Below is an approximate timeline, to guide authors through the most important steps in the publication of an UP book. The time frames shown below are realistic, provided that you carefully follow the suggestions for each step.

• Day 0: Submit a 10-page excerpt in Word or RTF format, a 100-word summary, and word count or page count for UP's review. UP is selective, and releases only a limited number new books each month. If your book is not right for UP, we will be happy to recommend others who may be interested. If accepted, we will publish it at no cost to you, with a generous royalty for each sale.

• Day 1: Upon acceptance, the clock starts ticking after we receive all necessary materials, including the entire, final text of the book, artwork (if any), contract, written permission to use material created by others (if any), copyright release from former publisher (if appropriate), 100-word summary "About the Book," 100 words "About the Author," etc.

  Please do not submit a manuscript before it is 100% finished. (Better still, 110% finished!) It is far better to wait a few extra weeks --or even months-- to polish a manuscript before submission, rather than attempt revisions later in the process.

  You should receive a galley proof within 30 to 60 days thereafter.

  While you are waiting for the galley, consult Literary Marketplace (available at most libraries) and compile a list of 10 or more publications that are likely to publish a book review. A brief summary of publications is available HERE, but LMP is far more extensive.

  Select only publications with a clear, direct focus on the subject matter of your book. Please note the submission policy of each publication: some prefer to receive a galley proof; others prefer a finished book. Send a copy of your completed list with a specific editor's name, publication, e-mail address or fax number, and submission policy to the UP News Desk. We will select several, and offer free advance/review copies.

• Day 60: By this time, you should receive a galley proof. We encourage you to take as much time as needed to carefully review the galley proof. You should also make arrangements with a qualified proofreader of your choice to review the galley a second time. A second set of eyes will often catch things the author might overlook. Please remember that no changes are possible after the galley is approved.

  The purpose of the galley proof is to identify common problems such as typographical errors, missing pages, or printing issues that need attention prior to public release. Re-writing for style or content may not be attempted at this stage. UP will make minor changes at our own expense.

  Meanwhile we will print and mail copies of the galley to reviewers of our choice, at our own expense.

• Day 120: Many publications require 60-90 days lead time for book reviews. For this reason, initial public availability typically starts at least two or three months after your receipt of the galley.

  Excerpts from favorable reviews can be added to the book, and used to generate pre-release "buzz" with our contacts and yours.

  During this phase we will also create a glossy, full-color cover design, including favorable comments from reviewers and the author's photo on the back cover.

  An initial printing with the final cover may be possible as early as 60 days after the galley, provided that book reviews appear in print promptly.

• Day 180: The finished book is sent to one or more printer(s) and becomes available to print.

  At your option, UP can request an initial printing of books for you at this time, near cost. Initial orders typically ship within 30 days. (Subsequent printings are usually faster.) These can be used for book reviewers who prefer finished books rather than galleys, sold directly to the public from your own Web site or live events, or given away as "presentation copies" to VIPs, friends and relatives.

  For the next three to six months, public announcements will read "For a limited time only, advance copies are available exclusively from the author or publisher at a special introductory discount..." as explained below.

After Initial Release

With your help in identifying the most promising outlets, UP will notify newspapers, magazines, radio and television stations of our choice about the publication of your book, at our expense.

Authors are expected to assist us in identifying prospective book reviewers and other media outlets, and to make reasonable efforts to be available for interviews, books signings and other live events within 100 miles of home. Additional involvement by authors is voluntary, but welcome, within the framework below.

At this time, you may also contact the UP News Desk for access to free tools that allow you to print customized bookmarks and postcards, designed specifically for your book. Distribute them as often as you like, to cultivate early interest in your book.

During the early release period, "advance copies" of new books are available exclusively from the author or publisher, bypassing wholesalers and retailers who typically take up to 50% or more off the top of each sale.

Bypassing middlemen during initial release will greatly improve our earnings (and yours) from early sales. It will also provide a factual basis to determine the potential for broader distribution, as covered below.

Within three to six six months, we will evaluate book reviews, media coverage and early sales data to determine the potential for expanded availability from major chain bookstores, Amazon.com, libraries, etc. Assuming the evaluation is positive, you will be offered an additional advance at this time, and a contract for three to five years.

In the event that initial results do not meet our expectations, we will release the rights you have granted us; or (at your option) we will keep the book available for private printings for your own use.

For books that do better than expected, we will also culivate subsidiary rights deals (reprints, translations, audio rights, etc.) and share up to 50% of net revenues with the author. In exceptional cases, we may even approach a larger publisher for international release, as with Older Couples, New Couplings, now distributed worldwide by Ten Speed Press, and Child Safety 101, recently released in translation by Business Sha, a leading Japanese publisher, with an initial printing of 7,000 copies.

In conclusion, UP is actively seeking rights to publish quality books (old and new) by professional writers. We use new technologies to slash the cost of initial release, but remain selective, like a more traditional publisher. Please see UP NEWS for real life results from our hybrid of modern technology and proven publishing practices.

Additional Considerations

• Please be patient. The timeline above is realistic, but we strongly recommend against rushing at any point in the process, by you or us. One of the major benefits of POD book publishing is that most titles can remain available for many years. For this reason, it makes sense to progress deliberately and insure that a quality book reaches the public, rather than overlook mistakes that could haunt you (and us) for years to come.

• Only in unusual cases are POD books kept on bookstore shelves, including those in national distribution. The same is true for the vast majority of conventional books. To illustrate, Amazon.com claims to list more than 2 million different book titles... but it is rare for a bookstore (even a "SuperStore") to stock more than 100,000 titles. So where are the other 1,900,000 titles? The answer is: in a warehouse, waiting for consumers to order them. The same is true for POD books, except that they are quickly printed (usually within 24 to 48 hours) next door to the warehouse, and added to the next regular shipment to the store.

• If you need books for live events or other purposes that are time-sensitive, always order them at least 30 days in advance, longer if possible. We provide books to our clients near cost, but most of our printers need a month to print and ship discount orders.

• We suggest ordering books for your own use in small quantities (typically 50 to 100 at a time) initially. If demand for them is robust, we can always print more with only a month's advance notice. Within a few months, you will have a good idea how many are needed, and there is no reason to keep more than a month's supply on hand.

• As you can see from the items above, POD works best in a "slow and steady" environment. The ideal is to get new books released within four months, then promote and market them actively and consistently, month after month, long after publication. The UP system is designed for the long term, allowing books to be successful marketed, printed and delivered year after year, even in modest quantities.

The UPside:
start-up costs are minimal;
little economic risk is involved;
professional book design is included;
appearance of books is consistently attractive;
many titles can be in circulation within four months;
broad distribution and initial promotion are included!

Please click HERE to request more information.