Just Your Type Desktop Publishing

Anyone who knows me, or has talked with me a bit knows that I am very big on excellent communication – both in business and personal venues.

Getting a book ready for print involves a series of steps, each one affecting the other, and when the “big picture” goes out of focus, communication is the key.

Many times when a book reaches my stage — the interior book design and typesetting — it’s now in a “RUSH” stage. Having worked in the Printing industry for over 30 years, I am no stranger to deadlines, so I understand “RUSH” but I would like to communicate my thoughts on the process involved in what I do and the time it takes. So grab a cub of coffee and a comfortable chair….

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A typical call from a client starts with something along the lines of “I have a signing in one month” or “I have a trade show in 3 weeks” etc, and, “I have to have my book in hand by then.”

While something like that can be done, and is done – it usually results in a book with a poor design or laden with errors.

Three weeks may seem like a lot of time, but the printer alone usually needs one to two weeks, if not more to print, trim and bind the books.

My process takes 3 to 4 weeks and here’s why:

I discuss the job with the client — page trim size, number of pages, will there be pictures or diagrams, do you already have them and are they hi resolution, when will your manuscript be completely edited and proofread ready to hand over to me, are you readily available for questions that may crop up during the process, is your cover designed and can you send me a copy of the file, etc., etc……

At this point, a client realizes just how many steps and how much thought goes into putting a book together and this is “OUR” starting point.

Once a price and scheduled is settled on, here is my process:

1. — Review your manuscript to make sure it was input properly to be imported into inDesign or Quark for typesetting and if not, work with you to get it in proper form

2. — Review your cover design to see if there are any elements I can pull from it to use on the interior design, such as a graphic or piece of a graphic on Chapter or Part pages.

3. — Once I have cover and manuscript in hand, and know the trim size of the book, any preferences you may have, I begin work on designing a page layout for you that is both functional AND easy-on-the-eye. The trick is to make it look effortless and this takes times. I work with your longest and shortest chapter name — to make sure whatever design I choose will work with any length chapter title; I determine how much leading I want between lines of type for best readability for the fonts and sizes I choose; I play around with where and how the page numbers should go, the running headers, the pictures, captions and diagrams; I design the front matter and write tags for every element of the book. I determine how each level of heading, sub-heading, bullets and indents will appear on the pages. You get the idea…

4. — Once I come up with a design, I present that to you in the form of Sample Pages — usually the Front Matter and part if not all, of the first chapter. This is for your review to decide if you like this and want your entire book to look this way before I typeset your entire manuscript. This is your chance to see your book come alive –out of the Word Document and into a professionally designed layout. It’s a very important part of the process. This is when we tweak the job and maybe change a font, a size, nudge something over a bit, etc. This step determines how your entire book will be layed out so it’s crucial at this point to put time into reviewing it — and having any changes to the layout you want made now — before the typesetter has done all the work on all of the pages.

5. — After we decide on a page design, I then take your final clean manuscript and import it into my design in inDesign (or Quark) and I use the tags and master pages I create to format your entire book. Yes, i actually have to format every page of the book — it doesn’t matter that the Word document was formatted — the Word document becomes ancient history once I import it into inDesign. That’s where I work my magic and create what I hope will be, an award-winning book. It usually takes me 7 to 10 days to typeset a book – sometimes longer if there are a lot of pictures or formatting. This is the stage where I place and size your pictures, photos, diagrams, format and place the captions, side bars, pull out quotes and all the other elements of your book.

6. — After I have typeset your book I present you with a PDF file for your review. At this stage the book is about 90% complete and ready for your proofreading to see if you have any last minute clean up edits or fixes, or your eagle catches anything I missed or any glitches in the formatting.

7. — After a thorough review by your editor/proofreader/you, etc. you then give me a list of changes or corrections you feel need to be done before the book can go to print. This is where proper communication from the start comes in.

ANY CHANGES YOU MAKE TO THE BOOK THAT WILL AFFECT THE FLOW AND LAYOUT OF THE BOOK WILL ADD TIME AND COST TO YOUR PROJECT.

I cannot stress that enough. I am not talking about changing a word or a comma, etc. I am talking about MAJOR changes that affect the page flow.

If that happens, the entire book virtually needs to be layed out – and pictures and captions and sidebars and pull quotes and everything has to move from its current location.

Please note, I am not complaining, I am EXPLAINING. I absolutely, hands down, 100% love my work, love books and am grateful to be in business for myself. I just need to make sure I am clear in my communication to you, my valued client, in how a book is put together. Continuing on….

8. — After I receive your post-proof revisions, I go to work to get them done and keep you informed of any problems and query you with anything I might not understand in your direction. I then present you with 2nd pdf proof for your approval.

9. — Steps 7 and 8 are repeated as necessary until you are sure your book is good to go, I finalize the Table of Contents, you sign off on the book and we are almost finished.

10. — I run a file preflight print check of your files, and create a HIGH RES PDF for your pinter according to their specs. At that time you can upload the file or email it or send it via CD to your printer.

This is the basic process involved in putting together a professioinally designe and typeset book after it has been written, edited, and proofread.

As you can see, my step in the process is multi-faceted and truly determines what the fruits of all your labor will look like when it reaches the public eye.

If you have any questions, please visit my site at
www.JustYourType.biz or email me at sue@justourtype.biz.