Book Publishing and Printing

Print-On-Demand (POD) Book Publishing

Is CrossBooks a self-publishing company or a traditional publishing company?
What is Print on Demand publishing?
Who prints the books on demand?
Can I contact the printer?
What are the book specifics and basic technical requirements for books published through CrossBooks?

E-book Digital Formatting & Distribution

What is an e-book Reader and how will it benefit me?
What is the pricing for an e-book? Do I get to select how much to charge?
What is my royalty percentage?
How long does it take for an e-book to be posted on retail sites?
Why isn't my book in the iBookstore?
Can color books be formatted as e-books?
Will there be an ISBN connected to this format?
Can my print-ready file be converted for e-book digital format and distribution?
Will my e-book look exactly like the print edition?
How can I purchase the E-book Digital Format and Distribution service?

App Publishing

What does the App Publishing do?
What is an iPad^TM?
What is an iPod touch^TM?
What is an iPhone^TM?
What is an App?
What is the Apple App Store^TM?
My CrossBooks book is already live and available for purchase. Can my book become an app?
Is there a page limit or word count for Apps?
Can I purchase App Publishing for my black and white book?
How much will my app cost to consumers? What royalties will I recieve from each app sold?
Can users who download my book share it with friends, colleagues or online?
Can I purchase more animation or pages separately?
How long will it take for my book to be turned into an app?

Is CrossBooks a self-publishing company or a traditional publishing company?

CrossBooks blends the best of self-publishing and traditional publishing. We offer many advantages that neither standard, traditional publishing nor self-publishing models can supply on their own. We offer the following benefits of self-publishing:

Access to publishing without the barriers of a traditional press
Expedited timeline from manuscript to published book
Creative control and involvement throughout the publishing process
More personal attention and guidance than other publishers
No upfront costs to print and warehouse books because books are printed to order
Titles never become "out of print" with on-demand printing
Ability to share your story, enrich your ministry and help others
Strength and support needed to spread His message on a local or national level

Unlike standard self-publishing we do not publish every manuscript submitted. We do regret turning authors away, but we are committed to maintaining an established standard that meets both literary expertise and Christian values, a standard that includes:

Each manuscript must undergo a Theological Review to ensure the material is not in conflict with our Statement of Faith
Each manuscript submitted for all packages (except Classic) must meet editorial review standards for quality
Titles are priced competitively with those books produced by traditional publishers, and CrossBooks will guide the author to select a proper retail price

Because of these differences, we're able to provide benefits that many self-publishers cannot, such as:

Aggressive royalty plan that can generate quick returns on your investment
National marketing and multi-channel distribution for upper-level publishing packages
Robust suite of services available, from book promotion to editing to illustration services
Association with a trusted, quality publisher in both message and writing

What is Print on Demand publishing?

Print on demand publishing (or POD) is an innovative method of book printing using digital technology, which makes producing books easy and cost-effective. Books are printed as they are ordered, either one at a time or in large volume orders. So, there's never a need to warehouse a large number of books. This also means that the book can be available for an extended period of time, instead of becoming "out of print."

Who prints the books on demand?

CrossBooks books are printed by our network of affiliated print partners across the United States and in the United Kingdom.

Can I contact the printer?

Our printers work only with publishers, not individuals. If there are any issues regarding print quality or other concerns, please contact one of our customer service representatives for assistance.

What are the book specifics and basic technical requirements for books published through CrossBooks (book specs)?

CrossBooks titles are printed using only high-quality paper and materials. We will help guide you through our publishing process to meet the technical requirements for a published book. But if you're curious, below are the general technical requirements for each book.

Page Count:

Softcover Black and White Interior:

5 inch by 8 inch book

minimum page requirement: 48 pages

maximum page requirement: 740 pages

6 inch by 9 inch book

minimum page requirement: 48 pages

maximum page requirement: 740 pages

8.25 inch by 11 inch book

minimum page requirement: 48 pages

maximum page requirement: 828 pages

Hardcover Black and White Interior:

5.5 inch by 8.5 inch book

minimum page requirement: 108 pages

maximum page requirement: 740 pages

6 inch by 9 inch book

minimum page requirement: 108 pages

maximum page requirement: 740 pages

(NOTE: By upgrading to the hardcover option, your quality hardcover will be in the 6x9 format. The softcover version of your book must also be in the 6x9 format and must meet the 108 page minimum.)

