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Just the
FAQs...
Below
are some of the most frequently asked questions
regarding self-publishing. If you require any
additional information, please feel free to contact
us.
What is
the word count for a paperback book?
The
average number of words on a standard paperback
page is 250.
What size
are FirstPublishers' books?
Our
standard paperback (perfect-bound book) is 6" x 9".
Other sizes commonly used are 5.5" x 8.5" and A5
(5.83" x 8.27" or 148mm x 210mm). The QwikBook is
8.5" x 11" (you can fit 350 or more words on a
QwikBook page).
What are
the basic components of a book?
Most
books conform to a standard layout consisting
of:
- Front
cover (black and white or color)
- Inside
cover (usually blank)
- Title
page (text only version of the front
cover)
- Publishing
information page (listing of publisher,
copyright, ISBN, country of printing, credits,
etc.
- Table
of contents
- Foreword
/ preface (optional)
- Acknowledgments
/ Quotes
- Book
Chapters and text (your book
content)
- Appendix
/ bibliography
- Index
- Inside
back cover (usually blank)
- Back
cover (promotion text or reviews, ISBN/bar code
and selling price)
It
is always best to organize the flow and layout in
advance.
What is
the best way to send you my completed
manuscript?
In
a perfect world, all books would come to us as
pre-formatted PDF (Adobe
Acrobat)
files. -- We realize it is not a perfect world. Our
printing department can accept almost every
computer file format. Naturally, the less
preparation our production staff has to do, the
less your book will cost. While we prefer PDF
files; Microsoft Word, Quark Xpress, Pagemaker and
such-the-like are just fine. We can also OCR scan
(optical character recoginition) or re-set your
book from type-written pages (clean and
double-spaced).
What is an
ISBN number and why do I need it?
The
International Standard Book Number is unique number
that identifies a published work. It is usually
found above the bar code and on the credits page.
The ISBN number assures that your book will be
properly cataloged. It is also important for proper
bibliographic listing in libraries, catalogs and
other directories. First Publishers can arrange for
the assignment of an ISBN number. You will also
need a Bar Code of the ISBN number and selling
price printed on the back cover of your book. This
enables bookstores and online booksellers to
inventory and process the orders.
How much
is all of this going to cost me?
There
are a number of price variables in publishing a
book. They can be broken down into three
categories: labor, printing and marketing. For
example, if you simply want us to print your book
from a PDF file that includes the layout,
pagination and the cover art (complete); the price
for 500 copies of a standard paperback book might
cost about $6 or $7 each (includes a color cover
and approx.124 pages). If you were to take the same
type of book with approximately 200 pages but print
5000 copies, the unit cost would go down to about
$3 each. We also offer the QwikBook™
for individuals and organizations who want
short-runs of bound editions, printed quickly for
as low as $1.30 per book.
Obviously,
if your book requires typesetting, layout, overall
organization, image scanning, cover design, etc.;
the cost could be higher. That's why we like to
quote each book individually. We can advise you on
preparatory steps that will not only save you
money, but expedite the publishing process. See our
QwikBook
price list
page or request
a no obligation
quote.
Don't
be fooled by other online publishers that only ask
for a sign up fee... All you get from them are one
or two copies of your book. Most of them set your
cover price, and require that you buy copies (of
your own book) at a small percentage off the
selling price. Your books can end up costing you
upwards of $15-$20 each --plus, they take a major
chunk out in royalties. Unless you're offered a
book deal with a major publisher who contracts (in
writing) to aggressively market and promote your
work, this kind of arrangement can end up being
counter-productive.
Does First
Publishers take a percentage of my
royalties?
No.
Our primary mission is to help authors get their
books printed. You keep all of the profit from
sales.
How do I
sell my book online?
First
Publishers can arrange to have your book included
on all the popular online catalogs. We will will
also provide you with a free web page.
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