Publishing Service FAQs

Videos:

How to use Google Drive

How to use Google Doc's

How to upload to Google Drive

Formats

We offer services to create three formats, Print books, eBooks and Audiobooks.

Print Books require someone to format the book just for printing. If you choose this option you will be charged a flat fee.

eBooks require a special format to make them the right file type for eReaders. For example, Amazon’s Kindle recently used .mobi and now they use epub. Barnes and Noble's Nook uses an .epub. In some very rare cases you may want it formatted as a PDF or .mobi.

Audiobooks require special sound requirements to be uploaded to audible, google and other audiobook providers. We will make sure your audiobook is ready to upload as is with no additional work.

To bring an audiobook to market you will need an account with ACX.

ACX puts the book on Audible and iTunes with a 25-40% royalty. There is also the possibility to have Cedar Fort manage your audiobook on our own ACX account. Please choose a distribution agent to evaluate your book.

Line Edit

A line edit is when an editor goes through every line of your work and fixes grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, and verifies works cited.

Substantive Edit

Interior Design and Typeset (Layout)

This service will look different for various books. For example if you are submitting a novel, the layout will include formatting the document so that it is ready for the printer/ebook upload. Included is a title page, half title page, copyright, dedication, etc (note that you must submit all of this information for it to be included in your book.)

If your book is a cookbook, your format will include adding the pictures and headers, table of contents, as well as everything mentioned above. (We will only format and include what you submit to us in your manuscript.)

If your book is an illustrated children's book the layout includes everything mentioned above, if submitted as well as the text added to each page. If you do not know how to add text to an image and then convert it to a PDF for print, then paying for a layout is a necessity.

Cover Design

A cover design includes a graphic artist who will make a cover according to your genre specifications. Genres have different cover styles so that readers will recognize their favorite genres off-hand. You will have 3 opportunities to give feedback to the designer. After the three feedback sessions you will be charged $50 for each change after that.

Graphic Artists do not draw covers. They use a combination of artwork, clipart, text design and photographs to create your cover. If you want custom artwork for your cover please hire an illustrator for one page.

Illustrator

According to your drawing and art styles you submit we will do our best to find an illustrator with similar styles and techniques. Once you are paired with an Illustrator they will contact you via email to discuss your hopes and expectations for the work. If you continue to be a good fit, the next step is for the illustrator to send you sample spreads. You have 3 opportunities to have a back and forth with the illustrator on spreads before you will be charged $50 per exchange. This is to limit the number of time consuming changes that can be made. There will be no refunds for partially finished books if you have determined you do not like the illustrator by the time you begin the spreads.

A Spread is two, single sided pages.

For a children's book, it is recommended that the spread has a picture that spans both pages with a voided area for text.

Because of cost considerations of final printed copies we recommend children's books do not exceed 32 pages (16 spreads) or you will price yourself out of the market.

90-day Amazon KDP Trial

Before progressing to the distribution process, we offer a 90-day Amazon KDP Trial for your manuscript. This trial allows us to assess the initial potential of your work on the Amazon platform. During this trial period, we'll closely monitor the performance of your book, including factors like sales, reader engagement, and reviews.

If your book demonstrates promising results and gains traction during the 90-day Amazon KDP Trial, we'll consider it a positive indicator of its marketability. At the end of this trial, our team will evaluate the data and determine whether your book is a strong candidate for further distribution efforts.

Distribution Agent

If the 90-day Amazon KDP Trial yields positive results a Distribution Agent will give an initial review of your work and gives feedback on items you will need to address before it can be considered for sale in a retail environment (Non KDP, retail stores).

Items that are required are:

1. An approval from the agent that the content meets Cedar Fort Publishing & Media standards so we maintain our reputation in the market.

2. Cover Design- We want to maintain a professional brand with our clients and customers. You must purchase a cover design to be considered for our distribution agreement.

3. Line Edit- At the very least you must agree to a line edit to be considered for our distribution agreement. A substantive/developmental edit is preferred as well, especially if your Distribution Agent recommends one. Forgoing a line edit may impact the likelihood your book will be accepted for distribution.

4. Interior Layout- Your book must be professionally laid out both for ebooks and print copies in order to be accepted for distribution.

5. ISBN- You must have your own ISBN or purchase one of Cedar Fort's ISBN's. These ISBN's are field under the imprint of Bridgewood.

