Production Specifications:
Unlimited Publishing LLC publishes professional quality
paperback and hardback trade books with glossy, full-color covers,
in industry standard sizes.
We do not produce mass market (pulp) paperbacks, coffee-table
books, books shorter than 100 pages or longer than 400 pages,
books with color interiors, nor those with alternative bindings,
inserts, dust jackets, die-cutting, foiling or specialty-novelty
specifications. Our books are mainstream trade paperbacks and
hardbacks, printed on acid-free paper, with full-color, laminated
covers.
Editorial Specifications:
UP specializes in nonfiction books by previously published writers,
but we are always interested in promising material, regardless of
genre or prior publication history.
UP prefers nonfiction books with a clearly identifiable audience,
and scholarly books with appeal in library and academic markets,
but we also publish a limited number of novels, poetry books and
books for children.
UP does not produce hate material of any kind, vanity press
material, nor books with frontal nudity or explicit sexual content.
Manuscript Preparation:
The submission requirements for bringing back previously published
books are simple: just send in three clean copies.
For a new book, you may submit a manuscript in any common file
format, provided it is clean and consistent throughout. There
are no "reading fees" or other charges for evaluation.
We respectfully ask authors of new books to start by submitting
a 10 page excerpt, 100 word summary and detailed marketing plan,
rather than sending a full manuscript.
General Guidelines:
The purpose of this guide is to provide authors and publishers
with instructons for achieving the most efficient and effective
results. Please see the questions and answers below for important
information.
Q: How much does it cost?
A: For previously published books with documented appeal
to readers, there are no fees or minimums of any kind. Authors
are never required to buy or sell books, but may obtain copies
for personal use at least 40% to 50% below cover price. UP
does not believe in charging the public (or the author) inflated
prices for books.
Q: How long does it take?
A: You will receive a galley proof within 90 days
of submitting a complete manuscript and all other materials.
An initial printing is usually possible within 60 days
of your FINAL approval of the galley proof.
Changes following the galley proof should be minimal and
prompt, provided that you do not re-write for style or content
at this point. Please do NOT submit
a manuscript before it is 100% finished. It is
far better to wait a few extra weeks (or even months) to polish the
text before submitting a manuscript, rather than to submit
any book before it is completely finished.
Q: How big or small can a book be?
A: 100 to 400 pages, or roughly 15,000 to 150,000 words.
We prefer 6x9" books in paperback and hardcover formats.
For previously published works, we can often adjust books
of slightly different dimensions to fit, provided that the
finished product is professional in appearance.
Q: How do the covers look?
A: All UP books have glossy, full-color covers,
with vibrant custom designs that suit the subject matter.
For detailed information about cover designs, please click
HERE.
Q: What is the best way to submit a manuscript on disk?
A: As a single, simply formatted file in Microsoft Word
(DOC), Rich Text (RTF), WordPerfect (WPD) or straight text
(TXT) format. Please note that RTF is a standard "save as"
option for most word processing applications. TXT should
be your last resort; saving to TXT will remove all
formatting (italics, bold, etc.) from your text.
In general, the more simply the file is formatted prior to
typesetting, the better (and faster) the results will be. A
manuscript with simple, consistent paragraphs of text will
produce a superior design when professionally typeset.
Complex formatting with variations in margins and indents,
or extensive use of different fonts, bullets, inserts, etc.
rarely produces ideal results. In other words, simply
give us the words, and let us present them attractively to
the reader.
Q: Can artwork be included inside the book?
A: Yes. Inside the book, line art (images in black and
white with no shades of gray) reproduces better than
images that require halftones, such as photographs with
several shades of gray. However, photos may
be included provided they have good contrast. We prefer to
work with camera-ready originals, but can also use image files
in TIF, JPG, or BMP formats if large enough. B&W image files
should be 600 dpi, while halftones should be 300 dpi.
Please click
HERE for
detailed technical information about interior images.
Books that contain only text, or those with minimal artwork,
are usually completed most quickly and effectively.
Q: What about other design elements, such as graphs
and charts, diagrams, tables, and boxed items?
A: Yes, to a limited extent. If your book makes extensive
use of graphs and charts, please contact us for guidelines
before submitting it for evaluation.
Q: Is color available inside the book?
A: No. Covers are full-color, but interiors are B&W only.
We hope to have interior color capability next year. Meanwhile,
it is sometimes possible to convert interior color images to
greyscale, but we recommend this approach only if the finished
product will be truly attractive in B&W. If your book needs color
inside to be genuinely appealing, we are happy to refer you elsewhere,
rather than release a marginal book.
Q: Can my book include an index, appendix, bibliography,
glossary, footnotes, endnotes, etc.?
A: Yes. However, page numbers are not finalized until the
interior layout is 100% completed. At that time, the author
submits final page numbers, which are added before public release.
We recommend "embedded citations" rather than footnotes or
endnotes. If your book makes extensive use of footnotes.
please contact us for guidelines before submitting it for evaluation.
Q: What are the printer's specifications for UP books?
A: The printers we use have high-quality, acid-free,
book-grade opaque paper stock. Books with trim sizes of
6x9" or smaller are printed on a 60# stock. Larger books
(8.5x11") are printed on 50#. The shade of the paper varies
slightly from print shop to print shop, but all are
professional-looking grades of white and off-white. All
interior paper is non-coated. Paperback covers are printed
on an 8-10pt cover and either laminated or coated. Special
foiling, stamping, die-cutting, embossing, etc. are not
currently available.
Maximum footprint of text on page is 7.5x10.5" in
our largest size. Spine width is about 1" per 480 pp.
Q: Do I get to see a proof copy before publication?
A: Of course. You will receive a printed galley proof
prior to initial public release. We encourage you to
carefully review the proof yourself, AND with assistance
from a qualified proofreader, before publication.
Q: Before a previously-published book is re-released,
can changes be made?
Yes. A new cover design is always included. You may
also add a few new pages at the beginning and/or end of the book.
The original body of the book must remain unchanged, except for
rare instances when we may be able to change a word or two if
the changes do not alter the page layout significantly.
Q: Can a book be released in both softcover AND hardcover
formats?
A: Yes. We also have the capability to produce "enlarged
text" editions for readers with impaired vision, as well as
limited editions in alternative sizes and bindings. Please
contact us for details.
SUMMARY:
Unlimited Publishing LLC is actively seeking rights to bring
back previously published books, and to publish new books by professional
writers. We prefer short, nonfiction books with clear audiences
and realistic marketing plans. We seek manuscripts that are clean,
consistent and simple throughout, both in terms of writing and in
terms of computer formatting. For books that meet these criteria,
authors pay no fees and receive generous royalties. In exceptional
cases, modest advances may be considered.
The UPside:
start-up costs are minimized;
UP provides top quality technical work;
appearance of books is surprisingly attractive;
most titles can be in circulation within months;
broad distribution and initial promotion are included!
All text and images � 2000-2001
Unlimited Publishing, LLC
P.O. Box 3007
Bloomington, IN 47402