A lot more goes into the publishing a book process than you might realize. In addition to the hundreds of hours spent on writing the book, sometimes the process that follows is even longer. Every page of the book needs to be edited. Then, the book needs to be prepared for publishing. Once all of the pages and the cover are published, everything needs to be neatly bound together and then sent to store for sale. This is when it lands into your hands to be read. The author of the book is usually a big part of this process and may be involved in a lot of the decision making.
Consider and research your possible editor. The editor actually plays an important part in the book writing process. The editor takes difficult to read paragraphs and writes them to be more clear and concise. The editor, in a sense, changes the book to appeal to the public. A lot of the editor?s tone and voice will make it into the book, so it is important to choose one that you enjoy.
Ask questions of your publisher. Excitement often gets in the way of choosing a publisher, especially with first time authors. The minute they hear that a publishing company is interested in publishing their book, they immediately sign everything over. However, there are important questions that should be asked.
For example, an important question is, will your book be published in a hard copy or strictly as an Ebook? Print currently represents 80% of 2015 book sales worldwide. Printed books with a coil binding machine tend to profit more than books that are strictly sold over the internet. Print is also 59% more engaging for users than online articles. There is just something superior about holding the physical book that you are reading.
Inquire about the printing process. How long will the printing take? Who will be responsible for printing the book? What methods will they use? Will they provide the cover for your book, or will you have a say in it? These are all important parts of choosing or being involved in the printing process. Different printers use different printing method. One printer might use an automatic paper punch on rough drafts, while another might use an automatic coil binding machine to keep draft pages together. If your book is a textbook, it may even be permanently bound with an automatic paper punch.
In addition to the automatic paper punch and other printing methods used, you may also decide which type of paper to use. Some paper is thicker and costs more per page to print. Some book paper is recycled. The annual amount of paper used in the U.S. each is 9,125,000,000 tons, making recycled paper a great choice for your book. A wire binding machine binds all of the chosen paper together, then using an automatic paper punch to seal them permanently. The perfect binder is one that holds up in all conditions.
Get involved in the print and font types. These decisions may be made during the editing process. However, depending on your rights and your specific contract, you may have a say in the specifics of your book printing. Will your book have larger print for those who have difficulties reading or seeing very small print? Will you choose a unique font that grabs readers attention? Many authors enjoy being a part of these decisions.
Many months, sometimes years of work, goes into writing, editing, and publishing one book. An author puts a lot of dedication into their writing, and makes many decisions that the reader may not even realize. The different decisions, involving how the book will be edited, published, and printed all make a difference and can change the success of the book. It is almost always beneficial for an author to be involved for every step of the process.