than once before they buy. They want to do business with a company that will be there tomorrow. Since they can’t meet you personally, the only way they can judge the reliability of your company is from your marketing materials.

Every contact you make with a potential buyer sends a message about your publishing company, whether it is a postcard, bookmark, sell sheet, book signing announcement, letter, or website. If  all of your materials are designed with a “family look,” you can maximize recognition of your company and communicate to your prospective buyer that you are a stable, reliable source for the information they seek. Plopping a professionally designed cover on a homemade flyer sends the opposite message.

Corporate Image Step One: A Professional Logo

The first step to a professional corporate identity is to design a logo that reflects the vision and purpose of your publishing company. The best logos are simple and should be designed to look contemporary for a minimum of 10 years. Your designer will present a number of ideas and refine them until you are delighted with the result.

A logo isn’t just a design for one purpose today, but also for many purposes in the future, so there are some considerations to discuss with your logo designer as work proceeds. A logo should be designed to look good in black and white first, because that’s how it will often be seen (on faxes and invoices, for example). Color enhances, but is never a substitute for, strong design.  If your logo doesn’t work in black and white, it simply doesn’t work. A strong logo design can be printed in black and white or one color, saving you money on printing down the road.

Logos should also be designed so that they can be used anywhere: on a book spine, on a billboard, on a banner, even engraved in metal for an office sign. Once the basic logo design is established, publishers generally need two or more versions of a logo — a vertical logo for book spines, and a horizontal version for brochures and correspondence.

If you’re tempted to acquire a logo on the cheap from a contest site or $99 logo design sites, be careful. Many customers have presented such logos to us, only to be disappointed when we tell them that the type is unreadable on a book spine, or that the logo has been created in a format that is not easily adjustable for other purposes.

Corporate Image Step Two: Written Graphic Standards

Step two in the establishment of a professional corporate identity is to write down design standards so that all of your marketing materials will have a consistent look. These standards define the size and position of your logo, as well as type faces and colors to be used consistently, so that your marketing materials won’t drift into uncharted territory every time a new item is designed. Your designer can write a graphic standards manual that explains how your logo is (and is not) to be used. With this document for reference, every marketing piece you produce now or in the future, either in house or with the help of an outside designer, will be consistent.

How Can I Minimize Costs While Projecting a Consistent Corporate Image?

A professional corporate identity consistently applied needn’t be expensive. While it’s convenient to call a quick printer every time you think of a new marketing piece, planning ahead can save you significant money on printing. Designers can suggest ways to stretch your printing budget that will still allow you the flexibility to update materials on your desktop whenever the need arises.

For example, if you know you’ll be sending out mailers every two months for the next year, you can realize savings by printing “shells” in color and then updating the message in house on your laser printer.

Another way to save money on printing is to produce bookmarks and postcards at the same time that your book cover prints. Not all book printers will do this, but even if they don’t, you can get the most for your printing dollar locally by “ganging up” your printing jobs instead of ordering each project individually.

Someone once said “the most expensive brochure is the one that doesn’t work.” Reserving a portion of your production budget for a professional logo and designed marketing materials will pay for itself many times over.

Follow Michele on Twitter.

1106 Design works with authors, publishers, business pros, coaches, consultants, speakers . . . anyone who wants a beautiful book, meticulously prepared to industry standards. Top-quality cover design, beautifully designed and typeset interiors, manuscript editing, indexing, title consulting, and expert advice. All available from one convenient source. All offered with our most important service, hand-holding. Attractive pricing choices to fit almost any budget. Prompt, personalized service. Satisfaction guaranteed. We’ll take better care of you and your book than any “self-publishing company.” How may we help you? Post your comment here or email us at office@1106design.com

Offset Printing Tips for Self-Publishers

I recently contributed the following post to authopublisher.com.  Check out this site to read posts from and ask questions of many experts there who can help you self-publish the very best book. This post was prompted by a conversation with an author who did not know that “offset” book printing existed. Today, all the news is about POD, but “offset” printing is the method used for most books found in bookstores and, in certain circumstances, it can be an appropriate and money-saving choice for self-publishers, too.

What the Heck is Offset Printing?

Most self-publishers today take advantage of Print on Demand technology and/or release their books in various eBook formats. Still, the “old fashioned” method of book printing, known as offset printing, retains its place in the list of choices available to  you. Offset printing used to be the only method available to print books, and it’s still used today when publishers need large quantities of books at a low unit price. With offset book printing, the unit cost per book comes down as the quantity of books printed goes up. The downside is that you must pay for all the books in advance, before you sell them. For some situations, though, this make perfect sense.

