Full Publication Process

The full publication option through Shadow Ink Press has been set up to make your job as the author easier and more streamlined from concept to completion. The process undertakes every vital role in the production of a completed novel explored to-date. Every step is as vital as the last in producing the highest standard of literacy perfection. The steps undertaken are as follows:

1. A 50% deposit is paid directly to Shadow Ink Press before any commencement of work as well as a ‘Standard Agreement’ which outlines what will and won’t be provided along with guidelines for the author to follow. Once the deposit has been received and the agreement signed, the editor and cover designer will be in direct contact with the author either by phone or e-mail depending on geography. During this initial meet and greet, both the editor and cover designer will ascertain the author’s preferences for the process; the timeline in which they are expecting the completion of work and any other questions either party feels needs to be tackled before beginning. The typesetter will contact the author at the completion of the editing process to begin the transition process from edit to format of novel.

2. Next, the entire manuscript is read from cover to cover in order to better associate the editor with the author’s style of writing, characterisation and overall plot. Small corrections may be made at this point; they will be simple adjustments such as spelling or grammar amendments within the text. Any of these corrections will be basic enough not to require pre-authorisation or immediate approval from the author—no adjustments to the creative process, structure or style or writing will be permitted at this point. In the meantime, the cover designer will outline official sites that we use to purchase royalty-free images and give the author the opportunity to peruse the vast database of photographs, drawings, cartoons, backgrounds etc in which the author may wish to incorporate within their cover.

3. The next stage with the editor is classified as the first round of structural edits. The editor will now diligently move through the manuscript suggesting changes in their multiple forms. As mentioned earlier, these will either be noted within text (handwritten) or in track changes (Microsoft Word). Comments will be attached to any suggestion that is made giving reason as to the preferential change and its purpose. Naturally the choice to make these corrections will be at the author’s discretion and discussed in more detail via phone or e-mail should the editor feel that leaving the text unchanged will have a negative effect on the overall finished product. Likewise, if the author feels justified in their decision to use a certain method of language delivery, spelling or style of structural content, the editor will take this into consideration. After all, at Shadow Ink Press, we are more than aware that a manuscript is an author’s intellectual property and respect that fact. Meanwhile, the author may present the cover designer with as many options as they feel could work for their overall cover design. The cover designer will then attempt to interpret these options and discuss them either by phone or e-mail with the client before settling on the preferred option.

4. The cover designer shall then create two sets of PDF proofs for the author’s inspection. The author must consider these very carefully, taking the time to think through any adjustments or changes that may be required. The cover designer will offer three rounds of corrections on these proofs just to ensure that the author is happy with the overall finished product. At this stage, the first round of editorial corrections are either mailed or e-mailed back to the author for their perusal. The author should take the time to carefully consider the editor’s advice and decide whether or not it is right for their manuscript. Once the author is satisfied that they agree to the changes—or perhaps disagree—the amended manuscript comes back to the editor for the final edit. At this stage if the author has queries about the editor’s choice of changes regarding structural content, grammar or even spelling, now is the time that these issues are addressed and resolved before moving onto the final edit.

5. With all queries attended to in more detail, the editor now moves onto the final stage of editing. This is a very important process where there should be little to change or resolve after detailed discussion and corrections were made within the first round of edits. Any last minute corrections at this stage will mostly concentrate around spelling mishaps and minor adjustments to formatting that may have been affected during the process-to-date.

6. With the cover design process now at completion and the author finishing with any minor details during the editorial process, the typesetter will now be in contact to arrange an initial meet and greet and ascertain the author’s preferences for the process; the timeline in which they are expecting the completion of work and any other questions either party feels needs to be tackled before beginning. A ‘Completion of Work Waiver’ will also be distributed immediately after completion for the author to sign off on both the editorial and cover design process.

7. Back with the typesetter and once format and style has been established, the typesetter will set to work re-formatting the original manuscript into a useable document for the upcoming printing process. In establishing the author’s preferences, the typesetter will post or e-mail an example of chapter beginnings and internal layout to ascertain the chosen styling; this is not the full manuscript but a small portion to whet the appetite.

8. Once the typesetting is complete, a printed copy of the entire formatted manuscript is mailed directly to the author for their perusal. The author should take the time to carefully move through the entire manuscript, assessing whether there is unusual spaces between words, widows and orphans on chapter endings, correct formatted sizing of chapter headings or any other minor changes they think needs to be changed before the typesetting option closes and the novel is ready for print.

9. Once the author is satisfied and has clearly marked any corrections on the typeset manuscript along with a supporting document explaining the corrections (if warranted), the author must then post (or scan and e-mail) the amended portions of the document back for final corrections.

10. Now that the typesetter has received these last changes, all corrections will be altered as per the request of the author and completed in a timely fashion. The editor will then be recalled back to do a quick proofread of the entire typeset manuscript to ensure there were no overlooked mistakes. If any have arisen, they will immediately be brought to the attention of both the typesetter and author and amended as quickly as possible. Shadow Ink Press will then send a ‘Completion of Work Waiver’ that will need to be signed and returned before the publication process can begin.

11. Publication with Shadow Ink Press will be in both paperback and e-book versions. Shadow Ink Press will not be printing, storing or distributing copies of the author’s paperback or e-book copies, but rather, setting these up so that the author may reproduce their novel in the future at a time of their choosing and with 100% of the profits within their hands. The first step in this process is ensuring that all files are compatible if the author has not completed the initial stages of edit and typesetting with Shadow Ink Press. This is a joint effort in ensuring quality control, thus the cover designer, editor and typesetter will liaise throughout this process to ensure the publication is of a high standard and finish. At Shadow Ink Press we will source you an ISBN in both paperback and e-book version if warranted. If you are choosing paperback, we will also source a barcode to use for distribution purposes for the rear of your cover design.

12. If committing to the paperback publication, the author’s typeset manuscript will be uploaded using the Createspace platform. This enables distribution to Amazon—Shadow Ink’s preferential and most viable platform for saleability. Plus, the author and their readers can request printed copies of the book at any time without costly delays. If e-book format and publication is also chosen, we like to use Bookbaby; a highly organised distribution network that will advertise the author’s book on multiple sites including Amazon, Itunes, Barnes & Noble, Kobo and many more.

13. To ensure complete quality control, Shadow Ink Press will purchase a ‘proof’ copy of the novel through Createspace to check viability of conversion from file document to printed novel. Shadow Ink Press will then mail this copy directly to the author for their perusal and keep. Again, this is at no additional expense to the author. Shadow Ink Press will then send a ‘Completion of Work Waiver’ that will need to be signed before the final release of files.

14. When both author and the Shadow Ink Press team are happy with all editions of publication, the author will need to make the final payment of account and ensure that the ‘Completion of Work Waiver’ has been signed and returned. We will then hand over complete control to the author including all logins and passwords so that ownership of the novel remains exactly where it should be … in the hands of its creator.

Please be aware that the publication process is different for each individual and thus prices will depend on the size of the manuscript, the method of delivery (ie; only e-book for instance) and of course, which stages the author wishes to undertake. If you are interested only sections of the publication process, you will need to contact the Shadow Ink Press team for information and a formal quotation that suits your requirements.