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 Manuscript Format
In order to publish your book via our website your manuscript must be formatted in a way we can accept. This enables us to reduce costs, a saving we pass on to you.
We give you a choice of font and book size and show you how to easily adjust your manuscript format (headers, footers, page margins and page numbering) before uploading.
Your manuscript should be in Microsoft Word (for PC or Mac) format. It must exist as a single document on your hard drive.
The approved manuscript template file for the word processor and application you use
Your manuscript must be submitted in an approved manuscript template file. This file is one file laid out in one of the 3 acceptable size formats in portrait orientation. Please do not change the template or submit more than one template file (i.e. do not separate chapters or sections into several files.) Separate your chapters by inserting a page break. To print your book, we need to see how your manuscript flows from the title page through the text chapters to the end.
Accepted Platforms and Applications
PC: Microsoft Word - or - Adobe PDF, Quark 6.0, Microsoft Publisher 2000, Adobe Pagemaker 7, Adobe InDesign CS2
MAC: Microsoft Word - or - Adobe PDF, Quark 6.0
Important note: If you are sending us layout files, they should be put into a Zip file and must include all fonts and pictures used in the file.
Basic Manuscript Text Format Rules
There are some standard rules concerning layout of text. Listed below are some useful guides which you may wish to follow to format your manuscript text conventionally. However if do not want to follow convention you do not have to. The book is yours and you can format the text the way you want!
Be Consistent
Be consistent in your use of each element in your book. The title, subtitle, author name(s), etc. should be used and spelled exactly the same way every time they appear in your manuscript.
Spelling
Be absolutely consistent in your spelling and capitalisation. We will not spellcheck your manuscript.
Chapter Breaks
Each chapter should end with a simple page break. This will let us know where the end of the section occurs.
Page Breaks
Please do not insert page breaks at the end of what you feel is a "page" in the body text. Since your manuscript is a word processing document, the length of the pages may not be the same when the book is printed as many word processing documents have a tendency to reflow when moved from computer to computer. (As a rule this does not happen when saved as a Postscript file or PDF file). If you are "pausing" between paragraphs (ideas) within a chapter, please note this using a double line space.
Punctuation
Make sure your text wraps. Do not manually hyphenate words. Let your word processing application do it for you automatically. To indent paragraphs, use a tab character not spaces. Use only one space after all punctuation. View the number of spaces, hard carriage returns and other invisibles by clicking the paragraph symbol on the toolbar at the top. Punctuate carefully. Punctuation almost always falls within quotation marks.
Proof Reading and Copy Editing - Styles
Check your style guide and have your manuscript copy edited and proof read.
To separate periods of time or numbers, use en dashes (the longer dash). Dashes, ellipses and other special characters are found under the Insert menu under Symbol/Special Characters. Use em dashes (the longest dash) or ellipses (...) to separate thoughts or clauses within a sentence. To separate words use hyphens (-).
WORDS TYPED IN ALL CAPS should be limited, as they become difficult to read.
The Special Characters list in your word processing application is where you will find smart quotes and other useful characters and symbols. Use them automatically by selecting them globally (for example in Word go in the Tools menu AutoCorrect/AutoFormat/Replace Straight Quotes with Smart Quotes, etc.
To emphasise text, use bold.
Graphics
What is a graphic?
A graphic is anything else that is not text. It can be large, a background texture, small a picture a piece of clip art or map.
Will you scan an image in for me?
Yes if required, please submit all images by Registered Mail and we will be happy to quote for this service.
How do I embed a graphic?
Microsoft word:
Click on where you want to place and embed your graphic. Go to the Insert menu, click Picture and then select From file in the file name box, type the name of the file you want to embed, or click browse to select from a list.
Mac:
In navigation window, find and select the file you want to embed (when you create an embedded object, be sure the link to file check box is selected).
Accepted graphics formats
The file format of a graphic is the internal structure that a computer uses to save a graphic. Choosing the correct file format can directly effect the final output quality of the printed image.
