Universal Publishing Package: Manuscript to Print & ePub

Universal Publishing Package: Manuscript to Print & ePub

Since e-formats are the starting point for all books, whether in print or eBook form, we provide this comprehensive manuscript-to-distribution service.

The package includes:   
  1. Custom design/graphic layout
  2. Professional typesetting
  3. Collaborative refinement of the initial product 
  4. Print-Ready PDF for print production
  5. Accessible eBook formats ready for distribution through Amazon/Kindle, Apple, Kobo, Google and others
  6. InDesign package for future editions or revisions
Here's how to place a Book Composition order and what to expect:

1. Create Title and Place Order 

Use your account to add a title and place an order. 
Choose "Book Composition and Layout" from the order form (see below.)


2. Receive Order Confirmation

Your order will generate a confirmation "ticket" which will remain "open" so that it may be used for exchanging questions and information as the work progresses.

3. Upload Source File(s)

After the title has been created on the platform, use the "Upload Source Files" button on the Title View to open a folder to upload all source files we will need to perform the composition work.  Essentially we need a copy-edited/final manuscript in unicode. This may take the form of a Word document + image files for interior or cover. Sample layouts and notes on style are welcome. If there is a house Style Sheet, please add it to this folder.

4. Defining the Requirements 

If we have questions after reviewing the source files you provide, we will ask for clarification on the confirmation ticket thread. (Please continue to use the confirmation ticket as the communication channel for questions and change requests until the project is complete.)

5. Pricing and Payment

For regular clients, if price or other delivery changes are required after the source files have been examined and/or special output requirements have been defined, we will provide any price revisions in the confirmation ticket thread.
For new clients or where prepayment is required, we will send an Invoice asking for payment in advance before initiating the final production process. 

6. The Final Production Process 

Two correction rounds are included in the price.
Using the Word manuscript you provide, we will create a couple of sample designs using the content in your book and send them to you within three days of the start of the project. Using your feedback and corrections, we will create an interim PDF file for your review and approval.
We will use the cover material you provide or will create and supply covers for your approval.  
After these changes are incorporated, we will create the finished print-ready POD/PDF.

7. Formats Supplied

These elements are included in the package: 
  1. Print-ready (POD) PDF files for both interior and covers, pre-flighted and ready for upload to Amazon's KDP and/or IngramSpark and/or to a printer of your choice
  2. Reflowing Accessible ePub3 (suitable for all distribution channels)*
    OR Fixed layout ePub3 for Apple, Google and Kobo AND Fixed Layout KPF for Amazon**
  3. Web-enhanced PDF
  4. The final InDesign package
* If Accessible ePub3 is not required, ePub2 may be substituted
**The fixed layout versions are supplied for graphic intensive books like cookbooks, travel, art, coffee table and childrens' books.

Guarantees

As a Benetech-certified provider, we deliver a valid Accessible ePubB3 file, complete with an ACE report. This ensures:
  1. Full compliance with accessibility standards
  2. Compatibility with a wide range of devices and platforms
  3. Enhanced reading experience for users with disabilities
ePub files are guaranteed as error-free and ready for upload to distributor portals.

We test the Amazon ePub on all target devices and apps. These include the legacy e-ink kindles, the Kindle Paperwhite, the Kindle Fire and the Kindle Fire HD. We check the files on apps including: the Kindle Previewer, the Kindle for PC, the Kindle for Mac, the Kindle for iOS devices and the Kindle for Android devices.
Generic ePub2 will be ready for upload to Apple's Bookstore, Kobo, Barnes and Noble's Nook Press, and Google's Playstore to name a few.
We hand-code your content and images to the ePub format so that it will be compatible with various platforms.

Distribution to Portals

Upon request we will send your book to Amazon, Kobo or any distribution portal of your choice. You will need to register as a publisher on these portals if you have not done already. We will need the log in credentials and the metadata for the book for us to distribute it on the different portals.

For ePub Reflowable conversion (both ePub2 and ePub3,) we test the Amazon ePub on all target devices and apps. These include the legacy e-ink kindles, the Kindle Paperwhite, the Kindle Fire and the Kindle Fire HD. We also check the files on apps including: the Kindle Previewer, the Kindle for PC, the Kindle for Mac, the Kindle for iOS devices and the Kindle for Android devices. The generic ePub file we provide will be ready for upload to Apple's iBookstore, Kobo, Barnes and Noble's Nook Press, and Google's Playstore and most other channels. 

Fixed layout KPF is tested on the Kindle Previewer, and the fixed layout ePUB is certified for Apple, Kobo and Google Playstore.



    • Related Articles

    • ePub Distributor Package

      The package provides the two formats used by virtually all distributors and aggregators for reflowable eBooks, assuring compatibility with a wide range of devices and platforms as well as an enhanced reading experience for users with disabilities. It ...
    • Why Choose DPS?

      The School of Experience DPS is a lab in which publishers can learn to build accessible ebooks in a working environment. The unique learning that comes from engagement in the process and the Q&A which inevitably accompanies every order is invaluable. ...
    • Which eBook Format Should I Choose?

      As distribution channels evolve, the decision about which format is best becomes simpler. A decade ago, when ePub was emerging, ebook distribution channels like Amazon and Kobo developed their own ePub standards, which resulted in a confusing array ...
    • Onix for Accessible EPUB

      Onix is the universal metadata protocol used by publishers worldwide to support the marketing of books through all supply chains. For every format issued, a separate ISBN is required, which in turn requires an Onix record. By the time most books are ...
    • DRM in eBook Publishing: A Technical Perspective

      In the realm of digital publishing, Digital Rights Management (DRM) is a crucial technology that protects the copyright of eBooks. This article explores the technical aspects of DRM, its impact on the eBook industry, and the balance it strikes ...