What Is Book Production?

New to Self Publishing and Book Production? 

Learn the basics in this quick article...

Even though a lot of self-publishers and small presses are now opting to publish eBooks to make money without having to handle an inventory, some publishers still want to publish traditionally by printing paperback books and selling them in person or through their own author websites.

Some business professionals like brokers, lawyers and agents like to keep printed books in their offices to offer to clients. Even a small shop owner like a hairstylist could benefit from selling a printed hair care book to customers.

Since my service is printed book production in “one stop,” I thought it might be useful to quickly summarize the process of turning a manuscript into a printed book.

File Preparation

After you’ve written and edited your masterpiece in Microsoft Word you have to get it typeset. This is the process of transferring the text from Word to a graphic layout program that aligns it in book-sized pages. For instance, if your paperback book is 6 x 9 inches in size each typeset page is 6 x 9 inches.

Typesetting is a bit time-consuming and requires attention to detail. You have to ensure that all of the margins of the book pages are sized just right, that the text is justified (straight at the page edges) and that you use the right font size. You must include a copyright page as well as a dedication page, headers, page numbers and a table of contents if necessary. When everything is finally done you have to turn the file into a PDF file.

Then you need a cover design. Imagine you were to open the book in front of you so that you can see the back cover, spine and front cover on the table—that’s how it has to look in your finished file. The book cover must have exact specifications so that nothing gets cut off during the printing process. The cover is usually a JPEG, TIF or PDF file.

Finding a Printer

Next is the process of finding a reliable book printer who can give you a good quality product. Sounds easy enough, but it can be a pain.


What I’ve found over the years is that you’ll find a wide array of quotes, from the curiously low to the outrageously high. 


Once you do find a printer within your price range, you have to double-check that your files are the right size, set at the right resolution, the color mode is correct (CMYK) and in the proper format according to the book printer’s specifications.

Submitting Files

After you submit your files to the printer, they go through a pre-flight stage. They inspect the file for potential errors and complications during the printing process. If there are problems with the file you must correct them quickly if you want to stay on schedule.

When the files are approved the printer sends you a proof copy (one book) for your review. Once you approve the proof, you’re good to go.

Get Books in Hand—An Exciting Moment

It normally takes anywhere between two to eight weeks to receive your printed books in the mail after the files are approved. Don’t forget to factor in the cost of shipping, which may have to be through a freight service.

So you see, the printer handles the easy part — running your finished files through their machines. The part before that is what requires the most work.

Let One Stop Books take care of it for you. Many of our quotes, including typesetting and cover design, come in at about $5 a copy. Contact Louise today for a quick quote.