You’ve written your book, you have your ISBN and barcode, but who will print your book?
Many Bowker customers ask us…do you print books? Do you know of a printer that I can contact? Since we service all the US, that would be a large list to keep and quite a job to maintain. So, I thought I would list a few things to aid our self-publishers with this process.
Before looking for a printer make a list of your specifications:
What type of book is it?
Paperback, hardcover, maybe just a spiral bound. Will it have a dust jacket? How many pages are there? How many copies do you want to print? Will this be printed traditionally or digitally? This will get you started, and then you can search for a printer that can accommodate you.
How do I do this?
Start by searching online for local printers. Call them with your specifications and get quotes. Ask them what is done on the premises and what would have to be sent out. Find out how long it will take for your book to be printed and how it will be delivered to you. Once you have your quotes you can compare them and have a better understanding of how to move forward.
What about eBooks?
Not everyone has a printed book, so what needs to be done if you’re doing an eBook? Who do I go to for a conversion, what type of file do I need to supply, is it a fixed format or a reflowable format, how is it distributed? These questions can be answered at the www.myidentifiers.com site. To help our self-publishers with this, we have a source for your conversion. Depending on the type of file you are submitting, you can choose from eBook Creator.doc, eBook Creator Premier, or eBook Creator FLEX.
After your file has been converted, you will receive both a MOBI file and an EPUB file which has been tested and is ready for distribution on any platform.
Who will distribute my eBook?
Well, we took care of that too. You can purchase distribution by IngramSpark. They will distribute your eBook on over 70 platforms (the more platforms, the more searchable your book will be). In conclusion, I hope these tips and information have helped in making it easier to get your book completed and ready for sale.
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Cheryl Russo, Customer Service II, US ISBN Agency
