Let’s Get Technical: Preparing your digital file (Part 7)

Maureen Shelley turns technical in Part 7 of Blog series "10 Simple Steps to becoming a successful published author", on preparing your digital file.

The good news about digital files is that the ebook format takes care of all the extra formatting that are required in a print-ready manuscript. The bad news is that you have to take it all out: all those extra section breaks, foot notes etc you put in for your print book - they all have to come out. This is where you will thank yourself for using the inbuilt formatting available in word processors. 

Less is more:

 

Remove all section and page breaks, all foot notes and end notes, remove all underlining.

✎ If you want to emphasise a point use italics, not underlining. 

Remove the table of contents and page numbers. 

✎ Leave in your chapter headings. 

Remove any hidden commands. 

✎ The long dash in Word is an example: some digital programs don't deal well with these so use short dashes or change your punctuation. 
✎ Apostrophes are another punctuation mark that can cause issues. You may have seen a question mark in some digital files; it is usually in the place where an apostrophe would be.

Remove all blank pages. Remove all notes pages.

Your file should be continuous (no separate pages; the text should flow on) with your title page, frontispiece, the introduction and your body copy.

 
It may be tempting to save your file as a text file to get rid of all the formatting. This is a temptation you should resist, as it will only create additional issues, such as having to replace all the chapter headings' format.  

If only it were this easy. Source: http://donnielight.files.wordpress.com/

Ebooks aren't necessarily great places for tables and graphs. You may need to convert these to JPEG files. Then you will need to embed your images or convert them to outline files remembering to save them in the correct format if they are in colour. Your ebook platform will have specific instructions on each of these steps.

Hyperlinks need to be formatted differently for ebook versions, so if you include them read up on how to do it. There are plenty of digital publishing blog sites, so search and you shall find.

There are about 40 digital formats 

Source: newepublishing.com

and epub is the most widely used. However, as a self published author you will want to get onto Amazon and the Kindle uses proprietary software. Also, Apple's iBook store uses a modified epub (it has different cascading style sheets or CSS), so you may need at least three versions of your ebook.

Storyist is great publishing software that lets you create manuscripts (and screenplays) and convert them to popular digital formats. I recommend you investigate your options. When you upload your manuscript you will need two PDFs: one for the cover and one for the body copy.

There are dozens of ebook publishing sites and platforms. They will convert the file for you and publish to thousands of outlets. However, they will also manage your sales (which could be a good thing) and you will get the proceeds. Expect to receive between 30 and 50% of the RRP or recommended retail price.

Another way to publish is simply to use a PDF file, thereby avoiding formatting challenges. Scribd will publish PDFs and Scribd has a very large readership, or you could chose to have a downloadable file from your own website; that way you don't share your sales with anyone.

You will need to decide whether it is better to have all the money and fewer sales or less money on more sales. If you have good traffic to your website - say 2 to 3 million visitors a month - then by all means publish only on your own site.

You will need a separate ISBN (International Standard Book Number) for your digital manuscript and a separate National Library entry for the digital format. You will not need a barcode. If you publish on Amazon, you will be given their equivalent of an ISBN.

 

A last word on digital files: use the strengths of the format. 

Source: http://www.thebookdesigner.com/

You can add social media buttons and links, links to your GoodReads review page or Amazon listings for your other books - all from within your manuscript. It makes sense that if someone has just read your book, they may want more or they may tweet about it. Don't stand in the way of your readers doing your marketing for you. Read up on the HTML codes to insert these buttons into your manuscript. It could be well worth it!

We will publish a list of sites for self-published authors at the end of this series or you could just Google it if you don't want to wait.

Red Raven Books is the publishing and imprint arm of The Copy Collective. Find out how we can help you today.

 

Let's Get Technical: Preparing Your Book’s Print File (Part 6)

Maureen Shelley turns technical in Part 6 of Blog series "10 Simple Steps to becoming a successful published author", on preparing your book’s print file.

 

The least pleasant part of writing a book is preparing the file for the printer or digital publication. I recommend you save yourself a whole lot of pain and angst and send the file to a professional typesetter to do the job for you. 

Pic source: FaceGFX

If you have budgeted for nothing else, budget for a typesetter. 

Google typesetters in your area and send off your file and get back a nice PDF that has everything done for you. 

