The publishing process: editing and design

There are a number of production stages in publishing that you may feel confident doing yourself, in which case the production cost will be lower. We can, however, handle it all for you. Either way, you will always remain in control, as we will consult you at all stages.

The editing and design part of the publishing process includes:

• copy-editing
• cover design
• page by page layout
• proofreading
• proofs
• ISBNs and barcodes
• Nielsen BookData

Copy-editing

Copy-editing is particularly important for non-fiction titles. You are the expert on the content and the facts; however, there could be mistakes in spelling, punctuation and consistency. You may have become too close to your text and can no longer notice the errors that will become all too obvious when the book is printed! We have experienced copy-editors who will check for errors and correct them. We will always consult you about any proposed changes. You can choose not to have your text professionally copy-edited if you are confident it is unnecessary.

Standard Cover Design:

• If you are not intending to supply your own print-ready cover, you could choose one of our standard designs or just a plain colour and have your book title and name added to the front and your summary added to the back.
• The cost is £39 which includes, if necessary, the creation of a barcode for your book’s ISBN number.
• For standard covers, simply choose the ‘title’ of the cover you wish to use, and we will personalise it to your needs.

Bespoke Cover Design:

• Alternatively, we could create a bespoke design which would be unique for your book, using your own picture(s) or anything from our library of well over a million images that we can use or incorporate into the design.
• The cost starts at £99, depending on the complexity of the design and includes, if necessary, the creation of a barcode for your book’s ISBN number.

Page by page layout

• We can carry out a thoroughly professional page layout service, priced at £50 set-up plus £1 per thousand words. If pictures, diagrams, tables et cetera are involved, please do not hesitate to ask for a quote dependant upon your requirements.

If there are any photographs, illustrations, figures or tables, they will be included in the text at the appropriate place. If we need to prepare figures or scans, there will be a small additional charge.

Proofreading

The proofreading stage is the last chance for errors to be picked up and corrected before the work is printed. This is always done after the publication has been prepared page by page.

Proofs need to be read for both sense and accuracy. Reading for sense can involve a straight read-through to make sure the text is understandable, and any dubious facts can be checked as they are more likely to be noticed at this stage.

• One of our highly-trained professionals can carry out a thorough proofread of your manuscript for £9 per thousand words. The process checks for flow, continuity and even potential legal issues as well as spelling, grammar and punctuation

FREE Fully Bound Proof

We will provide you with a FREE fully bound proof to check for any final errors or mistakes. This stage is not an invitation to re-write!

Whether we handle the editing and design or whether you supply the file ready for printing, we will digitally print and bind a single proof copy and send it to you. This will allow you to see the completed book in all its glory. Although there should not be changes at this stage, corrections can be made before full production if absolutely necessary.

If the changes are extensive and another bound proof is necessary, there will be a charge of £20 for this additional proof.

It is important that the text has been carefully edited before this stage. When you return the proofs we will make the corrections and arrange the printing. If major changes have been made at the proof stage it will be necessary to charge for the additional work involved.