Publishing Services

Proofread Edit

You have expended a lot of time, effort and energy in writing your book.  If you’ve been at your craft for a while, you realize that proofreading your own work is not a good idea, nor is it prudent to have a friend or relative review it.  You need an independent, qualified editor to look at it word-by-word, page-by-page, to assure, at a minimum, that it passes our “GPS” Test-Grammar, Punctuation, Spelling.

Mark Twain, in an 1898 letter to Sir Walter Besant, shared his thoughts about the frustrations of attempting to proofread your own writing:

 

“You think you are reading proof, whereas you are merely reading your own mind; your statement of the thing is full of holes & vacancies but you don’t know it, because you are filling them from your mind as you go along. Sometimes–but not often enough–the printer’s proof-reader saves you–& offends you–with this cold sign in the margin: (?) & you search the passage & find that the insulter is right–it doesn’t say what you thought it did: the gas-fixtures are there, but you didn’t light the jets.”

 

Still unsure about whether or not you want your manuscript proofread?  Read on.

A short Q&A about proofreading and editing

What is proofreading?

Proofreading is a slow and methodical search for typographical mistakes, omitted words or word endings, and misspellings.

Who is qualified to be a proofreader?

There is no standardized test; however, at MidTown Publishing we have our standards:

• At a minimum, the editor must have a Bachelor’s Degree in one of the English disciplines
• We prefer editors who are graduates of or are in the process of attending MFA programs in creative writing
• English teachers who have been grading submissions by students for many years are also a preference
• The editor must be a competent writer
• The editor must be able to effectively communicate his or her proofreading decisions regarding  the manuscript to the author
• The editor must be familiar with the “Review” protocols of MSWord
• The editor must be able to facilitate an online chat, should the author elect to participate in this option, for purposes of explaining proofreading suggestions to the manuscript
• The editor must be courteous when dealing with an author.

Are there other edits an author should consider?

Yes.  We have a number of editing options available to our writers. Click on Advanced Editing.

If I want an assessment of my manuscript before publication do you offer an evaluation service?

Yes.  With our Editorial Assessment you will receive the following:

Our senior editor will read up to 35 double-spaced pages of your manuscript and prepare a multipage report that offers critical feedback intended to enhance the publication potential of your work.

For a fiction manuscript, our senior editor will offer commentary on character development and motivations, point of view (a key concern with most new and developing fiction writers), scenes, plot, tension, dialogue, tone, diction, syntax, and overall clarity and readability.

For nonfiction, the nature of the feedback will vary greatly, depending on your manuscript. For creative narratives such as memoir, personal essays, or biography, many of the fiction elements will apply. Fact-checking (for nonfiction and fiction) remains the author’s responsibility, but obvious concerns will be noted in the Editorial Review.

For all genres ( poetry, fiction and nonfiction) our senior editor will point out sample proofreading errors involving spelling, punctuation, grammar, and formatting. The author will receive a wide range of feedback. In many cases, the editor will recommend an editing service for you to consider right away. In other cases, the editor will make recommendations for you, the author, to consider before resubmitting.

What is the cost of an Editorial Assessment?

A one-time fee of $275.00

Conversion of your manuscript to Mobi/Kindle and ePub format

What are the details about the conversion process?

Most of our online bookstores accept the ePub format for e-books they sell, except for Amazon’s Kindle that uses a version of Mobipocket.  We convert your MSWord file to both of these formats.

What are your file conversion and delivery turnaround times?

From submission of the proofread manuscript, turnaround time can be up to 10 business days, depending on the number of pages, and whether or not there are graphic images.

What kinds of file formats will you accept for Mobipocket/Kindle and ePub conversion?

 MSWord (.doc, docx format) only.  This is because your manuscript will be edited in MSWord by our editors who use the “Review” protocols of this program. At the very least, we strongly urge new authors to have their work proofread. Even if you don’t, the submission guidelines are the same. See  Manuscript Submission Guidelines.

Will you send me a proof of my Mobi/Kindle or e-Pub file before you deliver it?

Yes. may access the soft proof of your work in each of the three venues:

(a)   You will be able to download from your Authorlog™ Account a soft proof of your book in the mobi/Kindle format for review by downloading the Kindle Reader.