Who Should Consider Offset Printing?

If you’re new to publishing, and you’re not sure how many books you’ll sell, offset printing is a risky choice, because to get the low unit price mentioned above, it’s necessary to print at least 1,000 copies of your book, and preferably more.  On the other hand, if you’re a professional speaker who regcan sell books at the back of the room to large audiences, and you know that you will sell an order of 1,000 or more books in a year, then offset printing will reduce your unit cost per book considerably, boosting your profits. Or, perhaps your marketing plan includes pre-selling books on a non-returnable basis to organizations who plan to use it for fund-raising or other purposes. In this case, too, offset printing offers real benefits (but I wouldn’t print books without a signed contract.)

What Information Does an Offset Book Printer Need from Me?

There’s quite a bit to know about offset printing. It’s not quite as automated as print-on-demand, but don’t despair. The expertise you need is free for the asking… and printers WANT you to ask! Since you’ll be laying out significant cash upfront, it’s important to talk to—and learn from—the folks who know offset printing inside out—those who do it every day.

At a recent Arizona Book Publishing Association dinner, representatives from four offset book printers shared their knowledge of the printing process, offered the vendor’s perspective on choosing a book manufacturer, and emphasized the benefits of early communication with your printer.  The comments below are formatted as bullet points and are in no particular order, because there were four speakers. Here’s what they had to say:

• Planning your project upfront will prevent many production problems later on. To avoid delays and unplanned-for costs, your book should be designed with your printer’s requirements in mind. It’s much easier (and less expensive) to submit your job with the correct file formats, halftone adjustments, fonts, trim sizes, bleeds, and more than to ask your printer’s pre-press department to fix problems at the last moment and delay production.
• Printers consider it a major annoyance when they receive a quote request that is also sent to 50 other printers. It tells them right away that this quote is from a person new to the industry, who probably assumes that all printers are alike, and who will make a decision based on price alone. There are many variables from printer to printer on any job and even if you did get 50 responses—which you probably won’t—it would be impossible to compare them.
• Paper is one of your largest costs and it’s a good idea to choose one of the printer’s “house” stocks for greatest economy. Everyone should talk to their printing representative early and often to ensure a smooth book-printing experience.
• Regarding the “business” side of printing, the signed quote is a contract and it’s important to review and understand every detail of the agreement before signing up. For example, if your quote is based on “trouble-free” files, then you can expect extra charges if your files require intervention to print properly. No printer will begin a job without a signed bid. Hiring an experienced book designer is the best way to avoid problems on press.
• The brand of cover cloth you choose for a case-bound book can make a big difference in the price, so it’s important to pay attention to this detail on your quote. (Rainbow cloth vs. Arrestox B can result in a $1,000 difference on 2,000 books.)
• It’s  extremely important to review your printer’s proof very carefully. Every printer considers this proof the “bible,” and once you sign off on it, this is what you will get, even if you overlooked something or it’s the printer’s mistake.
• Turnaround time should be discussed with your printing representative well in advance of submitting your job. If you need books by a certain date, it is your responsibility to inform the printer so your job can be scheduled accordingly. You’ll pay extra for rush service.
• The issue of “overs and unders” is often misunderstood. A printing press cannot be “stopped on a dime” like a copier. About 5–10% more books than ordered must be printed to allow for “make-ready” on press and for spoilage in the bindery. If these “overs” are not spoiled, printers offer them to the customer at a discount price. “Unders” are deducted from your final invoice.
• It’s important to specify “residential” or “loading dock” delivery when you request a quote, as residential delivery costs more. Most book manufacturers negotiate large discounts with freight companies and don’t mark up this service, so you won’t save money by arranging for your own freight.
• Like any business, printers reserve their best prices and terms for repeat customers. Establishing a positive long-term relationship with your printer pays you back in dollars as well as in peace of mind.
• Book printers recommend that publishers work with an experienced book designer who understands the peculiarities of book design. Graphic designers who don’t have book design experience can create an “over-designed” book that can be costly and sometimes even impossible to print. Even though Word files can be converted to PDF and printed, Word does not compose type as well as a page layout program, so this is not the recommended way to go.
• So how do you “qualify” a book printer? The first step is to understand that book printing is a custom operation, not a commodity. Each book is unique and each book manufacturer is unique in terms of equipment, customer service and capabilities. It’s important to match the book with the manufacturer.
  Just as customers select vendors through the quoting process, printers select their customers through pricing. If you don’t know what you’re talking about when you request a quote, the printer will immediately know that you’re likely to be a “high maintenance” customer and will price the job accordingly. Working through an experienced book designer who speaks the language of printing will benefit you in the long run, because the printer knows he will receive correctly-prepared files.
• So how do you become a desirable customer? Do your homework before you ask for quotes. Rather than shotgun a quote to 50 printers you know nothing about, ask your peers who they recommend for book printing. Choose a few printers to research thoroughly. Ask for an equipment list to make sure your book fits their capabilities. Ask for references. Check with Dunn and Bradstreet to make sure the company is healthy. Visit the plant. Is it clean and organized? Meet with your Customer Service Representative, who is your advocate in the plant. Do you feel this person truly cares about your book?
• Once those tasks are completed, you should ask for a quote only from those printers who are qualified and who make you feel most comfortable. Knowing that the printer will “be there” for you throughout the process will give meaning to the numbers you receive. Following this procedure will also let your printer know that you are a serious customer, and every printer wants serious, repeat customers.
• After your book is printed, conduct an evaluation and discuss any problems that may have occurred with your representative to learn how they can be avoided in the future.
• Most of all, remember that all printers want to do a good job and want you to succeed, because your success is their success. Everyone should think of a printer representative as a “free consultant” who will gladly help you through the intricacies of the book manufacturing process.

