Just Your Type Desktop Publishing

I imagine this question is often on the minds of authors and publishers alike.
With our generation of online-everything I am sure it can be a quite daunting experience to jump into a sea of unknowns and trust them not only with your masterpiece, your life’s work or dream, but to do a fantastic job in making your book the best it can be and –to trust them with your payment.

A Good Book Designer and Typesetter will:

1– Ask you a lot of questions like:
a. what is the trim size of your book?
b. how will the book be bound?
c. do you have a cover designed yet, and if so, may I see it?
d. what is your proposed to-print deadline?
e. when will you have your final clean manuscript ready for the typesetter?
f. is your book in black in only or also color?
g. does your book have many pictures, photos, charts or tables?
h. how many pages is your manuscript?

and so on…

2 — Give you a quote based on the above questions and let you know what it will cost if original scope of work changes.

3 — Have an OUTSTANDING portfolio and list of client testimonials and references — check them out!

4 — Have a website with at least a valid phone number and a decent layout and logo

5 –Work closely with you every single step of the way to help you get from manuscript to printed material

6 –Work with your cover designer as needed to ensure correct spine size

7 — Present you with Sample Page designs before the entire book is typeset so there are no surprises when you see full proof.

7 — Keep you posted on the progress of the book and alert you IMMEDIATELY with any delays or questions about the book’s layout

8 — Meet your deadlines or beat them

9 — Listen to your feedback upfront so you have a produce you can proudly showcase

10 — Be someone you would gladly recommend to colleagues and friends!

Finding a good book designer and typesetter isn’t an easy process – I say this from experience even though I am a book designer and typesetter with more than 25 years experience and over 100 happy clients in the past 4 years.

As my business has been growing, I have been contemplating finding a good typesetter myself to help me with any overflow work or straight up typesetting so I can focus on the design, the customer service, follow up and running of my business.

To date, I haven’t had much luck. Most book designers either charge too much for my budget or don’t have the experience and eye for detail that I require to do a top notch job for my clients.

I put 110% into every book I work on — I take deadlines very seriously and I understand budgets.

Contact me if you want a person who not only knows how to get the job done, but has a great time doing it!

Happy Booking

Sue
http://www.JustYourType.biz

This one is a tough topic since ALL my books are my favorite books but every now and then, one sticks out so much, I feel it needs to be shared.

I work on books of all kinds, from children’s books to memoirs to business and self-help books and even text books and I put my all into each and every book I work on.

However, I don’t get to read much of anything I typeset because I am looking at fonts, leading, hyphenation, page headers, widows and orphans, picture placement, etc.

Once in awhile, there are certain elements in the book, such as pull quotes or side bars that cause my eye to pause and I catch a few lines here and there.

There is a book I worked on recently written by MJ Brant, “When Every Day Matters” that is such a beautiful book it brought tears to my eyes as Iwould happen upon some of the memories and Letters to Katie that MJ has scattered throughout the book.

“When Every Day Matters” is a book written by MJ, a loving mom, whose daughter Katie died at the young age of 28 after suffering from a brain tumor for 10 years.

Here is one such excerpt that I as a mom, can relate to. My own daughter at age 10 was diagnosed with severe Scoliosis and when through brain-corrective surgery and two major spinal reconstructive surgeries and I was just out of my mind with worry while at the same time knew I had to be the “stability” in her soon-to-be chaotic, in-and-out-of-hospitals life.

—-MJ writes:

“I prayed, “If you let Katie live I promise I will do anything
you want me to do. I will never complain about anything anymore.
I will be a good wife, a wonderful person to everyone
that I meet.” No novena went unsaid. That is pretty typical in
a situation such as ours. Dick stuck to the facts and called the
most highly recommended pediatric neurosurgeon on the list,
Dr. Fred Epstein, who asked us to send him all information,
scans, and MRI’s. Two days later Dr. Epstein called Dick back.
“Mr. Brant,” he said, “I have analyzed the before and after surgical
MRI’s and scans. I can do better. Please bring Katie up and
let’s talk about it.”
———-

There are many more passages and writings that I think any parent or loved one will not only relate to, but be so very moved by Mary Jane’s heart-pouring account of her daughter’s illness.

Here is a link to MJ’s book if you would like to know more.
http://www.wheneverydaymatters.com/

Sue
http://www.JustYourType.biz