For any author who has written a book, it is important to know how to publish it. If you have an idea and a dream for your book, it would be very useful to know how to convert the manuscript from a computer screen into a physical book.
In this article, we will share information on the basic processes that each of our customers most often go through. Each customer chooses which processes are necessary for their work, but for the most part they are the same, because the overall goal is always to produce a high quality and beautiful book. We help every author every step of the way, advising, supporting and regularly providing insight into almost every process.
1. Book manuscript
This is the very first condition for a book to be published: the manuscript must be written. Manuscript means any text (poetry, prose, experience stories, etc.) written by the author, classically in Word format. The manuscript is the key material to get started with publishing and to understand the processes required to process it.
2. Selection of technical parameters
Hardcover or paperback.
Book format/size.
Black and white or coloured pages, their thickness.
Sewn or glued pages.
Book print run.
In addition, it is possible to choose the elements that embellish the book, such as foil stamping, congreve, UV varnish and bookmark band.
3. Text editing and proofreading
This is a very important condition for the quality of the book text, not only in terms of content but also in terms of execution. No matter how carefully you have written your manuscript, the editor can improve it even further. It is important to note that editing and proofreading can be done together or by choosing only one of them.
Proofreading – the proofreader does most of the work with unintentional, punctuation and spelling mistakes. A proofreader will fix punctuation that has been missed in your text, remove unnecessary punctuation, correct spelling and so on; in general, they will complete the technical side of your text.
Editing – the editor will work with your text in more depth. By reading it thoroughly, the editor will correct style mistakes, assess sentence structure for meaning and generally make your text clear and easy to read. The editor will be someone who looks at your book from the “outside” and, as we know, this is often useful because an author who has been working on their work for a long time may find it difficult to evaluate it objectively.
It should be noted that no correction of a text is made without the agreement of the author. Once the editor and proofreader have finished their work, all the corrections are visible, so that the author can assess which corrections they support and which they might not want to make.
4. Page layout and preparation of the book for printing
This is the most important part of getting a book into print, and without it, no book can be published. The layout designer will format the text to the customer's specifications, process the images, if any, and put it all together in the required format. The layout designer will ensure that the book is fully prepared for printing, in accordance with the printing requirements, within all the necessary printing parameters. The layout designer will also make the book visually appealing and design it according to the customer's wishes.
5. Book cover design and layout development
There is no denying that the design of a book cover is a very important element, as it is the first thing that the prospective reader sees. It will be appreciated by the author when they hold the book in their hands for the very first time, and the entire content of the book will be associated with the colours of the cover and the feelings it has created. The designer / layout designer will create the book cover according to the customer's wishes and the customer will see both a sample of the layout and the final version. As with the pages, the cover will be prepared to meet all the necessary printing requirements.
6. Printing of the book – production of physical copies
Once the layout of both the pages and the cover of the book is ready, it is agreed on with the customer and submitted for printing.
It should be noted that all the processes of publishing a book are regularly coordinated with the customer, thus allowing them to participate fully in the process of creating their book and to follow its step-by-step development. The customer chooses how the cover of their book will look and leaves it to our designers to produce it. The customer also chooses the design of the layout of the pages and receives the files in their e-mail for comments and approval at least twice before the book is printed. Depending on various aspects, the book is ready on average within eight weeks from the moment the layout is submitted.
Do you have any unanswered questions about the process of publishing your book? If so, contact info@savagramata.lv and we'll be happy to help!