Because the “flowing text” in the e-book format varies from reader to reader, it is unlike a soft proof for printed books. PUBLISHER represents that the Digital Text Product will be professionally produced and will meet traditional publisher standards for all e-book venues.

(b)   You will be able to download from your Authorlog™ Account a soft proof of your book in the ePub format for review in the Adobe Digital Reader. You may download the Adobe Digital Reader at http://www.adobe.com/products/digitaleditions/. Because the “flowing text” in the e-book format varies from reader to reader, it is unlike a soft proof for printed books. PUBLISHER represents that the Digital Text Product will be professionally produced and will meet traditional publisher standards for all e-book venues.

(c)You will be able to download from your Authorlog™ Account a soft proof of your book in the PDF Print Format for review in the Adobe Reader. You may download the Adobe Reader at http://get.adobe.com/reader/

When will my e-book be available at the online e-bookstore?

 It varies.  Check out the estimated time schedules below:

• Amazon Kindle: 2-4 business days from delivery.
• Apple iBookstore: 2-4 business days from delivery.
• Barnes & Noble: Approximately two weeks from delivery.
• Kobo: Approximately two to three weeks from delivery.
• Google Play Books: Approximately two to three weeks from delivery.

Does MidTown Publishing convert graphic elements for use in my e-book? If so, how much does it cost?

We will convert up to 10 graphic elements (photographs, artwork, illustration, tables, charts, graphs, etc.) at no extra charge. After the 10 free graphics, we charge $2.50 per graphic element.

What formats does MidTown Publishing accept for graphic elements?

• .png
• .jpg
• .tif

What are the image size guidelines (except for cover images)?

• Up to 600px tall
• Up to 550px wide

All images must be RGB only at 72 dpi. All Images, tables, and diagrams require optimization to ensure proper display on the supported e-Readers. Non-image materials such as excel tables, pie charts, and non-flattened artwork will be converted to jpegs for proper display on e-Readers. These items must be converted because they do not scale or resize with the flowing fonts in the e-Reader.

What kinds of file formats and sizes will you accept if I want to include an image for my MidTown Publishing Custom E-Book Cover?

• .png
• .jpg
• .tif

Cover size guidelines:

• at least 800px tall
• at least 550px wide

All images must be RGB only at 72 dpi.

Should my e-book images be in RGB or CMYK color mode?

RGB color mode only. CMYK images are not accepted and cannot be delivered to our online e-bookstores. Photographs taken with a digital camera or scanned, using a digital scanner, are examples of RGB color mode, and do not need conversion.

If you are using Adobe Photoshop® and want to check the color mode of your file, you can do so under Image > Mode. You should make color mode conversions from CMYK to RGB before you start color/tonal changes or photo manipulation.

Custom e-Cover design

Ever notice how bestsellers have exceptional e-covers and stand-out printed book covers?  First impressions count.  Does the prospective purchaser click on your e-cover, or move to the next?   MidTown Publishing’s covers are created to grab the book buyer’s attention. . .interesting enough  to enhance the all-important CTR (Click-Through Rate) for your book.   Our custom e-Book and Print Cover Designs do make a difference.

At MidTown Publishing we only use industry professionals with proven track records.

Here are the qualities we require for a MidTown Publishing e-cover and print book covers:

• They stand out on the virtual book shelf
• They cultivate the attention of a potential buyer
• They convey the theme of the book
• They contain proven sales triggers

Do people judge a book by its cover?   We are confident they do.  Get more CTRs with e- covers and print book covers from MidTown Publishing.

Submission to the major e-bookstores

The number of e-bookstores available to authors who publish with MidTown Publishing continues to grow.

Here is our present list of our e-bookstores:

• Amazon Kindle Store, with Kindle, Kindle Paperwhite,   Kindle Kids Edition, and Kindle Oasis. The Kindle Store is the largest retailer of e-books, with millions of customers.

• Apple iBookstore, iPad, iPod Pro, and iPhone
  Apple’s iBookstore gives consumers a streamlined and reliable way to purchase e-books for use on the Apple iPad, IPod Touch, and iPhone. MidTown Publishing delivers e-book content to all of Apple’s iBookstores.

