I have never had a book published before. Where do I start?
I don't want my book to be sold. Do I still need a company like yours?
If you want to publish a limited edition for private purposes, self-publishing with the help of Cambridge Publishing Management will guarantee you a professional-looking book.
You seem to be working mostly with big companies. Will you bring the same attention to my book?
Unreservedly yes. Quality is at the heart of everything we do and we simply would not allow a sub-standard work to leave our offices. The production of your book will follow the same process as any of the books we produce for a publishing company. It will have its own editor and will go through our quality control team and, if you choose to have it copy-edited and proofread, we’ll use the same editors as we use for publishing companies.
Which software do you use?
We use Quark and InDesign for laying out books. We use Photoshop, Illustrator and Freehand for work on illustrations. We also have a secure ftp site where you can upload and download files.
Will you own the rights to my book if you produce it for me?
We will be supplying a service to you so you will retain the rights to your original material, not us. Please note that it is your responsibility to ensure that you are allowed to use the material you are supplying and we will not accept any liability arising from any infringement of copyright.
The rights to use any pictures bought on your behalf will be ruled by the terms and conditions of the agencies you purchase the pictures from (when applicable). In such cases, you do not own the copyright to the pictures, but only the right to reproduce them in your book for a specific length of time or number of copies. There is more information about picture rights in
Picture agencies.
The material I am providing you with contains private and confidential information. How can I be sure that it will not be disclosed to anybody except the staff involved in the production of the book?
We treat each and every book we manage with the same level of confidentiality and we will of course not discuss the content of the book with anybody not involved in its production. We have long-standing relationships with the freelance editors we use for copy-editing and proofreading and we trust them entirely to behave in the same ethical way.
Do I really need an ISBN?
An
ISBN is mandatory if you are planning to sell your book through trade outlets as it cannot be ordered or stocked by bookshops without one and its corresponding barcode. You may also want to read
ISBNs & Legal deposit for more information. An ISBN isn’t needed if you aren’t going to sell your book.
Why does it matter whether my photos are black and white or colour?
It makes no difference when designing the book as the amount of work involved in placing pictures is the same. However, printing in colour is significantly more expensive. To reduce costs, you could consider having all your pictures grouped in one printing section rather than dotted throughout the book.
In what format do you need me to provide my material?
Please see our
submissions guidelines. Remember to enclose the Handover form in your package and ensure that you send your material as ‘Signed for’ or ‘Special Delivery’ as we cannot accept responsibility for material not reaching us. We will confirm receipt of your material within two working days.
My manuscript is handwritten and I don’t have a computer. Can you type it for me?
Yes. We can have handwritten text typed at an additional cost.
I don’t have an electronic version of my pictures. Can you scan them for me?
Yes, we can scan prints, transparencies and even negatives at an additional cost.
My pictures are really old and faded. Can you re-touch them and improve the quality?
Our software can improve the quality of many pictures, although, of course, there is a limit to what technology can achieve.
I would like some original documents (i.e. handwritten letters) to feature as they are in my book. Is it possible?
Yes, we can scan original documents to be reproduced in your book.
What is the difference between a copy-edit and a proofread?
A copy-edit is concerned with the sense, clarity and consistency of the writing style. For example, correct use of grammar, spelling and hyphenation, consistent use of abbreviation and capitalisation. A copy-edit is done at manuscript stage. A proofread is done on a proof of the book when it is laid out in pages. The proofreader looks for small errors and inconsistencies, and suggests small changes to improve the layout.
Click here to see a sample of a line-by-line copy-edit and
here for an example of a proofread.
How soon will you start work on my book?
When your first payment has cleared our account, we will allocate your title to an editor and agree key dates with you.
How long will it take for you to complete the services I buy from you?
It will depend on the services you buy, the size and complexity of your book, and whether you supply everything electronically or not. We will be able to advise you on receipt of material. Please note that it is very important that you adhere to return dates set out on the schedule and let us know as soon as possible if you can’t.
When do you need my material?
We will need all your material before we can start any work on your book. This is to guarantee that all your material is properly referenced and that there are no extra costs arising from unexpected material arriving at a late production stage.
How will I know that my book is on schedule?
Your editor will send you a weekly update. Should any urgent queries arise in between, we will contact you.
I’m not sure about what I want on the cover. Can you help?
You can choose between a number of
cover design templates or we can commission a bespoke cover on your behalf.
I have decided to add extra material to my book after it has been laid out. Will there be an additional charge?
There may be, depending on the nature of the material you want to add, the amount, and the stage of production your book is at, so do contact your editor as soon as possible to discuss it. The later you make this decision, the more difficult and the more expensive it will be to integrate your changes, and of course it will affect the production schedule too.
Can you arrange the printing of my book?
Yes, we have established relationships with several printers and we will be happy to give you a quotation and organise the printing for you.
Can I get a sample of the paper my book will be printed on?
Yes, a paper sample and
dummies can be provided on request . A small charge may apply.
What is the minimum number of copies I can order?
With print-on-demand, it is now possible to print as few as one copy. However, there are often set-up costs that would still make it very expensive. With traditional digital printing, we recommend a minimum of 50 copies to achieve a reasonable unit cost. Please bear in mind that if you intend to sell your book, you will need six copies for the Legal Deposit Libraries in any case.
Can you produce ePUBs? How much will you charge?
What happens to the files and the material I provided you with after my book is printed?
All original material will be returned by Special Delivery. If we scanned pictures, or re-touched them, we can provide these files on CD at an additional cost. Unless you object, we will keep a copy of the design files of your book so that we can reprint it or amend it for you any time you wish.
Can you promote and sell my book for me?
I have some feedback. What should I do?
What are your terms and conditions?
Please see our terms and conditions
here.