Once you’ve finished writing your story are you left wondering what to do next? Not only does your manuscript need to be prepared for print and publishing – but you need to be prepared too. Book Printing UK takes a look at some stages you need to be certain you’ve ticked off your to-do list…
Tips and things to remember once you have finished writing your book – how to prepare your work for print:
Whether working with an editor or as an independent author, shaping a manuscript for the last stages before publication can be stressful and confusing. From formatting to finalizing all the minor details, an author has a lot of steps to cover before they're done. Here’s a quick look at a few you’ll need to prepare for.
Review, Revise, Rinse, Repeat
The majority of the work in writing a manuscript relies on rewriting and reviewing every passage for tonal and structural perfection. The first pass edit is also called a ‘developmental edit’ and takes a broad swipe at inconsistencies, errors, arrangement, and pace. The narrative arc of the story may also change if chapters are reorganised for more clarity and readability in the text. In following edits, style and consistency remain the focus but become more finely-tuned as the process goes on.
Editing is notoriously harder and more strenuous than the actual writing process. Cutting away words you fell in love with, and you find yourself prone to take critique as negative criticism – but don’t let it dishearten you, even 'The Old Man and the Sea' was edited and chipped away at several times.
Formatting and Style Guidelines
While manuscripts might be fiction, non-fiction, or other works of prose, they all have very similar components when it comes to the formal publishing stage and what an author will be responsible for their inclusion in a final manuscript. The different elements of a book are usually organised into three categories:
- Front Matter. This can include the frontispiece, title page, copyright page, dedication page, epigraph, table of contents, foreword, preface and acknowledgment.
- Body Matter. This includes any parts and chapters of the book, as well as pages like a conclusion, epilogue, afterword and postscript.
- End Matter. Many elements at the end of the book will be highly dependent on the book's style but could include an appendix, glossary, bibliography or references and copyright or other permissions.
Make sure you’ve ticked all of these boxes before continuing. As reference, take two or three of your favourite published books and go through their sections – does your work mirror theirs?
Creating Supplemental Material
Some manuscripts may require supplemental packets if the pages include artwork, charts or graphs, and other materials that aren't text-based formats. In the case of artwork, high-resolution files should be provided so they can be processed without loss of quality in the printed form. The publisher determines how these files should be shared or submitted alongside the manuscript.
Make sure you’re aware of what your book requires and if any additional questions need to be asked.
Securing Backups: Digital and Print
Many authors may have learned the hard way that something as simple as frequently saved and readily available backups of their manuscript are essential resources for their work. Digital and print versions of the manuscript in its final form should be kept securely and protected in case of damage. A good hard-shell case for physical storage of a laptop or even copies can be a good investment, as are different cloud storage types for online access. Editors will conduct version checks with an author to be sure they are working on the most recent one together.
Essentially, have more than one copy of each back-up version – be it on a USB or otherwise.
Take Advantage of What’s Available
You may be thinking ‘what do you mean?’ to that heading, but a quick Google search can provide a host of resources and companies willing to help do small pieces for you to help prepare you (in hope to obtain your business) – with that, they won’t be a sloppy job either! For example, we offer a free file assessment to see if your files are ready to be sent to the printers, and if they’re not, we’ll supply you with a report of what needs to be done. Take advantage of the help out there.
Submitting a manuscript can be a long and challenging process, but the rewards pay off in a polished piece ready for publication. Remember that, and the goal you set yourself.