Tag Archives: self-publish

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Paperback Formatting Guidelines for Self Publishers

Ever wonder how to make your self published paperback version look professional?  Here are some of the things most self publishers overlook.

Front Matter

What is front matter?  Simply put, it’s all of the stuff at the beginning of the book before you get to the first chapter.  It can include:

  • List of other books written by the author
  • Title page
  • Copyright page
  • Work of fiction disclaimer or other disclaimers
  • Dedication
  • Foreword / Introduction

Here are some guidelines for making the front matter look more professional in your paperback edition:

1. Don’t put anything on the first page or save it for customer reviews.  Most mass produced paperbacks leave this page blank or they have little one sentence snippets from famous people, other authors, etc. about the book.

2.  Always start the title page on the right hand side (odd numbered page).

3.  Don’t include page numbers on front matter.  Let me say this again.  Do not include page numbers on the front matter (except in the case of a Foreword / introduction.  Then use small roman numerals.)

4.  Copyright and work of fiction disclaimers typically appear on the reverse of the title page.  This isn’t a hard rule, but it does look nicer.  Also, use a small font (8 pt is good) for copyright and work of fiction disclaimers to help keep it to one page.  Most readers skip right over it.

5.  Start introductions, forewords, dedications, etc. on the right hand side (odd numbered page).

6.  Leave at least one blank page between the front matter and the start of the first chapter.

Chapters

Some guidelines for formatting chapters in your paperback version:

1. Always start chapters on the right hand side (odd numbered page).  So, if the previous chapter ends on the right hand side, in Word, insert a page break (CTRL + ENTER) to leave an extra blank page before the start of the next chapter.

2.  Remove page numbers from blank page(s) between chapters.  This is one of the most frustrating and often overlooked formats in a paperback version.  But, if you pick up any mass produced novel, you’ll see that it’s common to remove page numbers from all blank pages.

3.  It is alright to use fancy fonts, image dividers, etc. to make the start of your chapter stand out (don’t use lots of different fonts in the body of chapters).  Just make sure it’s consistent throughout the entire book.  Pick one font and size for chapter headings and stick with it.  Pick one image divider and use it consistently.  Pick one set of spacing for the chapter header from the top of the page and use it consistently.  One way to ensure consistency in Word is to set up a Style for chapter headings.

4.  Limit the number of fonts and font types (italics, bold, etc.) that you use in the chapter body.  Too many fonts and font sizes makes the book look amateurish.  Don’t forget to justify the text – which means the right and left sides of the text should be flush against the margin.

5.  Don’t forget your gutters.  This is another big pain point.  Not all margins are created equal.  My advice for dealing with gutters and margins:  do this first or download a template from your Print On Demand (POD) vendor (i.e. Create Space, Lulu, etc.).

6.  Keep page number formatting consistent.  The best approach is to always center it.

7.  Keep paragraph spacing and indents consistent.  One of the best ways to do this is to use a Style in Word.  Most paperback books do not have the extra line spacing that comes as the default in Word, so it’s a good idea to change it.  Most novels also use a 0.3” indent to start new paragraphs.  Manuals, textbooks, etc., tend to use no indent and bigger line spacing at the end of a paragraph.  When in doubt, pull a few books off your shelf (or go to a library) and observe the nuances.

8.  What font size should you use for the chapter body?  Typically something between 10 – 12 pt.

9.  Keep an eye out for weird line breaking.  Sometimes you may want to add a hypen to break a word across two lines to avoid strange spacing between words.  Other times, you may want to rewrite the sentence so the spacing looks more pleasing to the eye.

Back Matter

Back matter can include items like:

  • Acknowledgements
  • Authors Notes
  • References
  • Bibliographies
  • Indexes
  • Author Bio
  • Author website and list of author’s other books, etc.

Consistency between chapters and the back matter help it look more professional.  Try this ideas:

1.  Start each new type of back matter on the right hand side (odd numbered page).

2.  Try using the same headings for Authors Notes, Acknowledgements, etc., as what you used for chapter headings.  If it doesn’t look right, then pick some new formatting, but keep it consistent.

3.  Depending on the type of book you have, you may want to remove the page numbers from all back matter.  Cases where you might not want to do this would be for long appendices, indexes, etc.  When in doubt, observe what other mass produced books do.

