September 24th, 2010
Self-publishing is a world heavily populated by creative do-it-yourselfers. So when it comes to marketing their freshly printed book, the first step many authors take is into the world of social media. Social media has been a boon for the independent author, as it gives your average Joe a chance to output creative content in an instantly available format to a mass audience. No middle-man, no publishing fees or royalties, and no advertising dollars spent; social media can deliver a direct message about your product to anyone who will listen.
We at Best Book Printing welcome the social media types. In fact, we welcome them directly to our own outlets. This week Colorwise took its first steps into the world of social media with brand new Facebook and Twitter pages.
Our goal is to provide our audience with interesting and truly useful content about the world of printing, self-publishing, book layout and much more. We already provide helpful advice and information to clients as a customer service function everyday, so we may as well help everyone else while we’re at it. Click on the icons below to visit our pages.
September 9th, 2010
Below are a variety of ways to make your hardcover/case bound book unique. Contact your customer service representative or call us at 888-664-8166 to receive more information about these options:
Headbands
Headbands are the fabric decorative piece along the top and bottom spine of the book. They are available in a variety of color combinations.
Ribbons
You could also apply a ribbon to your book as a place holder. White and black are our standard colors.
End Sheets
End sheets tie the book block to the case and must be of the highest quality and durability to withstand extended use. Our standard colored end sheets are white.
Book Cloth
The number of options of book cloth options can be quite overwhelming. Our standard and most popular colors are black, green and blue. If your book is getting foil stamped an upgraded book cloth might be necessary to ensure proper application of the foil. Finishes available include: smooth, linen, vellum, imitation and genuine leather. Consult with your customer service representative to help you choose the right book cloth that best suites your needs.
Custom Foil Design
Although we can foil stamp lettering on the face and spine of the book, nothing will make your book cover pop more than a custom die. Our standard foil stamp colors are white, gold and silver.
Shrinkwrapping
Shrinkwrapping covers the entire book in a clear film. This also allows you to apply stickers to the outside of the book without damaging the dust jacket. It helps protect the book during the shipping/delivery process as well and is recommended for all hardcover/case bound books.
August 17th, 2010
There are a few key steps that all self publishers must follow when preparing new material for the marketplace. One of these key steps is acquiring an ISBN number. An ISBN number is a unique identifier to your book. Online stores such as Borders, Barnes & Noble and Amazon will need this number to catalog and inventory your book. You may also want to consider purchasing your barcode at the same time as your ISBN number. Whether you plan to sell your book on an online store or in a brick-and-mortar storefront, you’ll need an ISBN number to move forward.
In the United States, there is a single agency in control of issuing all ISBN numbers. You can find out more about them here. Once you have your ISBN and barcode, all you have to do is submit it to us along with your artwork, and you’ll be one step closer to publication!
April 22nd, 2010
At home you may find ways to protect the environment by recycling, conserving energy and choosing fuel-efficient cars. But what can you do at office? Through our hectic work days it may not be at the forefront of our thoughts. How about choosing a copy paper that is highly sustainable, chlorine free, and is tree free. Treefrog is a new line of paper that is made of 70% sugar cane and 30% bamboo. Bamboo and sugar cane can be harvested in a fraction of the time of trees. Preserving our forests protects our trees, wildlife, air quality and ozone layer depletion.
Click here to learn more about Treefrog paper as well as reference the attached PDF. If you would like additional information regarding this product and pricing feel free to call Valerie at 888.664.8166.
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February 15th, 2010
Front matter is the term used for the information and pages that proceed the body text of a book. This material begins as the first printed page and ends before chapter one. There is far more detailed information about front matter available and should be searched out when creating your book layout. Below are listed the more common elements that we see in the books that we produce. They are listed in the order in which they should appear in the layout and unless noted otherwise, all elements begin on a right side page.
Half Title Page - This is a page with the title of the book and nothing else.
Frontispiece - A left page illustration that precedes (faces) the title page. Not very common but is still used from time to time.
Title Page - Includes the full book title, subtitle and author and can include the editor, illustrator, publisher and so on.
Edition Notice - A left page, sometimes called the copyright page. This page contains technical and legal information about the book including; copyright notice, legal notices, publication info, printing history, catalog information and ISBN number.
Dedication Page
Table of Contents
Foreword - Written by someone besides the author of the book. Generally about a relationship between the author of the book and the author of the foreword.
Preface or Introduction - An introduction of the book written by the book’s author.
Acknowledgements - A list of those that helped the author in the creation of the book through editorial, financial, moral or technical support.
Prologue - Similar to a preface but written by the author in the voice of a character in the book.
