We specialize in book printing and self publishing. Whether you’re a first time or experienced publisher, Priority Printing has the experience and expertise to bring your dream to life.

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Guide Index What is self-publishing? Why should you self publish? Editors Book Registration Copyrights Printing Quality and Costs Preparation Binding

A Guide to Publishing Your Own Books You’ve written a book and you thought the hard part was over. The world of self-publishing can be overwhelming, that’s why you need a printer with the experience and expertise to bring your dream to life. Whether you’re a first time or experienced publisher, Priority Printing can help make your project a success. Priority Printing has been producing quality books since 1986. Our state-of-the-art equipment is tailored for short to medium print runs. We have a complete prepress and graphics department including both IBM and Macintosh systems. In our 24,000 square foot facility you will find top of the line presses and a full in-house bindery. Most importantly, our knowledgeable staff will work with you one-on-one to ensure your complete satisfaction. What is self-publishing? If you are an author who chooses to self-publish you take on all the responsibilities of the publisher. This includes research, writing, editing, layout, illustrations, printing and marketing the book. You will invest money and a lot of time into your project, but this also means you have full control over the final product. Why should you self publish? There are a number of reasons that make self-publishing attractive. Most publishers are overwhelmed with unsolicited manuscripts. Less than two percent ever reach publication. The good news is that there is another option — self-publishing. You can do this, but you can’t do it alone. There are a few organizations you should contact to start bringing the pieces together. First of all - support. Talk to other authors travelling the same path and get involved in the writing community. Contact the Writers Guild of Alberta. Membership costs are reasonable, with reduced rates for students and seniors. Members receive a newsletter with information on writing and publishing and a reduced price on workshops. Writer’s Guild of Alberta Main Office 11759 Groat Road Edmonton, AB T5M 3K6 Phone: (780) 422 - 8174 Toll Free: 1 - 800 665 - 5354 Fax:(780) 422 - 2663 mail@writersguild.ab.ca www.writersguild.ab.ca Calgary Office 305, 223 - 12 Avenue SW Calgary, AB T2R 0G9 Phone: (403) 265 - 2226 Fax: (403) 262 - 5858 Return to Top of Page Editors Next, we recommend you have a professional editor read and evaluate your manuscript. You can find an editor in the Editors’ Association of Canada directory in the library. Editors usually have an area of expertise, you will want someone who specializes in your type of book. A good editor will not change your style but will help polish your manuscript. Editors’ Association of Canada Prairie Provinces Branch PO Box 12082 Edmonton, AB T5J 3L2 www.editors.ca National Office 502-27 Carlton Street Toronto, ON M5B 1L2 Phone: (416) 975-1379 Toll Free: (866) 226 - 3348 Fax: (416) 975-1637 Return to Top of Page Book Registration You will need an ISBN number and bar code. This number is used to register and track your book. Contact the Canadian ISBN Agency at the Library and Archives Canada to get your free ISBN number at the address below or check their web site at: www.collectionscanada.ca. Canadian ISBN Agency Library and Archives Canada 395 Wellington Street Ottawa, ON K1A 0N4 Phone: (819) 994 - 6872 Toll Free: 1 - 866 578 - 7777 Fax: (819) 997 - 7517 isbn@lac-bac.qc.ca www.collectionscanada.ca Bar codes can be produced by your printer and incorporated into your cover design. Another free service to take advantage of is the CIP Program (Cataloguing in Publication), also available through the Library and Archives of Canada. The CIP Program catalogues and publishes data about upcoming books. The information is input into a database by the Library and Archives of Canada for national and international distribution. CIP Coordinator Library and Archives Canada 395 Wellington Street Ottawa, ON, K1A 0N4 Phone: (819) 994 - 6881 Toll Free: 1 - 866 578 - 7777 Fax: (819) 997 - 7517 cip@lac-bac.qc.ca.number www.collectionscanada.ca Return to Top of Page Copyrights In Canada, a book is automatically copyrighted as soon as it is written. However, registering a copyright, which can be done for a small fee through the national Copyright Office, can be useful in the event of a legal dispute. Canadian Intellectual Property Office Industry Canada Place du Portagel 50 Victoria Street, Room C-229 Gatineau, PQ, K1A 0C9 Phone: (819) 997-1936 Fax: (819) 953-7620 www.strategis.ic.gc.ca Return to Top of Page Printing Quality and Costs: It’s a good idea to start communicating with your printer in the early planning stages of publishing to get some initial estimates. These prices will likely change by the time you are ready to print but you need them to decide on the specifications of your book and develop a marketing strategy. In order to get a quote, you will need to make some decisions about the final product. Lets get started… Quantity: 250/500/1000/2000/5000 - these are the most feasible quantities for anything other than specialized history books or yearbooks. Smaller quantities can be printed but are not as economical per unit. Size: 5.5 x 8.5, 6 x 9 or 8.5 x 11 inches. These sizes are not arbitrary, but relate to the best economics derived from the bulk press sheets used by printers. Number of pages: Although your page count may not yet be accurate, you will need to make some preliminary page calculations. Stock: The most common papers used for books is 60lb Book for the text and Cornwall Cover C1S 10pt for the cover. A good idea is to take a book you like to the printer and ask what weight of paper was used. Cover: The cover of your book is very important. Keep in mind that although you can’t judge a book by its cover, many people do. If you are going to splurge anywhere, do it on the cover. You need something eye catching and durable. It is also a good idea to protect your cover with at the very least, varnish and an even better choice is laminate. Four colour process gives you unlimited possibilities, although with good design, two colours can be just as effective. Return to Top of Page Preparation Supplied digital for output - no alteration necessary. You have completed the layout and formatting. Contact your printer to find out if the program you are using is compatible. Full Design - Printer to supply professionally prepared, final page layout and design, from customer supplied manuscript. Other Preparation: Your printer needs to know if there are color or black and white photos or graphics in your book and how many there will be. It is also helpful to know if reduction, enlargement or cropping is required. Binding: Perfect binding - Most commonly used for trade paperbacks. A great advantage to perfect binding is that the spine is visible when the book is turned in on a bookshelf. Saddle stitching - Used for magazines, workbooks, colouring books, manuals or reports (under 100 pages). Plasticoil, Cerlox or Wiro - Very useful for cookbooks or manuals that need to be fully open at a specific page for "hands free" use. Return to Top of Page Well, you’ve finally pulled all the pieces together and you are ready to hand everything over to your printer. It is important to use a company that specializes in printing books. Our staff is experienced and knowledgeable about the requirements involved in producing a quality book. We are aware of the details necessary to make your book look professionally produced by industry standards. These details can be critical to your success. Our shop is equipped with the technology necessary to manufacture quality books by the most cost effective methods possible. Because we are focused on a specialized field of printing, we are more likely to offer you sound advice, reliable service and, generally, better prices than printers who do not specialize in books. Always ask your printer to see samples of books they have produced to check quality of work and binding. Keep in mind that the cheapest job is not always the best job. When you bring your book to Priority Printing we guarantee complete satisfaction. Delivery generally takes from three to five weeks depending on the project. A deposit of one third of the total cost is required at the time your order is placed, one third when you approve your proofs and the balance when your books are printed. These steps will assist you in your efforts to achieve a well written, beautifully designed and professionally produced book. We wish you all the success possible in marketing and selling your creation. Home - Guide - Publish your own book - Product Showcase Equipment Showcase - Job Centre - Quick Quote - Resources - Contact Priority Printing Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Toll Free: 1.800.465.2237 Phone: 780.484.5330 Fax: 780.486.4386 mail@priorityprinting.ca