4.  Don’t forget to include author information inside the paperback book in the back matter.  This is a great opportunity to let readers know about your website, how to find you on social media, and give them a sneak peek at your next book.  Make it count.

5.  Leave a few blank pages at the end.  Some POD vendors require that the total number of pages be divisible by 4, which means a few blanks at the end to make it happen.  It also looks nicer not to end the book with text on the last page.

Cover Design

This is one area where I strongly encourage you to hire a professional designer.  While many POD vendors offer do-it-yourself options, the best way to get a professional looking print cover is to use a professional designer.

If you do decide to foray into the world of designing your own cover, be sure to look for the POD vendor’s cover template for the size and number of pages of the book you’re producing.  This means all your other formatting has to be final before you do the cover layout so you will know your final page count.

Final Words of Advice

When possible, start with a template from your POD vendor.  This can save you a ton of time and hassle.  Most of them have templates for each paper size they produce.  You may have to do a little digging, but they are there.

Get friendly with Word.  If you aren’t comfortable with concepts like styles, page breaks, page numbering, etc., consider taking a class or watching online tutorials on the web for the version of Word that you’re using.  These skills will help you beyond just formatting your paperback version.

Always order a printed proof.  Even though some POD vendors offer online previews (which I strongly encourage you to use), you’ll still want to get a printed copy.  Then carefully read through the printed proof.  Look for line spacing and formatting errors.  You may even find editorial errors missed by you or your editors.  Once, I found missing page numbers on a few chapters.  It’s worth the time and money to make sure you get it right.

Lastly, be patient with yourself—especially on your first go around.  It takes time to work through the nuances of formatting.  Allow yourself several days the first time.  Give yourself a quiet place to work on it.  Oh, and a glass of wine can sometimes come in handy.

 

Karen BaneyBest-selling self-published author, Karen Baney, enjoys sharing information to help authors learn about the Business of Writing.  She holds a Masters of Business Administration from Arizona State University and has worked in various business related career fields for the past 20 years.  She writes Christian Historical Fiction and Contemporary Romance novels.  To learn more about her novels visit her website:  karenbaney.com.  Authors can find tips and information on self-publishing and marketing at:  www.myauthorservices.com.

Karen and her husband, Jim, also run several online businesses.  They make their home in Gilbert, AZ, with their two dogs.

Her latest book, 10 Keys to eBook Marketing Success, is now available on Amazon.

Connect with Karen on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+.

 

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How I Published My Book For $350

I recently attended an event where a company discussed how they could help an author self publish.  The total cost they quoted to help the individual publish was a minimum of $1800.  But they strongly encouraged writers to purchase a minimum quantity of books that brought the total to $3400.

What did the author get for $3400?  They receive editing services, original cover design, interior design, ISBN, barcode, and 215 paperback copies (they threw in 15 free copies) of their book.

I cringed.  I bit my tongue.  My heart flew out of my chest.  My stomach tightened into a giant knot.  I watched as dreams of the other authors shattered before my eyes.

My Publishing Costs

For my book, Prescott Pioneers 3: A Life Restored, here’s a breakdown of my publishing costs:

Item Cost
Cover Art  $         150.00
Editing  $           50.00
3 ISBNs*  $           75.00
Copyright filing fee  $           35.00
Paperback Pro fee  $           40.00
Total  $         350.00

*one for Kindle, one for epub, one for paperback

Is your jaw dropping?  Are you thinking to yourself: her cover must be crappy and the book full of editing mistakes.

While I can’t promise there are no errors in my books (even the big publishing houses miss things), I will tell you that I have two editors that line edit every book I produce.  I also go through it many, many times myself.  I have high standards for myself and strive to put out a high quality book.

As for the cover, see for yourself.  I can guarantee no one else has this cover.  The artist was commissioned to make this for me.  It fits with the genre of the book and many fans have exclaimed how much they love the cover.

How did I do it for so little cost?

Cover Art

I found my illustrator at ConceptArt.org (not suitable for work).  When I needed artwork for the first cover in my series, I posted an ad, including what I was willing to pay.  Though I paid far less than $150 for the first cover, I was glad to pay more for this cover because my illustrator did such a good job on the first two and I asked for something more complex this time.

