Webb Publishing Services

1 What is self-publishing?

Self-publishing most generally refers to publishing that is paid for by the author rather than by a publishing company. A publisher tends to be defined as the person responsible for a publication (the person producing and paying for the book).

2 How much will it cost?

Webb Publishing charges an hourly rate for editing and design work, and can also provide a quote for printing and marketing services. There are several elements involved in publishing your manuscript: editing, book and cover design, printing & binding, and distributing & marketing your book.

3 How long will it take?

Please check with us about wait times. We will do our best to provide you an estimated completion date for your project. Here are some general ideas of timing. Without seeing your manuscript, it is virtually impossible to estimate the amount of time required for editing. However, a very vague rule of thumb may be to budget for about 8-12 pages per hour of editing time, based on approx 250 words per page (typically one double-spaced page).

Laying out a book into a desired format can take anywhere from 4 hours to 20 hours, depending on the complexity. For example, if you have many footnotes or different headers and footers for each chapter, it will take more time.

Cover design tends to take 2-3 hours.

Printing. Once you have approved the project, it is sent to the printer of your choice, who  will typically provide a proof for you within 1 or 2 days. Printing is usually completed in less than two weeks. Print time varies depending on the season (summer is peak).

4 How successful will my book be?

What a good question! Our response to this question is usually a question back to the author: what is your goal in publishing your book? We believe that the best goal for a self-publishing author is the satisfaction of seeing your work in print, and then the recovery of your publishing expenses. It is incredibly satisfying to distribute (sell) your book to family, friends and associates, and to see your book in a local bookstore. It is important to be realistic about the process; there are literally thousands of new titles in Canada each year. If your goal is to make it big, you are more likely to get there by working with a book agent and finding a deal with a major national publisher; but even then, you will be required to do the majority of the marketing work yourself.

“An author who gives a manager or publisher any rights in his work except those immediately and specifically required for its publication or performance is for business purposes an imbecile.”

George Bernard Shaw

5 Does Webb Publishing offer editing and design services?

Yes, we are a full-service, one-stop shop, interested in facilitating authors through the process of self-publishing. We will also handle individual pieces of your project if that is what you want. Our desks have seen it all… from a box filled with notes, to fully completed and designed manuscripts.

6 How will Webb Publishing communicate with me re: design and editing work?

Depending on your comfort with technology, Webb Publishing will email digital files for your review, or print out a hard copy and give it to you in person. There is always a hard copy proof prior to printing, but we find it simplest and most cost effective to exchange revisions via computer, if possible.

7 How should I prepare my manuscript to send to Webb Publishing?

The easiest format for us to accept is an MS Word document. If you can, please take out all extra spaces, indents and any formatting commands. We strip all of the formatting and rebuild the file with shortcuts during the design process, so a completely plain file is best. Believe us when we say that we have seen it all! We can work with whatever you are able to send to us – it’s nice, however, if the manuscript is in order and in one piece.

8 What kind of marketing does Webb Publishing do?

We believe that the marketing of a book starts with identifying the targeted reader of the project, and work to incorporate this reader into each element of the publishing process. We edit, design, and develop marketing plans with the reader in mind.

We are happy to provide estimates for the following marketing services: press releases, sell sheets, posters, business cards, personal web site development, and more. We can assist with loading books onto Amazon.

9 What is on-demand printing? How is it different than regular printing?

On-demand printing is a commonly used term referring to the printing of books as they are sold. A computer file is saved into the memory of a system (for example, Amazon), and the file is printed “on-demand” as it sells. Large companies such as Amazon offer authors a variety of options, from storing books that the author sends to Amazon, to printing ‘on-demand’. When a book is purchased, the nearest book printer to the customer prints the book and ships it out.

Most independent authors publish a small run (100 books) with their local printer, and upload a copy of their book file to Amazon to sell via on-demand printers.

10 What is the minimum number of books I can print?

Zero. You are not required to print your book with us. We are happy to work with you through the editing and/or design process only. If you decide to print with us, we will access an ISBN number for you, which requires that the author sends 2 books to the National Archives. A typical order of books is 50, 100 or 200. This is a good trial run of books for most authors.

11 How do I get an ISBN number for my book (and what is an ISBN number?)?

An International Standard Book Number is a commercial book barcode identifying a specific title, author and publisher. The ISBN system has been used internationally since 1970, and is a 13-digit number (since 2007). With the odd exception, local book stores will not accept a book for sale without an ISBN number.

Publishers are able to access an ISBN on their own, though as part of our service, Webb Publishing provides ISBN numbers to those who choose not to access the ISBN system themselves. Copies of all ISBN publications are stored in the National Archives. Two copies of your book must be sent to the National Archives. Please note that these 2 books must be factored in to the quantity of books ordered, at your cost.

12 How much does printing and binding cost?

As you may expect, printing costs vary according to volume and content. Virtually all book printing is now done via commercial grade laser printers. Traditional presses (the kind that print newspapers), still exist but are not cost effective until an author is purchasing a large quantity of books (ie: thousands). To give you an extremely generic idea of cost, an order of 50 books, made up of 200 black and white internal pages with a colour cover should cost in the $6-$12 range. There are many factors contributing to the cost of printing, including quality of paper, size, and use of colour.

13 How can I get my book into a local bookstore?

If you are a local author, most local bookstores will be interested in consigning your book. The exception is the memoir genre. Unless you are a relatively well-known local personality, memoirs are typically for family, friends and associates.

To get into your local bookstore, we recommend delivering a copy to the bookstore in person. They will review it and if it is accepted, they will contact you to come in and sign a consignment contract. The consignment fees are usually 40-50%. For example, if your book sells for $20, the store will take $8-10 from each sale. The author is responsible for loss or damage to their books while on consignment. Frequently, a bookstore will require you to host an in-store signing event to promote your book. This is an excellent way to receive feedback, and get your feet wet in the world of book marketing. We caution authors to set reasonable sales expectations at these events; an average 4-hour event may net less than a handful of book sales, but will fill your head with thoughts and instincts about book marketing.

Please contact us if you have further questions. There is always something to learn about the ever-changing world of publishing.

“A good book is not the same as a successful one.”

Johnny Rich