Softcover Color Interior:

8.5 inch by 8.5 inch

minimum page requirement: 4 pages

maximum page requirement: 480 pages

8.5 inch by 11 inch

minimum page requirement: 4 pages

maximum page requirement: 480 pages

The total page count of all books must be divisible by four. Moreover, the last page of all books must be a blank, left facing page. We will add blank pages to the end of the book if necessary to meet these requirements.

Binding:

Our black and white books are perfect bound, which is the standard binding style for most books. The pages are cut evenly and bound into the spine, which has a flat surface upon which text may be placed if the width is sufficient - at least 80 pages or more.

Color book binding is the only exception:

4 to 47 pages: the book will be saddle stitched

48 to 480 pages: the book will be perfect bound

Margins:

All books must be formatted within the margins required for the book size of your choice. We will layout your manuscript to fit the margins during the production process. But if you happen to be formatting your own book, you can adjust the page lay out on a standard Microsoft® Word 8.5" x 11" document page. The margin requirements in Microsoft® Word are as follows:

5 inch by 8 inch book

Page size: 5" x 8"

Top margin: .75"

Bottom margin: .75"

Outside trim: .5"

Inside (binding edge) trim: .625"

Header/Footer: .5"

6 inch by 9 inch book

Page size: 6" x 9"

Top margin: .75"

Bottom margin: .75"

Outside trim: .5"

Inside (binding edge) trim: .625"

Header/Footer: .5"

8.25 inch by 11 inch book

Page size: 8.25" x 11"

Top margin: .75"

Bottom margin: .75"

Outside trim: .5"

Inside (binding edge) trim: .625"

Header/Footer: .5

Paper Type:

Black-and-White Interior Books:

Interior pages will be printed in black and white (grayscale). The front cover of the book can be printed in full color (CMYK); however, our printer does not allow any text or images to be printed in the interior of the cover.

6 x 9 and 5 x 8 Interior Pages

Paper Weight: 55 lb.

Paper Width: 444 PPI*

Paper Type: offset, opaque, acid-free

Paper Color: crème white

The 8.25 x 11 Interior Pages

Paper Weight: 50 lb.

Paper Width: 512 PPI*

Paper Type: offset, opaque, acid-free paper

Paper Color: white

Cover for all Softcover, black-and-white interior books (all sizes):

Weight: 100 lb.

Paper Type: offset, white enamel, laminated (glossy)

Cover for Hardcover black-and-white interior books (6x9):

Cover:

Weight: 100 lb.

Color: White — 92 Brightness, patriot blue cover with a gold foil stamped spine

Dustjacket:

Weight: 100 lb.

Color: white enamel offset paper and laminated

Softcover COLOR INTERIOR Books: Interior pages and color are printed in full color (CMYK); however, our printer does not allow any text or images to be printed in the interior of the cover.

8.5 x 8.5 inches and 8.5 x 11 inch interior pages:

Paper Weight: 70lb.

Paper Width: 385 PPI*

Paper Type: coated offset opaque stock

Paper Color: white; coating is applied while printing

Cover for Softcover Color Books:

Paper Weight: 80lb.

Thickness: 238 PPI*

Paper Type: cover stock

Color: white laminated (glossy)

*PPI means "pages per inch." A page in this case means the actual piece of paper, or front and back of a sheet of paper, which technically would be counted as two pages of text in the book.

E-book Digital Formatting & Distribution

What is an e-book reader and how will it benefit me?

E-book readers are wireless handheld devices capable of downloading an electronic version of a book and making it available for a customer to read anywhere without a physical copy of the book. Formatting physical books into e-books gives you as the author another avenue to connect with readers and give them the book they want in the format they want. Companies like Barnes & Noble and Amazon.com have the largest e-book stores in the nation giving readers access to hundreds of thousands of books.

Amazon Kindle
Sony Reader (a wireless reader)
Barnes & Noble eReader (an application for iPhone, Blackberry, Windows PC or Mac)
nook (a wireless reader)
Scribd.com (a website and application that turns files into Web documents for easy sharing)
BooksOnBoard (an online bookstore carrying 280,000 titles)
Google eBookstore (customers can buy books through their Google accounts and access them on just about any device with a modern Web browser)
Kobo Distribution (a leading global eReading service for any device used for reading digital content)
iBookstore* (an eBook store created by Apple)

*Apple reserves the right to accept or deny content for availability on the iBookstore.