Acceptable formats:
Tiff (.tif )- Tagged Image file - for raster images such as scans of photographs (half-tones), pictures from digital cameras, images created in a digital painting programs. This is the standard file format for scanned images and for exporting grey-scale and colour images to other programs.
EPS (.eps)- Encapsulated PostScript vector images such as pie charts, bar graphs, and some clip art. Standard format for saving object-oriented graphic.
We do not accept:
.bmp as they cannot be easily sized.
.gif files as they are a lower resolution format and will not print very well.
.jpeg or .jpg files, this is a compressed file format and decrease image quality.
What are the preferred resolutions for submitting graphics?
300 dpi is the preferred minimum resolution for all grey scale images including photographs. Line art, (images with out any shades of grey, i.e. a cartoon) and colour photographs should be scanned in at 600 dpi for optimum quality.
What size should I make the images?
Images should be submitted in their final form and size, as they will appear in your manuscript.
ISBN (International Standard Book Number)
ISBN is an international code assigned to a particular title and edition of a book published by a specific publisher.
Allocation of ISBNs is done by the International ISBN Agency in Berlin through the National Centre of a country.
The assigned ISBN is printed on the reverse of the title page and on the back of the cover. Example of an ISBN: ISBN 978-0-3399557-0-5 or ISBN 978 0 3399557 0 5
Structure
Every ISBN consists of thirteen digits, which is preceded by the letters ISBN printed in bold. The thirteen digit number is divided into five parts of variable length, each part being separated by a hyphen or space.
The four parts are:
Part I. Currently 978 prefix.
Part II. Group Identifier. This part identifies the national, geographic or other similar grouping of publisher.
Part III. Publisher Identifier. This part identifies a particular publisher within a country or group.
Part IV. Title Identifier. This part identifies a particular title or edition of a title published by the publisher.
Part V. Check Digit. This is a single digit or alphabet X at the end of the ten digits of the ISBN. It is an automatic check by the system on the correctness of the ISBN.
ISBN 978 - 0 - 3399557 - 0 - 5
978 - Group Identifier - Publisher Identifier - Title Identifier - Check Digit
Application of ISBN
A separate ISBN must be assigned to the following:
1. Every title of a book, but NOT reprints or unchanged impression of the same book.
2. Every new edition of the same title, e.g. 2nd edition, revised edition etc.
3. Reprints of the same book produced by different publishers.
4. Books in different formats e.g. a hardback edition and a paperback edition.
5. Multi-volume works where an ISBN is assigned to individual volume in the set as well as to the whole set of the volumes.
6. Reprints to earlier titles not assigned ISBN numbers.
7. Collaborative publications. An ISBN is assigned to the publisher in change of distribution.
8. Imported books without ISBN numbers sold or distributed by agents.
9. Loose-leaf publications.
ISBN should not be re-used
An assigned ISBN numbers once allocated must NOT be re-used. Publisher should inform the National ISBN Centre of unused ISBN assigned numbers or when there is any change to the title where ISBN has been allocated.
Benefits to Publishers (including self publishing authors)
Promotes and facilitates the ordering and acquisition of books published in the UK both at national and international level. Promotes sales of books published in the UK in local and international market. Appear as important elements in the bibliographic description of a publication in the national bibliographies, book trade directories, advertisements; publisher's catalogues and catalogue entries prepared by libraries and publishers. Used as serial number in the stock control for title published. Further strengthens the ownership of the books by publishers.
Request for ISBN
All book titles are eligible for an ISBN. ISBN should be requested before a book is printed. There is now a charge for this service for all new publishers (including self publishing authors) registering with the ISBN agency for the first time. This initially gives you 10 ISBN numbers. The processing time for an ISBN allocation is 10 working days from receipt of correctly completed forms.
Further information
The UK ISBN Agency can be contacted by any of the following:
Tel: +44 (0)870 777 8712 (9:00am - 5:00pm)
Fax: +44 (0)870 777 8714
Email: isbn@nielsenbookdata.co.uk
Post: ISBN Agency, 3rd Floor, Midas House, 62 Goldsworth Road, Woking, Surrey, GU21 6LQ, United Kingdom
Legal Deposit in the National Published Archive
What is legal deposit?