Most authors don't try to design their covers, yet many believe that they can do the work of a typesetter. 

What you need to provide if you're going to attempt it yourself:

• You will need to provide two files to your printer - one PDF for the cover and one PDF for the manuscript itself. 
• If you don't understand any of the points below, please consult Google as there are a myriad of resources available to the self-publishing author and most are available for free.

The Cover file for the printer:

• Send the checklist of the printer's requirements to the graphic artist who designed your cover. 
• They will follow the instructions and send you back your cover with embedded fonts or with the fonts outlined. 
• They will also supply the PDF in the correct format for printing, particularly if you have a full-colour cover. The details below are for the body copy file only.

The body copy file for the printer must have:

• Embedded fonts - all fonts are to be embedded, this is why I recommend Times New Roman and the use of one font only
• Mirror margins
• If the book is more than 150 pages, the right margin wider than the left (gutters)
• Manuscript margins (these are wider than standard)
• The correct leading and spacing that is consistent throughout
• The number of pages in the manuscript is exactly divisible by 16
• If the pages aren't divisible by 16 you have added  blank pages at the end
• If you have blank pages, there are fewer than 10 blank pages
• If there are more than 10 blank pages, you have typed 'notes' at the top of each
• The last page blank,
• The introduction and the first chapter start on right-hand pages
• The dimensions of the 'pages' are equal to a standard paperback form such as Trade B, B+ or C
• All options of the 'printing' of the file to PDF are changed so the page size remains the same at Trade B or C or what size you have chosen
• Section breaks, so you can change the page numbers before the Introduction to Roman numerals
• Page numbers after the introduction or Chapter 1 starting with Arabic numbers
• The file is 'printed' to PDF not 'saved as' a PDF from  Word
• Each page set so when the file is 'printed' to PDF the words don't move to the next page - resulting in changes in format and more pages than originally desired
• Standard headings used by your word processing program
• A table of contents created by your word processing program
• No extra spaces or paragraph marks - not one! Extra spaces and par marks can create havoc when files are converted to PDF and fonts are embedded
• Word processing commands for paragraphs (Ctrl (or Ctrl) in Word on a PC) - not the 'enter' key hit twice
• Uniform paragraph spacing - not the 'enter' key hit twice creating greater leading after 14pt letters as compared to 11pt letters
• Consistent spelling - chose Australian English as the review language and apply it to the whole document; unless your market is the US and then apply US spelling to the whole document
• Numbered chapter headings
• Spell checked - one last time
• A frontispiece - this sets out the requirements under
  
  the Copyright Act (1968), provides details of the author, printer, publisher (if any), the ISBN, whether the book has been catalogued at the National Library of Australia, a statement that the author is asserting their moral rights, a copyright symbol next to the author's name and details of the edition (1st, 2nd, Australian etc). Look at recent books in your genre to see how these are laid out.

Red Raven Books is the publishing and imprint arm of The Copy Collective. Find out how we can help you today.

Attitude Foundation launches with Graeme Innes as chair

Today marks the launch of Attitude Foundation Limited a pioneering storytelling initiative, which will change attitudes towards the 4 million + Australians with disability

 

“Disability is viewed by many in Australia in a limiting and negative way. What this foundation seeks to do is change this attitude. Changing attitudes will change lives.”
Graeme Innes, chair, Attitude Foundation Limited

Attitude Foundation logo

 “I think documentaries are the greatest way to educate an entire generation.”
Steven Spielberg, filmmaker

Sydney, Australia: As its first step in changing attitudes, Attitude Foundation is partnering with award-winning production company Attitude Pictures to deliver powerful documentaries about people with disability for ABC television.

“As a person with a disability and having been the Disability Discrimination Commissioner for eight and a half years, I know the power of telling compelling stories about disability,” Mr Innes said.

Attitude is calling on the corporate sector, disability organisations and supporters from within the Australian community to join with us to remove the barriers around disability.

Attitude will raise $200,000 by September to fund the first of these television productions. The documentaries are compelling stories told with insight and understanding.

“When the Human Rights Commission produced the video series 20 Years 20 Stories it was very apparent that they had a profound impact on people’s lives – we heard that all around the country.