• Barnes & Noble NOOK Glowlight 3, NOOK Synergy
  Barnes & Noble’s NOOK allows you to easily download any of the more than one million e-book titles available from B&N, including NOOK, and apps for iPhone, iPad, Android, or PC.  Your e-book may be read for free when visiting a Barnes & Noble store.

• Google Play Books
  Google Play Books, formerly known as the Android Market, is a digital application distribution platform for Android developed and maintained by Google. Google Play Books are available in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, Italy, Australia^, Spain, Japan, France and South Korea.

• Kobo
  Kobo is a global eBook retailer backed by Indigo Books & Music, REDgroup Retail, Cheung Kong Holdings, and other leaders in technology and retail. With over 2.2 million eBooks to browse, the company’s bookstores are the largest on the planet, with readers in over 200 countries. Kobo offers free apps for Mac and PC computers and Apple^®, Android^™ and BlackBerry^® smartphones and tablets. With Kobo Plus™ readers can share ideas on passages and books with other readers around the world.

ISBN

ISBN is an acronym for International Standard Book Number.  The purpose of the 13-digit ISBN number is to establish and identify one title or edition of a title from one specific publisher. ISBNs are linked to essential information allowing booksellers and readers to know what book they are buying, what the book is about, and the author. Unlike a Bar Code, an ISBN is a number that acts like an ordering number.

Separate ISBNs are required for a paperback book, casebound (hardcover), and e-book.  All e-books published by MidTown Publishing include an ISBN for the digital publication

• Listing in www.midtownpublishingbookstore.com.

In addition to distribution at all of the major e-bookstores, your e-book and printed book [as applicable] will be published in MidTown Publishing’s e-bookstore at www.midtownpublishing.com. Your newly published e-book or printed book will be featured as the “Book-of-the Week,” in our MidTown Publishing e-bookstore.

Submission to Amazon’s “Search Inside the Book™” Program

MidTown Publishing urges its authors to participate in Amazon’s “Search Inside the Book” Program™ because its customers (and there are many!) have the opportunity to sample participating books using their proprietary “Look Inside” reader.

From both Kindle and Print previews customers can:

• Sample pages from within the reader
• Switch back and forth between the print and Kindle samples without leaving the reader
• View books on similar topics and previously viewed books

Within the print sample, customers can also preview random pages and search for specific references or characters.

When a customer decides to purchase your book they can conveniently do so from within the Look Inside reader. An Add-to-Cart or Buy-with -1-Click button can be found throughout the customer’s previewing experience, eliminating the need to return to the book detail page.

When customers search for books with the Search Inside the Book Program™, Amazon uses the actual words from inside participating print books–not just the author, title, and keywords supplied by MidTown Publishing to return the best possible selection of books. For matches inside the book, Amazon also displays a short excerpt and links to the page where the query matched.

For example, Bobby Book Buyer (who aspires to finish his first novel but has “writer’s block”) remembers browsing a book with a chapter entitled “writing around the block,” but doesn’t remember the title to the book or the author. If he puts the phrase “writing around the block” into the Search bar on Amazon.com, John Dufresne’s hardcover and Kindle edition of “The Lie that Tells A Truth” will appear when he clicks “Go.”

MidTown Publishing AuthorProfilePage

MidTown’s AuthorProfilePage is a webpage created to promote our writers and their work. The AuthorProfilePage may contain the writer’s biographical information and picture, published books, links to your personal website, external links to your Facebook, Twitter, or other social media sites, links to sites where your books are offered for sale, and such other features as we may add from time to time.

Amazon Author Page

We set up your Amazon Author Page with your latest e-cover, your photograph, and your bio.

Eligible for advanced editing

There are several levels of editing that are available to our authors.  Please see our Advanced Editing Page for details and pricing.

Additional ISBN & BAR CODE

For print, MidTown Publishing includes an ISBN with a price add-on that utilizes the Bookland EAN barcode.  Commonly known as the EAN-5, it displays two barcodes side by side. Here’s an example of a barcode recently published by an affiliated company, Madison Avenue Publishing Inc.:

The first barcode on the left is the EAN derived from the ISBN.  The barcode on the right, which is smaller, is a 5-digit add-on that displays the retail price of the publication. The “5” in the 5-digit add-on reflects the currency for the purchase of the book is US dollars.

 

 

 

 

In order to utilize a barcode, the book must have an ISBN.

