Ingoldsby Books

We are a distribution company, not a publishing company, so we do NOT publish books.  However, for those who choose to go the self-publishing route, we provide the following: 

1. Manuscript – you need to provide (computer processed in Microsoft WORD, emailed to us) a complete manuscript.  We do NOT provide editing services, so it will be printed exactly as you submit it.  (That means you need to add blank pages, title page, acknowledgements, dedication, etc. yourself.  Check out other books to see the kinds of things they felt they needed to include.)  It needs to be formatted as page size 8.5 inches X 5.5 inches, with margins of .75 inches, top, bottom, and sides.  If you aren’t sure how to do this, you can email us your manuscript and we will re-size it, then return it to you for editing – checking page breaks, etc.

2. Cover – we do not provide complete graphic design services, so if you want complex art on your cover, we might not be able to help.  However, if your cover involves only photographs and letters (wide variety of fonts, colours, and styles available) , we can provide assistance.  We need to have a sense of what information you want to include and how you would like letter fonts, colours, etc. to appear.  We can then send you a draft for your input about modifications to it. 

3. Cost –

 
·        Manuscript – the cost of printing will vary with the length and complexity (Do you have illustrations?  Colour, or black and white?) and we will get you a quote from the printer when your book has been finalized.  To give you a sense, an ordinary 200 page book would probably cost about $6.25 to print, a 300 page book about $7.50. 

·        Cover development – again, the cost will vary depending on complexity and how much you want us to do (as opposed to doing it yourself).  If you would like to view an example of a cover we have developed ourselves, let us know and we will email it to you so you can see the kind of thing which is possible.

      We will get you a quote from the printer when your cover has been finalized.  The length of time it takes their designer to convert it into a design program will determine costs.  We’re probably talking a few hundred dollars at most here, unless your cover is quite complex.  (Our last one cost $56.25.  We provided photo, text, and general layout.  Their designer chose background colour and actual fonts.)  They will also add a bar code based on the price you set for the book.  That is currently another $25.00. 

·        Our costs – this is negotiable, and depends entirely on how much time your project requires of us.  For example, if you have a manuscript properly formatted and an appropriate book cover already, our involvement would be little more than providing you with the address of the printer, then getting out of the way while you take your writing project to the next step.  In such a case, there would be no charge.  On the other hand, you might want help with formatting, cover development, etc.  That’s why we say cost is negotiable – it depends on how much support from us you need.  (Our goal is to write and distribute, so the more you do independently, the cheaper it is for you and the happier we are.)

4. Process –

a)     Email us at ingoldsbybooks@sympatico.ca to arrange a discussion to give us a  general sense of what your project involves.  That should allow us to estimate our costs.  If you wish to proceed, provide us with an initial payment (usually about 50% of our fee).  The balance will be due when our involvement in the project is complete (ie, it is ready to go to the printer).

b)      You will need an ISBN number.  That is not complicated, and can be done on-line; we can guide you if necessary.