Graeme Innes

“One young woman with an intellectual disability turned to her mother after having attended the launch in the ACT and said: ‘I’m moving out’. Nothing conveys a message like video, and I can’t wait to see these Attitude-sponsored films screened on ABC TV,” Mr Innes said.

These stories show the benefits gained by full inclusion of people with disabilities into every aspect of political, social, economic and cultural life.

"We will not portray people with disabilities as victims or heroes but as agents of our own destiny," Mr Innes said.

Attitude Pictures CEO Robyn Scott-Vincent said: “I am so proud to be part of this wonderful organisation. Attitude Foundation is launching in Australia for all the right reasons and has an amazingly talented board.

Members of Attitude Foundation Limited board are:

• Graeme Innes AM, chair, Attitude Foundation Limited
• Dominique Antarakis, CEO, The Copy Collective
• Cain Beckett, Director, PwC
• Lesley Branagan, Film maker and digital producer
• Jane Seeber, Chartered accountant
•  Robyn Scott-Vincent, CEO Attitude Group NZ
• Tanya Black, Producer, Attitude Pictures NZ

Please contact Graeme Innes on +61 412 369 963 for more information and interview opportunities.

Pictures and biographies of the board members can be sourced from dantarakis@thecopycollective.com

Attitude Foundation Limited is proudly sponsored by Gilbert + Tobin, Attitude Group Ltd New Zealand, Graeme Innes AM and The Copy Collective.

6 Writing Tips To Prepare A Masterpiece Manuscript For Your Next Book (Part 5)

Read on for six winning tips to prepare and draft your manuscript, in Part 5 of "10 Simple Steps to becoming a successful published author" blog series by Maureen Shelley.

1.How many words are enough?

Authors often ask how long their book should be; and it is true that once 52,000 words was a de facto standard. However, these days with self-publishing the norm rather than the exception what ever you write that covers your topic comprehensively and cohesively will work.

Remember your spine width may be the first thing your audience sees, so a book with a spine width the size of the first joint of your thumb will present a nice wide 'canvas'.

There are plenty of self-publishing websites that can help you calculate spine width, so enter a few numbers and work out what a realistic length would be to achieve your goals for your book.

2. Size matters

Remember the number needs to be divisible by 16 if you are going to print and the last page should be blank. Aim for 300 or so pages for a Trade paperback B+ size, if you are writing a self help or business book. This size also works well for novels.

Say your aim is to write 300 pages on your topic.  If you write 10 chapters of 30 pages, then you have a good basis for your book. An A4 page of type may equate to up to three pages in a book, depending on spacing, margins and font.

3. A word on fonts

I would recommend you go old school and use Times New Roman. Use the same font for your title, chapter headings, any footnotes, page numbers, headers or footers, table of contents, glossary or indices. This will make life a lot easier when it comes to file preparation for your printer and preparation of your digital file.

4. Use a custom template

If you are using a standard word processing program use the book manuscript template. However, you will need to adjust the style to use the same font throughout. Once you have ensured you have used a single font for everything, save it as a quick style (in Word).

5. A beginning, middle and end

Many authors ask how to write their manuscript. If you are really unsure, then a writing course would help. However, if you have a reasonable idea of what you want to say then start with a plan.  If you are going with my suggestion of 300 pages in 10 chapters, then  start outlining your chapter headings. What are the 10 essential messages, key points or events that you  want to explore?

If yours is a cook book, then starters, entrees, main courses and desserts are obvious choices for chapter headings. You can divide up main courses into meat and vegetarian or beef, lamb and poultry - work out a plan and write to that.

If you are writing a business book, then what is the solution you are providing for the reader? In your introduction, outline the issue, your proposed solution and the steps to  get there. Then sketch the conclusion. Chapter 1 sets up the issue, Chapter 2 addresses your proposed solution. Chapters 3 to Chapter 9 then cover each step,  and Chapter 10  provides the conclusion and summarises recommendations.

If you are writing a fictional work, then think about the dramatic arc that your storyline will take. Plan your plot points and where they will fall in the narrative. Writer Blanche d'Alpuget says to tell the story to just one reader. Picture that person clearly and tell them the story so that it is engaging. This creates a virtuous circle between the author and the reader, she says.

If you are tackling a family memoir you have choices of periods - pre war, war, inter war, post war ; ages - chiildhood, adolesence, young adulthood, marriage, children, old age; or you can go with themes such as hope and joy, loss and grief. Whatever framework you choose, map it out, write your chapter headings and then write to each chapter heading.

