Self-Publishing 101, Part III: Choosing and Working with a Designer and Proofreader

Now that you have chosen an editor, it’s time to find a designer for your book. You will be looking for someone to do the layout of the edited manuscript, design your cover, and manipulate/format any other graphics that will be included in the book. Once again, the more research you put into your search, the better your end product will be.

Desktop Publishing

Desktop publishing (DTP) refers to the professional art of laying out publications for print—and sometimes Web—media. DTP platforms vary from the most basic (Microsoft Publisher) to more advanced. The first thing you will want to know in choosing a DTP professional is find out what platform they use to compose and design publications.

The most widely used program in the modern book publishing industry is the Adobe Creative Suite, with its flagship print design program, InDesign. Other programs include Quark Xpress, Adobe PageMaker, and Microsoft Publisher. Most designers work on a Macintosh platform, as opposed to PC. This is typically because Mac applications and operating systems cater to designers in ways that PCs don’t. Please keep this in mind if you are a PC user. The files you submit to your designer may have to be reformatted when transferred to a Mac-based program.

Specifications

You will want to inform your DTP specialist of the specifications of your book. If you are intending to self-publish for wide distribution, you will want to familiarize yourself with the standard book sizes for hard cover and paperback books (there will be more discussion on this in Part IV: Fees and Registrations for Self-Publishers). Inform the DTP specialist about what book size you have chosen, what type of paper, and whether it will be hard cover or paperback.

Any artwork that you send to the DTP specialist should be in a camera-ready format and sent as separate image files that are clearly marked in the text of your Word file. (DO NOT place graphics into your Word document; instead, follow the directions in Section I on how to alert the DTP specialist as to where graphics are to be placed in your book).

The DTP specialist will be creating a new version of your manuscript with encoded styles for paragraphs, fonts, and special inserts. Ask your DTP specialist for a mock-up of a sample chapter so that you can see what he/she has come up with. The best time to address formatting issues is at this time; anything that happens much later in the process will only cost you more money.

Make sure that all of the parts of your book are included in the files sent to your DTP specialist. This includes:

·         Front Matter (table of contents, list of illustrations, copyright information, ISBN, dedication)

·         Body (all chapter files for your book, clearly labeled)

·         End Matter (Index entries, glossary, bibliography)

·         Graphics (tables, charts, pictures, illustrations)

Graphic Design vs. Desktop Publishing

As mentioned before, DTP refers to the layout process for your manuscript. If you need someone to design or manipulate graphic images or pictures, you will more than likely need to seek out a graphic designer. In some instances, the DTP specialist may have the necessary skills. In others, you may need to seek an alternate person out for those tasks.

Proofreading Your Typeset Manuscript

Whenever possible, it is recommended that you seek out a professional proofreader (someone who reads over the “proof” of your typeset manuscript) to go over the files once they have been completed by the DTP specialist. Authors will typically over-critique their own work; a professional proofreader will look for the most important errors that need to be fixed prior to publication.

When looking for a proofreader, it is as important to follow the specifications listed in Section II, just as you would for editors. You are looking for someone with book experiences and who can conform to the editing style used by your editor. Proofreading and editing go hand in hand. But, whereas the editor is looking for stylistic issues in your writing, the proofreader is concentrating on the overall presentation of the typeset manuscript. They will be marking up the hard copy or PDF of the typeset manuscript. If your editor created a style sheet for your manuscript, you will want to hand that over to the proofreader.

The proofreader will resubmit the manuscript to your DTP specialist for corrections. After the corrections are made, you may involve the proofreader in another round of proofing.

In Section IV, we will learn about what you will need to do to register your book, upload your files, and prepare for printing.

Self-Publishing 101, Part II: Choosing and Working with an Editor

After your manuscript has been formatted, it is always useful to have another pair of eyes--or several pairs--look it over. For self-publishing authors who want a high quality product, it is important to seek out the services of professional book editor.

There are many types of editing and as many types of editors. A simple Google search for "book editing services" will turn up several hits from many different types of companies. Some are large corporations with a full-time staff of editors on hand; others are small independent editors who have either started their own company or work on a freelance basis. You will want to do your homework before hiring an editor to suit your needs.

Types and Levels of Editing

Editing services range from basic editing (often called copyediting or line editing) to more detailed structural or substantive editing. The type of service you chose should be based on the amount of work you believe is needed to get your manuscript into good shape.

1. Basic copyediting. The editor reads through your manuscript, checking for the most basic elements of English grammar and construction of the English language. This typically includes: word usage, spelling, punctuation, and other mechanics of writing style. A good copyeditor will check for consistency in use of mechanics of the English language and the author's writing style.

2. Stylistic editing. The editor will clarify meaning, eliminate jargon, and polish language. These tasks are considered non-mechanical aspects of editing and are more subjective than basic copyediting.

3. Substantive editing. Sometimes including rewriting sentences, paragraphs, and sections, the substantive editor specializes in clarifying or reorganizing a manuscript for content and structure. The substantive editor pays special attention to the content within a manuscript, determining how best to present information that, for the most part, is already written.