Another great place to get cover art is iStockPhoto.  You can pay a fee for rights to use the image.  In some cases, you can pay an exclusivity fee meaning that no one else can use the image.

Do you have an art school nearby?  Consider contacting the school to see if you can connect with students who might be willing to work for free or a small cost.

Editing

One of my editors is also an aspiring author.  She and I have an agreement where we trade editing.  Since I feel she gets the raw end of the deal (she’s edited four of my books to her one), I agreed to help her get her book ready for publishing.  So, I traded time for services, instead of money.

The other editor is a special circumstance using my network of connections.  As I continue to make more sales, I send her gift cards to thank her.  For this one, it was a $50 gift card.

ISBNs

There are all sorts of opinions about ISBNs.  I decided to go with Bowker’s recommendation, which is one ISBN for each format: hardcover, paperback, Kindle, ePub, etc.  So, per book I have 3 ISBNs. Because I buy them in blocks of 10 for $250, my cost per book is only $75.

Copyright Filing Fee

The copyright filing fee is something I feel is necessary.  Again, there doesn’t seem to be a general consensus on if this is required.  My thoughts?  It’s only $35.  It doesn’t hurt to have your book on file with the copyright office just in case.  I’m willing to pay $35 for peace of mind.

Print On Demand

The line item “paperback pro fee” is the price that my print-on-demand (POD) provider charges me to get the paperback version into bookstores and on Amazon and B&N.

Also, I don’t have to purchase a minimum quantity of paperback books.  The provider I use charges me a lower price, so I can order copies for my inventory at cost (plus a small fee) instead of retail.  I don’t have a garage full of books warping in the Arizona heat.

What do I get for $350?

A fully produced book that is available on Amazon and B&N in both paperback and eBook.  It’s also available as an eBook on Apple, Sony, Kobo, and Diesel.  It’s been edited by two editors and it has a fully custom cover.

Can you do this for the same cost?  I believe you can if you are resourceful.  Use the power of your network.  Trade for services instead of paying a fee.  Look for creative ways to get cover art for low cost.

Like what you’ve read?  Leave a comment below or email Karen at info(at)karenbaney(dot)com or check out her books on her Amazon Page.

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Should You Self Publish?

I’m currently reading James Scott Bell’s book, Writing Fiction for All You’re Worth.

In one of the chapters he talks about why he thinks authors should not self-publish, especially if they desire to eventually be picked up by a traditional publisher.

At first, as a self-published author, I found myself disagreeing with Mr. Bell.  I thought, why wouldn’t I self-publish?  I’ve got two highly rated novels under my belt, with a third coming out in a few weeks.  I’m getting lots of positive feedback.  Sales are good.  And, as a self-published author, I get a much higher percentage of the royalties on a book than my traditionally published counterparts.

Then, I started to consider Mr. Bell’s reasoning and found myself agreeing with him on many fronts.  One of the reason he gives for not self-publishing is that it can hurt an author’s image and credibility in the long run.  In this case, I agree—if the book itself is not publish worthy.  I recently read a self-published romance novel that I feel illustrates this point completely.  The plot was poorly executed and it needed another read through on editing.  In situations like this, the author is hurting themselves by putting out an inferior product.  As a reader, I won’t pick up another book written by this author.  Yet, if this author improves over time, I could be missing out.

One of the tricky things with self-publishing is the whole “self” part.  You have to be a very good judge of your own work—which is really, really, REALLY hard to do.  I love the books I write.  I love my characters.  And I can’t wait to share them with everyone else in the universe.  So, I have to put aside “self” and look at my work from a different, even detached, perspective.  I have to put on my publisher hat and ask, “Is this book ready for publishing?”

How do I decide if its ready for publishing?