6. The art of writing is to write

Treat writing like a job. Decide how many hours a day/week/month you are going to devote, set up a deadline before you start - you want it on sale by Mothers' Day, by October to capture Christmas sales, by Anzac Day if it is a war memoir - and work out the rate and frequency of your writing. DO NOT spend a decade writing a book - or two years if you are a child - because you will only need to rewrite it.

I used to own a block of polished wood that had chamfered corners that I called my writer's block. When I sat down to write, I would have it next to me. Then I would move it away as the writing started to flow, I would toss it on the floor and ignore it when things were going well; only to pick it up and cart it around when I was stuck.

Two years ago, I moved from a house to an apartment and I gave my writer's block away. Now, I don't worry about writer's block. If I sit down and can't write I will literally start with "The cat sat on the mat". 

As long as you are writing, it doesn't matter if it is a laundry list - the art of writing is to write. Write. Start now.

June is Author's Month to celebrate the launch of Red Raven Books. Red Raven Books is the publishing and imprint arm of The Copy Collective. Find out how we can help you today.

Rest in Print: Survival of the fittest

From office printing to the rise of Managed Services, Rest in Print launches as an easy-to-read guide to help businesses reduce costs of their office printing. We speak to author Mitchell Filby, who draws on extensive industry experience as a global industry expert, keynote speaker and publisher to examine today’s office printing practices and current trends. 

The office printing industry is under pressure.

Office printing volumes are in their greatest decline.

Quite simply, the office printing industry is facing its greatest challenge of the past twenty-five years. And the big question is, which brand or manufacturer will survive?

Rest in Print – A guide for survival

Author Mitchell Filby calls for a transformation of the office printing and document-imaging industry through his new book Rest in Print. The book will help companies reduce their costs and burden from office printing, and help the overall office printing industry adapt from the printed page to digital content.

“I want to help businesses save thousands of dollars simply by following a few simple industry best practices,” Mitchell said, “while at the same time discover insights of how the industry has and continues to engage with its customers.”

“Rest In Print provides unique insight into the challenges, and the opportunities available, as print volumes decline and the industry transitions into a services-led model, such as Managed Print Services (MPS).”

So what makes this book unique?

Rest in Print launches as the first ever book to delve into the past twenty-five years of the print industry and examine how businesses will fight to stay relevant despite customer, market and technological changes.

Mitchell Filby has seen firsthand what companies will do to survive, and what happens when they don’t, from his time working and consulting for companies like Oce, Kodak, Fuji Xerox and Canon.

The book will give readers:

• A useful, easy-to-read guide to understand today’s practices and current trends.
• Five factors businesses need to know in order to understand Page per Print contract and take control of printing spend.
• How to improve business appeal so that customers fight harder for their business.
• Up-to-the-minute tips to help spot sharp sales practices that cost money.

Who will read it?

Rest in Print was written for decision makers across both corporate and government businesses that actively have to engage, manage and require an insight of the print, copier and document-imaging marketplace.

However it is expected the largest target market will be the copier, print and document imaging industry including many of the related industries that connect into or are now integrated into the print/copier industry, such as toner & ink supplies businesses, the hardware and software financing industry, IT distributors and resellers and the vast array of printer/copier sales channels and dealerships around the world.

Get your copy today

Rest in Print launched last month and was edited by our expert team at Red Raven Books, The Copy Collective’s new publishing and imprint service.

Order your copy today.

About the author, Mitchell Filby

Mitchell is the founder and Managing Director of First Rock Consulting, Australia’s leading and most recognised independent Business Consultancy, IT Advisory and Media organisation. The business was specifically shaped and fashioned around supporting and servicing all the elements that interact and grow out of the office printing and document imaging industry in Australia.

Mitchell is also a media journalist, active industry blogger and a keynote speaker at numerous global managed print services conferences around the world.

Mitchell’s passion is to transform the office printing and document imaging industry but at the same time keep it accountable for its actions. His vision and goal is to help big business manage and bridge existing paper-based output content to a more effective and efficient digital content format.

June is Author's Month to celebrate the launch of Red Raven Books. Red Raven Books is the publishing and imprint arm of The Copy Collective. Find out how we can help you today.