Legal deposit is the act of depositing published material in designated libraries or archives. Publishers and distributors in the United Kingdom and in Ireland have a legal obligation to deposit published material in the six legal deposit libraries, which collectively maintain the national published archive of the British lsles.
These are:
The British Library,
The Bodleian Library, Oxford.
The University Library, Cambridge,
The National Library of Scotland, Edinburgh,
The Library of Trinity College, Dublin,
The National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth.
Publishers are obliged to send one copy of each of their publications to the British Library. The other five libraries have the right to claim those publications from the publishers and distributors. In practice many publishers deposit their publications with all six libraries without waiting for a claim to be made.
The principle of legal deposit has been well established for almost four centuries and has great advantages for authors and publishers. Publications deposited with the libraries are made available to users in their reading rooms, are preserved for the benefit of future generations, and become part of the national heritage.
What is it based on?
In the United Kingdom, the Copyright Act of 1911 and, in Ireland, the Copyright Act of 1963 (currently being replaced by similar provisions in the Copyright and Related Rights Bill of 1999), make it obligatory for publishers and distributors in the United Kingdom and Ireland to deposit their publications.
What is included?
All printed publications come within the scope of legal deposit. A code of practice exists in the United Kingdom for the deposit of non-printed publications, including microform and electronic media. In Ireland, the Copyright and Related Rights Bill of 1999 also proposes to extend legal deposit to electronic formats.
How is information about Publications made available?
Publications are recorded in the online catalogues of the six legal deposit libraries, all of which are accessible on the World Wide Web and will remain essential research tools for generations to come. Most of the books and new serial titles are listed in the British National Bibliography (BNB), which is used by librarians and the book trade for stock selection. All the legal deposit libraries contribute to BNB, which is available in printed, CD-ROM and online formats and has a world-wide distribution.
What is a Publisher?
Within the terms of the Copyright Acts, 'Publisher' is to be understood as anyone who issues or distributes publications to the public.
What are Publishers required to deposit?
Items published and distributed in the United Kingdom and in Ireland are liable for deposit, as are items originally published elsewhere but distributed in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The requirement for deposit remains, irrespective of the place of publication or printing, the nature and size of the imprint or the extent of distribution.
Where should Publications be sent?
Publications destined for the British Library (with the exception of newspapers) should be sent to:
Legal Deposit Office,
The British Library,
Boston Spa, Wetherby,
West Yorkshire LS23 7BY
Tel: +44 (0)1937 546268 Monographs or 546267 Serials
Fax: +44(0)1937546176
E-Mail: legal-deposit-serials@bl.uk
Web: http://www.bl.uk/
The other five legal deposit libraries employ an agent to collect publications on their behalf. Publications and enquiries should be addressed to:
Copyright Libraries Agency,
100 Euston Street,
London NWI 2HQ
Tel: +44 (0)20 7388 5061
Fax: +44 (0)20 7383 3540
E-Mail: ats@cla.ac.uk
Web: www.llgc.org.uk/cla
Irish publishers should send material destined for the five libraries to:
Irish Copyright Agency,
c/o Trinity College Library,
College Street,
Dublin 2
Tel:+353 (0)1608 1021
Fax: +353 (0)1671 9003
E-Mail: lbryan@tcd.ie
Web: www.tcd.ie/Library
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Self Publishing
Many works now considered classic were originally self published, including the original writings of William Blake, Virginia Woolf, Walt Whitman, William Morris, and James Joyce.
Since Fast-Print offers a book production service, you need to ensure that you undertake the traditional processes undertaken by a publisher such as copy editing and proof reading.
Editing
Every author needs an editor. As a self publishing author, you need to have your work edited before you send it to Fast-Print. Be sure it is in its final, publishable form. Once your manuscript is sent to Fast-Print any corrections made may incur additional costs.
Proof Reading
The final version we receive of your edited manuscript should be proof read by several people who've never read it before. They catch mistakes and errors that you never will by proof reading your own work.
Proof Reading and Copy Editing Services
Fast-Print can offer copy editing and proof reading services at extra cost to authors.
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