Editing Rates

Rates for editing services will vary from editor to editor. Copyediting services, being the most basic service, are typically the least expensive; substantive and rewriting rates run the highest. Most editors base their rates on either a word count or on an hourly fee. For example, a typical manuscript in 12-point type, double-spaced, with one-inch margins will have about 300 words per page. Editors who have hourly rates base their fee on how many pages they can read in one hour, multiplied by the number of pages in the manuscript. This can help you compare rates between editors who use different rate calcualtions.

How to Choose an Editor

There are several factors that come into play when choosing an editor. It is important that you do as much research as you can on anyone offering editing services. Here are some tips to help you in your search:

1. Make sure your potential editor is a book editor. There are many types of editing and many styles of editing. Newspapers, magazines, academic/scholarly works, and books adhere to different editing styles. For book editors at traditional publishing houses, most adhere to the rules in the Chicago Manual of Style, a style manual published by the University of Chicago Press. Be sure to ask your potential editor which style he/she uses for manuscript editing.

2. Ask for a list of titles. A professional book editor will have an extensive list of titles on which they have performed any of the editing services listed above. Most will not hesitate to provide such a list to a potential client.

3. Find an editor who specializes in your genre of writing. Chances are an editor who has experience in your genre will be a better fit for your project. The ideal candidate is someone who has experience with the subject matter of your manuscript, the writing style you employ, and the target audience for whom you are writing. In addition to requesting a titles list, a description of the works (i.e., their genres/target audiences) will assist you greatly in finding the right editor for your work.

4. Ask to see a sample of the editor's work. You can do this by requesting that the potential editor send a sample of something he/she has already edited or by sending him/her a portion of your manuscript for a sample edit. Take notice of what he/she adds to your manuscript (correction of spelling, grammar, word usage, comments, etc.). This is also a great way to get feedback about your manuscript. If, for example, you are convinced that you only need a basic copyedit and a potential editor suggests a more detailed service, you can take that into consideration during your search.

5. Ask about turnaround times. Just as rates between editors and editing services vary, so will the time it takes to edit your manuscript. Substantive editing will take longer than a line edit. Each editor, if they are working on a freelance or contract basis, will set his/her own schedule and may be juggling several projects at a time. Ask the potential editor how long it would take to perform a specific service (copyediting, stylistic, or substantive) given the word or page count of your mansucript.

6. Copyright infringement: ask for a written agreement. A written agreement is a legally binding document that outlines the terms and conditions of your project. You should not agree to work with an editor who does not furnish an agreement of some sort. Ask to look over the agreements of several editors before making a decision. Make sure the agreement of the editor you choose has a provision stating that you are the copyright owner, that you have hired Mr. or Ms. Editor to perform specific tasks, and that he/she is fully aware that any other use of the manuscript is unlawful.

Working with an Editor: Reviewing Your Edited Manuscript

Once you have chosen an editor with whom you will work, it is important that you understand the typical procedures of book editing. The editor will be reading your mansucript and making changes visible so that you can see what has been corrected. Since most editors work in Microsoft Word, the author should have a basic knowledge of the Track Changes application in that program.

1. Under the "Review" Tab in MS Word, you will find several options that will assist you in reviewing your manuscript. A few of them are shown here.

The editor will have the "Track Changes" tab highlighted, signifying that everything the editor has added, deleted, or adjusted has been tracked in the document. Below the Review Tab selection, you can see an edited manuscript, with some portions highlighted in pink. Some words and phrases have been deleted (you can see the word "but" with a red line through it in Line 3 of the sample manuscript shown).

2. In addtion, your manuscript will have a new column added on the righthand side if you have "Final Showing Markup" selected in the Review Pane.

3. The new column on the righthand side is where the editor will make comments about the manuscript. They may be suggestions for word usage, a question about the plot or a character, or simply to query the author about something that was unclear during the reading. Each balloon will correspond to a word, phrase, sentence, or paragraph in the manusript.

Accepting/Rejecting Changes

Since the next stage in the publishing process is to prepare your mansucript for a typesetter or book layout specialist (See Part III: Choosing and Working with a Designer), you will want to go through the manuscript and either accept or reject all the changes in the document. The book layout specialist will typically not do this for you.

There are two way to do this: (1) You can read through the entire document and then "Accept All Changes" or (2) you can go through each entry and accept/reject as needed.

4. To accept or reject each specific entry, start at the beginning of your manuscript and hit either the "Accept" button or "Reject" arrow beneath the button. Then you will have the option to move to the next correction.

Once you have gone through the entire document, and either accepted or rejected all entries, you should revert the manuscript back to "Final" Mode and save it (See Step 2).  

Self-Publishing 101, Part I: Preparing Your Manuscript

This is the first post in an eight-part series about how to be a successful self-published author. The series will include tips, tools of the trade, and other useful information on your journey toward self-publishing sucess.