  1. Is it free from mechanical defects (plot issues, character issues, etc.)?  Sometimes to determine this, I will pass on an unedited version of the manuscript to beta readers.  (It’s a challenge finding people who will be brutally honest with you).
  2. I ask myself if there are any parts of the book that bore me to tears.  I’ve read it 50 to 100 times, so if I’m bored, I better go back and fix it.
  3. I also ask myself if there are parts of the book that don’t feel right.  Then I re-read those sections to figure out why.  Maybe I’m making my character do something uncharacteristic.  Maybe I’ve written a very cheesy scene.  Whatever it is, I try to objectively look at it and either cut it or rewrite it.  (Mr. Bell’s book, Revision And Self-Editing has been a great resource for me.)
  4. When I think its ready for publishing, I send it off to two editors.  I have a few people in my network of family and friends that are very gifted with this (former school teacher, English major, and someone who used to work in publishing industry).  I always run it past two people because it’s amazing how each one finds different things.
  5. Once I make the edits suggested by my editors, I self-edit by reading through it as many times as it takes until I don’t find any errors.  As I practice by writing more and more, I learn about my common mistakes and keep an eye out for those.  Sometimes I read through it twice.  Other times, it will be more like ten or fifteen times until I believe it is the best it can be.

The most important thing to remember is that you have all the time in the world when you self-publish.  It’s okay to use it.

For more information about why I self publish, check out my post Why I Self Publish.

Karen BaneyBest-selling self-published author, Karen Baney, enjoys sharing information to help authors learn about the Business of Writing.  She holds a Masters of Business Administration from Arizona State University and has worked in various business related career fields for the past 20 years.  She writes Christian Historical Fiction and Contemporary Romance novels.  To learn more about her novels visit her website:  karenbaney.com.  Authors can find tips and information on self-publishing and marketing at:  www.myauthorservices.com.

Karen and her husband, Jim, also run several online businesses.  They make their home in Gilbert, AZ, with their two dogs.

Her latest book, 10 Keys to eBook Marketing Success, is now available on Amazon.

Connect with Karen on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+.

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Are Indie Authors Real Authors?

Recently, I tried to join a national writers association for one of the genres of my book, A Dream Unfolding.  Having seen some organizations who specifically state they do not accept indie or self-published authors, I carefully reviewed the membership information on their website.  The wording on the site left me believing my work as an indie author would receive the same respect as my traditionally published peers.

Imagine my utter surprise and disappointment when I received the welcome email and read this line:

For [our] purposes, a published author is an author who is contracted and paid by a publisher for the work. The author does not contribute financially to the publication of the work. The publisher is not a POD, subsidy or vanity publisher. And the work is attributed to the author.

This information was nowhere on their website.  I already paid for a membership before I found out the organization’s stance on indie authors.  I was extremely disappointed because without author status the resources provided by this organization would be very limited to me.  I also would not be able to post a profile on their author page nor participate in any of their writing contests.  I was some other class of writer—perhaps not even a real writer.

After requesting my money back in the most diplomatic and non-offensive way as possible, I received back a response that included this statement of the organization’s vision:

To promote excellence in [genre] fiction and advance the professional interests of career-focused [genre] writers…

Was I supposed to assume that as an independent self-published author that I was not “career-focused”?

Following this experience, I began to question why there is such negative stigma out there for indie authors.  My work is quality.  I have received five 5-star reviews (out of a total of seven reviews, the other two being 4-stars) on Amazon in the first two months of publication from individuals who have never met me and can only judge me by the content of my book.

Not only am I career-focused, but also business focused.  That is one reason why I chose self-publishing over traditional publishing—I have a passion for business (and a degree in business).   I am 100% responsible for the success or failure of my book business.  And I would not have it any other way.

Even though I choose to run my writing as a business where I maintain control, it does not mean that I don’t want to be a part of a community of writers—both traditionally published and independent.  The craft of writing is the same regardless of the business model chosen.  Grammar is still grammar.  Writer’s block is still tough.  Improving dialogue, characterization, and style are still important.

I would hope that any organization dedicated to promotion excellence in writing would want to broaden their audience base and include writers of all business models.  We can learn so much from each other.

So, what’s your take?  Can indie authors and traditionally published authors learn from each other?  Should organizations be open to both types of professionals?

Please take a minute to weigh in on the discussion by leaving a comment.  I would love to hear from all authors—indie or not; published, self-published, or still unpublished.

Also, please check back in the coming weeks.  I’ll be talking more about topics such as:  differences between traditional and self-publishing, what is marketing mix, market disruption in the publishing industry, and more.