Most retailers  and distributors will not accept books that do not have a barcode.  The barcode is placed on the back cover of your book.

The ISBN and the Bookland EAN barcode for your paperback or hardcover book is included in the print packages offered by MidTown Publishing.

Obtaining of Library of Congress Control Number (LCCN) from the Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.

The Pre-assigned Control Number (PCN) program assigns a Library of Congress Control Number [LCCN], sometimes referred to as Library of Congress Card Number, to titles that are most likely to be acquired by the Library of Congress.

Once the LCCN is assigned, MidTown Publishing prints the number on the copyright page of the softcover or hardcover book.  This facilitates cataloging and other book processing activities for libraries and book sellers who obtain copies of the book.

When the initial order for your books is shipped to you, one book must be sent to the Library of Congress to complete the registration of your book. Information for shipping your book is contained in your Authorlog™ Account.

Delivery of AUTHOR’S Print Product to Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.

We deliver your printed book (“Best Copy”) to the Library of Congress following its publication.

Printed book interiors

By using the “My Projects” section in your Authorlog™ Account you are able to view a PDF pre-press “soft proof” for online proofing.  Your formatted work appears in our pre-press portal.

You may download from your Authorlog™ Account a soft proof of your e-book in the PDF Print Format for review in the Adobe Reader. You may download the Adobe Reader at http://get.adobe.com/reader/

Listing in www.midtownpublishingbookstore.com

Your printed book’s e-cover will be featured in our bookstore, along with links for purchase by customers through Amazon.com.

Submission to Amazon’s “Search Inside the Book™” Program

MidTown Publishing urges its authors to participate in Amazon’s “Search Inside the Book” Program™ because its customers (and there are many!) have the opportunity to sample participating books using their proprietary “Look Inside” reader.

From both Kindle and Print previews customers can:

• Sample pages from within the reader
• Switch back and forth between the print and Kindle samples without leaving the reader
• View books on similar topics and previously viewed books

Within the print sample, customers can also preview random pages and search for specific references or characters.

When a customer decides to purchase your book they can conveniently do so from within the Look Inside reader. An Add-to-Cart or Buy-with -1-Click button can be found throughout the customer’s previewing experience, eliminating the need to return to the book detail page.

When customers search for books with the Search Inside the Book Program™, Amazon uses the actual words from inside participating print books–not just the author, title, and keywords supplied by MidTown Publishing to return the best possible selection of books. For matches inside the book, Amazon also displays a short excerpt and links to the page where the query matched.

For example, Bobby Book Buyer (who aspires to finish his first novel but has “writer’s block”) remembers browsing a book with a chapter entitled “writing around the block,” but doesn’t remember the title to the book or the author. If he puts the phrase “writing around the block” into the Search bar on Amazon.com, John Dufresne’s hardcover and Kindle edition of “The Lie that Tells A Truth” will appear when he clicks “Go.”

Registration and listing with Bowker’s Books in Print

As a participating publisher with Bowker’s Books in Print, MidTown Publishing furnishes the following information for your review:

• Bowker’s Statement of Use
• Bowker Products
• Bowker’s Use of Your Materials*
• Bowker’s Use of Digital Content Submissions

MidTown Publishing furnishes information to Bowker pursuant to your submission to us of metadata, enriched content, and digital content, and your approval for its use to publish your e-book or printed book.

Here’s an overview of Bowker’s services from their website. “You” or “Your” refers to MidTown Publishing as a participating publisher:

Bowker Statement of Use

This Statement of Use explains how Bowker plans to use any Metadata, Enriched Content or Digital Content relating to your publications that you choose to supply to us (“Your Materials”).

Basic Terms

• “Metadata” means the bibliographic information about your title such as author, title, publisher, ISBN, price, dimensions, publication date, etc.
• “Enriched Content” means descriptive information about your title such as cover images, annotations, summaries, or author biographies.
• “Digital Content” means, collectively, (i) digitized portions of your title such as tables of contents, first chapters, indexes, or other excerpts of your title (“Digital Content Excerpts”) and (ii) the full text of your title (“Full Text Digital Content”).