Part I: Preparing Your Manuscript

Just about everyone knows how to use Microsoft Word. In today's world, no computer application has a better stake in the word processing market. It may not be the easiest program to use, but a general knowledge of formatting and manipulation of Microsoft Word will make your path to publishing much easier.

If you have written a manuscript in another program, there are plenty of tutorials out on the Web that can assist you in converting your files to a current Microsoft Word version. If you don't have a copy of Word, you can download it for free from the Microsoft Web site. For those authors planning on continuing with writing, obtaining a copy of Word is strongly recommended.

In addition to writing in Word, there are few formatting tips that will make your life a little easier. The following are standard formatting perameters that acquisitions editors typically use, and often require, before accepting a manuscript. For self-publishing authors, a general understanding of publishing best practices will go along way in helping to make your manuscript into a professionally composed book.

1. Make sure your manuscript is composed in one MS Word file. While you may think it is easier to have your manuscript in separate chapter files, most acquisitions editors, copyeditors, and book designers prefer a single file for your manuscript.

2. Follow the rules of standard formatting. Microsoft Word is not the proper application for formatting books. Book designers use a separate program (most often Adobe InDesign or similar program) to do the layout, font styles, paragraph styles, folios, and pagination. The general formatting rules for manuscripts are as follows:

• Manuscripts should be double-spaced and set in 12-point type, Times New Roman.
• There should be no special formatting, such as space after paragraphs or before paragraphs.
• Boldface type, italics, and underlining are often acceptable. Excessive use is not recommended.
• Pages should include standard margins of 1" on all sides.
• Paragraphs should be indented using the "Tab" key.

3. Other parts of a manuscript to include in your MS Word file. In addition to the body of your work, you may also want to consider what will be included in the front matter, what typically comes at the beginning of a published book. Some of these elements include:

• Title page
• Dedication
• Table of Contents/ Chapter list
• List of illustrations
• Preface
• Acknowledgements
• International Serial Bin Number (will be covered in Part IV), U.S. Copyright information
• Author's contact information (Name, address, e-mail addres, Web address, etc.)

4. In-text illustrations and artwork. As noted earlier, Microsoft Word was not designed to be a desktop publishing application. If your manuscript includes illlustrations, artwork, and/or image files to be included in the body of your work, please do not paste them into your manuscript. The best thing to do is label each file (for example, "Table 1.jpg") and mark the manuscript in the location where it belongs, enclosing it in carets:

• <insert "Table 1.jpg">
• All artwork should be camera-ready and with a high enough resolution so as not to be rendered as grainy or pixely in print.

5. Using MS Word's Spell Check Feature. While you will more than likely be hiring an editor to conduct, at the very least, a line edit of your manuscript--strongly recommended--it doesn't hurt to do a once-over with MS Word's spell check feature. Also, a quick scan of the text of your manuscript will identify words that MS Word determines to be foreign.
    Please bear in mind that this process will not replace an experienced copyeditor, as there are many other elements of manuscript editing in which a copyeditor is experienced. While MS Word will pick on mispelled words and some poor grammar, it is not designed to catch, for example, mulitple spelling of the same word.
    Part II in the series, "Choosing--and Working with--an Editor," will cover some of the important things to look for when hiring an editor.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON MANUSCRIPT FORMATTING: Please consult the Chicago Manual of Style, 15th edition, Chapter 2: "Manuscript Preparation and Manuscript Editing."
 

Welcome to Scriberia: Main Street for the Self-Publishing Author

Greetings fellow authors, editors, and book enthusiasts!

A few months ago, I had the pleasure of meeting a literary agent in the flesh for the first time. For those interested in publishing a novel and selling a work or body of works to a literary agency or publisher, contact with literary agents and other persons involved in the publishing process is critical. One must know not only how to market their work, but also how to get the attention of professionals in the publishing industry. This is not always an easy task.

Many people in the modern digitial age have opted to forego the traditional publishing route and instead pay upfront fees to a company, like Launchpad Press, for editing, book formatting, and book production. There are many such companies in existence today. Some are reputable and some are not. For those who are not afraid to do their homework, investigate all the options, and are able to invest some upfront cash in production, printing, and marketing costs, the results can be incredibly profitable.

Scriberia is a forum for the author who falls into this category. Whether he/she is convinced that sending out endless query letters is a futile pursuit, or he/she is just confident enough in his/her writing abilities, Scriberia serves to provide tips and useful information for would-be published authors on the path to self-publishing. Some of my former, current, and future self-publishing clients will have guest features on Scriberia; they will promote their works and talk candidly about topics specific to self-publishing.

I imagine that over the course of blogging new and interesting topics will surface. Subscribers are more than willing to post thoughts, ideas, and other topic-specific information on Scriberia. I will try to address these concerns as we go along.

Like many other people involved in the publishing industry, I am very passionate about the process. I love working with authors and assisting them on their personal path to publishing success. That said, I hope Scriberia will be the proverbial water cooler for writers, editors, and publishing enthusiasts alike--a forum for the bibliophile.

Happy writing and reading,

Thomas Hill
Founder, Launchpad Press
Administrator, Scriberia