So, How Much Can I Save?

The discussion above may seem like a lot of trouble compared to ordering POD books online, but the price difference can be dramatic. A print-on-demand book that costs $6 can cost half as much from an offset book printer. On an order of 1,000 books, that’s $3,000 in your pocket, but ONLY if you sell all 1,000 books. Weighing the risks and benefits of offset printing can be time well spent.

1106 Design works with authors, publishers, business pros, coaches, consultants, speakers . . . anyone who wants a beautiful book, meticulously prepared to industry standards. Top-quality cover design, beautifully designed and typeset interiors, manuscript editing, indexing, title consulting, and expert advice. All available from one convenient source. All offered with our most important service, hand-holding. Attractive pricing choices to fit almost any budget. Prompt, personalized service. Satisfaction guaranteed. We’ll take better care of you and your book than any “self-publishing company.” How may we help you? Post your comment here or email us at office@1106design.com

Book Design and Self-Publishing Questions? Ask Them Here.

New self-publisher have questions. Lots of them. This post is an experiment. Ask your question here, and we’ll do our best to answer it, or find an expert who can. Your question can be on almost any topic related to book design: covers, interior design and typesetting, editing, indexing, best POD printer, whatever is on your mind.

1106 Design works with authors, publishers, business pros, coaches, consultants, speakers . . . anyone who wants a beautiful book, meticulously prepared to industry standards. Top-quality cover design, beautifully designed and typeset interiors, manuscript editing, indexing, title consulting, and expert advice. All available from one convenient source. All offered with our most important service, hand-holding. Attractive pricing choices to fit almost any budget. Prompt, personalized service. Satisfaction guaranteed. We’ll take better care of you and your book than any “self-publishing company.” How may we help you? Post your comment here or email us at office@1106design.com

Ink, Toner, or E? What’s Best for Your Book?

Book printing has its own jargon which can be intimidating if you’ve never worked with it before. And the complications are increasing every day, with the current buzz about e-books dominating the news.

As technologies evolve and options increase, it’s getting more difficult to figure out exactly which printing (or rather, dissemination) method is best for your book. Having an expert on your side before you take this important step can make a world of difference.

There are presently three ways to get your book into the hands of consumers: Offset printing (ink on paper); digital printing and print-on-demand (ink or toner on paper); and e-books (nothing on paper). The best choice depends on how you sell books, who your target audience is, and how they (not  you) prefer to read.

(1) Offset Printing (ink on paper): this method offers the lowest unit price possible when manufacturing books. To achieve the savings though, it’s necessary to print 1,000 to 3,000 books and arrange for storage until they are sold. Once the only method of book printing, today this choice makes the most sense for anyone who knows they will sell a large quantity of books in about a year. (If your time frame is longer than that, the cost of storage and the time value of money begins to erode the savings.) For example, authors who sell books at the back of the room during presentations, authors who have signed up with a distributor, or authors who have a substantial number of pre-publication orders waiting will benefit most from offset printing. The quality of ink on paper printing (assuming you have chosen a competent printer) is excellent. There are virtually no limitations on the type of design that can be accurately reproduced using this method.