The agent will then give the book a final review and decide if your work fits the guidelines of our retail partners. (see below) From this point on we will pitch the book to these stores and have you sign a distribution agreement. If the book is picked up by stores, you will pay for the production of the number of books they require and we will fulfill the books for you (in most cases). The initial review is $125 and if you are accepted for distribution to our partners the balance fee is $875 charged at a later time once Cedar Fort and the creator have signed the distribution agreement.

How a distribution agreement works:

You are the Publisher in this case but we broker the deals with the bookstores. You maintain the stock, purchase the stock and have it delivered to Cedar Fort for distribution.

Retail partners:

Amazon (non KDP) (KDP prints books and they are very limited in quality and size options)

Deseret Book (LDS Based content only)

Seagull Book (LDS Based content only)

Ingram Distribution (Small Bookstores, Barnes and Noble)

Here are some things an agent will be looking for to take your book to market:

If you want to sell in Deseret Book, Seagull Book and National stores and distributors:

It is best for the author to have credentials regarding their subject matter. (degrees, certifications, etc.)
Well-designed cover that stands out, BUT fits with your genre
Well-edited manuscript (at least grammatical, preferably Substantive)
A subject that people are interested in (whether your own audience, a new insight into a popular title and/or a book in a beloved genre).
Have proper citations and/or attributions
Choose good comparison titles (published within the last 1-3 years, similar topic to your own, hopefully, one with good sales, and then describe how your book is like that book AND what makes your book different-- and why that matters)

ISBN

An ISBN is an Identifier for a book. Amazon KDP does not use ISBN's and if you want to get your book into bookstores it is a necessity. Encoded in every ISBN is the publishers information. If you would like an ISBN that does not have Cedar Fort's information encoded in it please choose to purchase an ISBN.

You do not need an ISBN in the following situations:

If you are publishing and private or legacy book that is for friends and family that you have no intention of selling, at least at retail.

If you only intend to put the book on Amazon KDP (they use their own book identifiers that are not ISBN's)

Author Name

This is the name you would like on the cover. For example you may want to include an initial. You can research who else is using your name by performing a google search.

Printed Size

Our recommended options for publishing sizes are as follows and can be either in Portrait (tall and narrow) or Landscape (short and wide). 6 inches by 9, 7 inches by 10 and 8.5 inches by 11.5 inches.

By request we can do other sizes, however the recommended sizes are the most cost effective. (Please choose the size that is closest to the custom size you desire then put the custom size in the notes section. This will invalidate the automatic quotes on the printing costs, so be aware.)

Word Count

To find a word count you can put your manuscript into google docs and go to tools on the menu bar then choose word count.

You can also see your word count in Microsoft Word by looking at the bar on the bottom of the page, next to the page count.

To see word count in Scrivener Go to Project—>Show Project Targets (Mac) or Project—> Project Targets (Windows). The upper section displays a progress bar and word count for your manuscript.

Click in the number box after the word “of” beneath the upper progress bar to enter a goal for the entire manuscript

Why do we require word count and not page count? Page count can vary greatly depending on the size and font you use. We better calculate costs based on a less variable factor like word count.

Interior

Your options here are black and white and full color. Even if only a handful of pages are colored, the whole book is considered full color. This will not increase your publishing services cost, but it will increase your final printing costs.

Cover Options

Your cover options are either paperback, or hardback and either can come with a spiral binding or perfect bound (regular binding). Spiral binding is great for journals, workbooks and cookbooks because they stay open, hands free.

Cover Genre

It is important that you know your genre. This is what tells the world, at least partially what they can expect when reading your book, and the cover is the face of the story. There are industry standards to genre

specific book covers.

If you follow these standards you will likely have better success with your book.

If your book is just for personal use or just for family, then you can just write personal in the text box.

Premise

The premise is important for our internal use so we can quickly understand the book and its contents.

Back Cover

Create a good hook and lure in your readers.

You can learn more about writing a good back cover here:

If you would like the back cover text edited, please include it in the manuscript.

Additional Notes

This is a great place to tell us anything that is not included in the prompts or questions above.

Manuscript specs

Your manuscript should be a docx file, it will be converted into a google drive file for edits and then into a pdf for print.

Final art uploads

Your cover art needs to be a JPG or PNG file. It should at least be 300 dpi

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