A la carte Self-Publishing Option by Pen & Publish
With the same attention to detail as our traditional titles, our book publishing services provide only what you need at $45 per hour, with most books taking 15 to 25 hours to complete. Printing and publishing options are determined by your quantity and distribution requirements, but are not required to use our design services. E-Book versions can be created, as can author websites at the same rate.
Authors can choose between Pen & Publish and Win-Win Press as the publisher of record for their book, and other specialty imprints are planned.
Individuals or groups wanting to start their own small press or imprint are welcome.
Query us at info@penandpublish.com with your basic information and to set up a free initial phone consultation.
Read more about…
- Book Design and Formatting by graphic artists
- Consulting and Project Management
- Printing and Distribution
- Timeframes
- Client Small Press or Imprint
Agreements
- Book Publishing Agreement
- Design and Formatting Graphic Arts Services ONLY (Letter of Agreement sample)
Beginning with your manuscript, ideas and any graphics you choose to provide, we mix in our ideas and additional graphics as needed. We send what we’ve conceived to our graphic artist who takes it all in to create the cover design and interior formatting. We review and then send the PDF proofs for you to provide revisions and corrections until you say it is ready.
If we need to purchase images, we will bill you at cost + 10% or give you the option of purchasing directly from the source. Cover images usually total under $30.
Partial projects, work you or someone else has started, are acceptable. They may or may not save you money.
Corrections are made both in pre-press prep and during PDF proofing. During pre-artist review, any typos and obvious errors found are corrected. Note, we are not editing work, but we will advise you if further editing is in your best interest.
Consulting and Project Management
We leave you in control, while giving you our straight feedback and ideas before and after the book is on the market.
What are your objectives for the book?
Do you have a marketing plan, including budget?
Do you want to seek book reviews?
Do you need editing? What type?
We don't provide editing or promotion services, but can refer you to independent sources. Our 15 to 25 hour project estimate includes 2 to 4 hours of pre-artist review, consulting and project management.
Individuals or groups wanting to start their own small press or imprint are welcome. Query us at info@penandpublish.com with your basic information and to set up a free initial phone consultation.
Press runs, digital POD, or both, and distribution are determined by what fits. Amazon’s exclusive Kindle and other e-Book versions, including iBooks (iPad), and distribution are available.
POD (Print On Demand) Books
POD offers affordable quality and distribution, and competitive prices for small book quantities. Books are distributed through wholesalers – Ingram Book Group and Baker & Taylor – and available through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and a wide network of booksellers. Titles can also be made available in the UK and Canada, and the Espresso Book Machine.
Grayscale and full color options are available. Printed proof approval is required for color interiors and optional for grayscale. Proofs ship overnight and typically cost a total of $30.
POD requires 3-4 days initial set up and 2-5 days to print and ship. Rush printing and shipping services are available.
Books can be made returnable if bookstore stocking, rather than just online booksellers, is part of your strategy. We charge a deposit of $200, and returns can be designated as destroy or return. Returns designated for return are actually printed and the new book charged at $3.00 plus shipping. Either option reverses the original sale and is charged back against royalties.
The cost of books sold through wholesale/retail outlets is deducted from the wholesale price (no up-front author payment required).
Print Runs
Larger volume and specialty printing or binding needs make traditional print runs a viable option. Books are shipped directly to the author. Payment terms vary, but full payment is required before books ship. Proofing process varies by printer. Offset runs typically require 4-6 weeks for US printers and 3 months for overseas companies.
Print runs needing distribution go through Baker & Taylor and other specialty distributors may be an option. A 55% discount to the wholesaler is standard, with books being returnable. In most cases, the author will ship directly to the distributor.
Publisher Direct Sales and Distribution
We prefer to drive sales traffic directly to your website or other retail outlets. You can choose to have your book for sale directly from our website as long as the content does not conflict with our “kid friendly” rating.
Direct wholesale for bulk buys can also be arranged to fit your needs.
E-Books
E-books can take from a few minutes to a few hours once the print files are created. Amazon Kindle is the dominant market leader, but the iPad may change that over the next few years. We’ll discuss the options if you want to explore this avenue for sales or promotion purposes.
Projects vary from a few days to months, with 4-6 weeks being normal from the receipt of your manuscript until books are available through booksellers. Advance review copies can add as much as six months, and editing after submission can easily add a couple weeks.
Offset print runs typically require 4 weeks or more. POD is 2-5 days to print and ship.
If you are an organization or company who want to incorporate book publishing to meet ongoing objectives, we can help you create an independent small press or imprint as part of Pen & Publish, Inc. Several factors to consider include an independent website, logo, if and how you will deal with outside submissions and the genre(s) and formats you plan to publish.
Small press service options cover the full spectrum. Website and logo design assistance are available. Agreements are customized.
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
| Publishing Agreement | 29.48 KB |
| Book Book Design and Formatting Letter of Agreement | 12.31 KB |