Bowker Products

Bowker has designed and developed databases, products and services relating to book information for the library, publishing, academic and retail markets. Bowker databases, products and services include, but are  not limited to:

• Bowker’s Books In Print® and Global Books In Print® databases and all their subsets, in all formats and delivery media, including without limitation, in direct-to-customer electronic data feeds, online, in print and on CD-ROM
• Bowker’s library catalog enrichment services known as Syndetics™
• Bowker’s electronic commerce services known as Pubnet® and PubEasy®, which include live inventory look-up, ordering and fulfillment services.
• Bowker’s business intelligence products, services and reports known as PubTrack™ which provide subscribers with book sales trends analysis, book consumer research, and sales and inventory tracking
• Bowker’s Identifier Services which provide registration and search optimization services relating to product identifiers including ISBNs, ISTCs, and DOIs

Bowker’s Use of Your Materials

By submitting Your Materials to Bowker or by allowing Bowker to access Your Materials, you are granting Bowker permission to include Your Materials in any or all Bowker databases, products and services in their current and future form. In consideration of the mutual benefits arising from the inclusion of Your Materials in Bowker’s databases, products and services, you grant to Bowker a non-exclusive, perpetual, worldwide, royalty free right, but not the obligation, to load and store Your Materials on Bowker’s computer systems and to display and distribute Your Materials within Bowker’s databases, products, and services to Bowker customers. You understand that Bowker has the right to control the content and format of its databases, products, and services and you agree that Bowker has the right to include materials provided by other materials providers in Bowker’s databases, products and services along with Your Materials.

Ownership
You, as a publisher, retain all rights to publish, copyright, and distribute your titles.

Representation
You represent that you have the right to provide Bowker with Your Materials and that Your Materials do not infringe any copyright, proprietary, privacy, publicity or other right of any third party.

Bowker’s Use of Digital Content Submissions

The following applies to any Digital Content that you supply to Bowker as part of Your Materials:

• Bowker shall not sell, license, sublicense, or otherwise distribute or make your Full Text Digital Content in its entirety accessible in any way whatsoever to any third parties. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Bowker may create Digital Content Excerpts from your Full Text Digital Content for the uses described in this Statement of Use. Bowker shall not edit or modify your Full Text Content when creating Digital Content Excerpts.
• Bowker may use your Digital Content to create indexes for relevancy ranking, key word searching, and book profiles to enhance the search and discovery capabilities of Bowker’s databases, products and services.
• Bowker may convert your Digital Content to any XML format, including Bowker’s proprietary XML format.
• Bowker acknowledges that you own all right, title and interest, including, without limitation, the copyright, in and to your Digital Content. The copyright and title to all property interests in or to your Digital Content are and shall remain in you and this Statement of Use shall not grant to Bowker any right of ownership therein.
• Bowker shall not alter, remove, obscure or obstruct the display of any copyright, trademark or other proprietary notice placed upon your Digital Content by you. Bowker shall not commit, or knowingly assist any third party to commit any act or omission that would impair your rights in and to your Digital Content.

For more detailed information go to www.bowker.com.

Listing of your printed book in Amazon’s Expanded Distribution Program.

If you elect this services, your book will be available to retailers, libraries, schools and distribution partners worldwide.

Ten (10) Trade Paperback books

Free Shipping for initial Print Product order. Reorders at then-current  wholesale pricing

All shipping following this initial shipment are FOB our printer’s plant.  Minimum reorder:  ten books at then current wholesale pricing.

Wholesale pricing on all future print orders

Reorders are all orders for copies of your book placed by you after the Initial Inventory Order. A minimum reorder of ten (10) books is required. Reorders are processed through your “My Projects” portal in your Authorlog™ Account.

For Reorders, you are charged our wholesale cost, printer’s shipping costs, and our 10% Discount of the retail price.

MidTown Publishing AuthorProfilePage

The Author Profile Page is a webpage created to promote our writers and their work. The Author’s Profile Page may contain the writer’s biographical information and picture, published books, links to your personal website, external links to your Facebook, Twitter, or other social media sites, links to sites where your books are offered for sale, and such other features as we may add from time to time.

Amazon Author Page

We set up your Amazon Author Page with your latest e-cover, your photograph, and your bio.

Together with the following optional services:

Eligible for advanced editing

There are several levels of editing that are available to our authors.  Please see our Advanced Editing Page for details and pricing.