(2) Digital Printing and Print-on-Demand: Here’s where the terminology gets a little muddy. Digital printing can mean ink-on-paper printing in small quantities, or it can mean toner-on-paper printing in small or one-at-a-time quantities. Printers don’t often explain the difference, so it’s important to ask which method is represented on any quote you receive. Either way, these methods cost more per unit than offset printing, but the publisher can order books in smaller quantities or even one at a time as they are sold. If cash-conservation is your primary concern, these methods are worth considering. The ground is always shifting on price, but generally speaking, 500-700 digital books cost the same as 1,000 offset books, so once a steady stream of sales is established, another look at offset printing is warranted. The quality of toner-based digital books is almost indistinguishable from ink-on-paper books…if your book is the typical black and white interior with a color cover. Full color photo books are best printed with ink on paper. If you plan to print with toner, be sure your designer knows this up front. Solid black text will reproduce well, but large areas of  light-gray (such as sidebar boxes) may not print evenly and should be avoided if possible.

(3) E-books: You thought you were confused before? Well, join the club. The field of e-books is changing so rapidly that it’s difficult for everyone to keep up. With about a dozen file formats and just as many devices on the market (some that will be extinct in as little as 18 months), what should an author do? Don’t listen to the buzz…listen to your readers. At present, e-books are about 2.5% of all book sales, and this figure is expected to rise to 5% by 2014. A surprising statistic, given all the attention devoted to e-books. For this reason, it doesn’t make much sense to release a book ONLY in e-book format, no matter how much the perceived savings may be. No business that hopes to survive can lock out 95% of its potential market. One way to make your book available in all the e-book formats is to post  your title on Smashwords.com. They will convert your book to all of the common e-book formats for free and take a small commission on every book sold. Apple just signed an agreement with Smashwords to offer their books on the iPad, which is just icing on the cake. After all, it’s not very useful to have an e-book file without a sales outlet. Unfortunately, Smashwords doesn’t protect e-books. Their point of view is that DRM (digital rights management) reduces sales. This may be true, but if you’re concerned about piracy, then it may be better to work with e-book conversion services who can make sure your book is only readable to those who actually buy it.

Our advice: For most new self-publishers, the way forward is to keep abreast of new technology while remembering that old habits die hard. Most people still like to curl up on the sofa with a book, even if they do sometimes read on electronic devices when they are on the go. Releasing your book in print and e-formats will satisfy everyone. When your e-book begins to outsell  your print book,  you can always stop printing.

What do you want to know? What topics should we explore together? How can we help you along your publishing journey? Everyone here at 1106 Design wants to help. Post your comment here or email us at office@1106design.com

Michele DeFilippo, owner, 1106 Design

The Demise of the Book? Not a Chance!

It’s hard to escape the current tidal wave of predictions that “the book” is dead. As happens so often when something new is invented, enthusiasm tends to outpace common sense, until the dust settles and we all take a closer and more rational look.

When TV was invented, everyone predicted the demise of radio. It didn’t happen, of course. TV simply took its place along the spectrum of ways to receive content.  We watch TV while relaxing at home, and listen to radio in the car or at work. In similar fashion, social networking and e-books are vying for their rightful place now. We can celebrate the appearance of e-books, but we don’t have to talk about the demise of traditional books. Both will continue to exist, and we will all find the information we need in different ways at different times.

Before you accuse me of being a Luddite, please note that I would certainly cheer if they stopped delivering five printed telephone directories to my home every year. It would be good for the planet and good for the trees if they didn’t. But I find it difficult to believe that the sensory experience of flipping through a photo-filled coffee-table book in front of the fireplace will go away anytime soon. There will always be a place and a time (and  yes, a need) for relaxation, reflection, and beauty, and books deliver that experience in a way that no ugly-text electronic device can, at least at this writing.

We now have a chaos of content coming at us from all directions at ever-increasing speeds. Eventually, when half of everything we read is filled with typos, and the other half contains opinions not backed up by a shred of evidence, we’ll remember that proofreaders, indexers, and editors exist for a reason. When our eyes tire of endless streams of ugly, gray, back-lit text, we’ll remember that book design, quality typography and cover design also fill a need.

Everyone I talk to feels overwhelmed at the amount of information we feel pressured to process on a daily basis. While we now have a variety of choices in the way we receive information, I believe at some point we’ll again value quality control, organization, and visual and mental peace. What do you think?

What do you want to know? What topics should we explore together? How can we help you along your publishing journey? Everyone here at 1106 Design wants to help. Post your comment here or email us at office@1106design.com

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