Disclaimer: Press Ready Files, color books, or designed interior file sizes larger than 10 megabits are ineligible for this service.

What is the pricing for the e-book? Do I get to select how much to charge?

We will set the default and maximum price of all eBooks solely at our discretion. However, if the paperback format of the work has a price less than the default price the work will be sold at the lower price. Additionally, the price can be modified prior to channel submission at the author’s request.

What is my royalty percentage?

The author receives 50% of the net payments received from sales of the e-book. Royalties will not be paid on copies provided free of charge or sold to the author.

How long does it take for e-books to be posted on retail sites?

Once the print edition of your book is made live, we will submit the e-book to the retail channel. From that point it will take no more than four weeks for the e-book to appear on all retail sites.

Why isn't my book in the iBookstore?

It can take up to three months for your book to appear in the iBookstore. If your book is still not available after that period of time, it is possible that Apple did not accept your content. Reasons that Apple may choose to deny content include typos, poor editing, poor formatting and subject matter.

Can color books be formatted as e-books?

No. Due to the file sizes for color books and the inability of most wireless e-readers to properly display color books, color e-books are currently not an option.

Will there be an ISBN connected to this format?

Yes. The e-book will have the same ISBN, regardless of the channel of the format it is sold in.

Can my print-ready file be converted for e-book digital format and distribution?

No, ePub files cannot be created from PDFs. To create a market-ready ePub file, CrossBooks must have the source file in a Microsoft Word or Adobe InDesign file.

Will my e-book look exactly like the print edition?

CrossBooks will make every reasonable effort to make the formatting of the ePub edition reflect the format of the print edition; however, some design elements are not supported in the ePub format. CrossBooks is not responsible for making changes to the design of the ePub edition.

How can I purchase the E-book Digital Format and Distribution service?

You can purchase this service by selecting one of the publishing packages that includes it. This service is not available as an add-on to other packages or for previously published books.

App Publishing

What does the App Publishing do?

Your book will be converted into an app and will be available on the App Store where users can download your book on their iPad, iPhone or iPod touch. We now have the Revolution App add-on service to any of our Color Publishing Packages. Plus, you can create some buzz about your app with the App Launch Campaign.

What is an iPad^TM?

An iPad is the first tablet computer from Apple. A revolutionary device for reading e-books, browsing the web, reading and sending e-mail, enjoying photos, watching videos, listening to music, playing games and much more. Apple began selling iPads in July 2010 and worldwide sales are projected to hit 15 million by 2011.

What is an iPod touch^TM?

First, there was an Apple iPod, a portable device for storing and playing audio files. iPods can hold anywhere from a few hundred to ten thousand songs. Launched on Oct. 23, 2001, more than 275 million iPods have been sold since.

Now with enhanced resolution, graphics and text look incredibly crisp and sharp on the display screen making it an ideal time to introduce your book as an app. Launched in September 2007, more than 32 million iPod touch units have sold as of the end of 2009.

What is an iPhone^TM?

The iPhone is Apple's first Internet-enabled Smartphone. It combines the features of a mobile phone, wireless Internet device, and iPod into one package.

What is an App?

An app is an abbreviation for application. An app is a piece of software. It can run on the Internet, on your computer, or on your phone or other electronic device. You’ll find more than 250,000 apps in Apple’s App Store.

What is the Apple App Store^TM?

The App Store is a service for the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad offered by Apple Inc., which allows users to browse and download applications. As of September 2010, there are more than 250,000 applications officially available on the App Store, with more than 6.5 billion total downloads.

My CrossBooks book is already live and available for purchase. Can my book become an app?

Yes, if your book is already live with CrossBooks, and you published using one of our Color Publishing Packages (Tinted, Glowing, Vivid), you can still utilize two of the four App Publishing services: (1) Revolution App and (2) App Launch Campaign.

Is there a page limit or word count for Apps?

Yes, there is a word count limit of 1,000 words for the Revolution App and Animation App. If your color book is more than 1,000 words, talk to your Publishing Consultant for a custom quote.

Can I purchase App Publishing for my black and white book?

No, App Publishing is currently only available for books that utilize one of the following Color Publishing packages: Tinted, Glowing, Vivid. Books published through other packages are not eligible.

How much will my app cost to consumers?

Your app will be available in the Apple App Store as an iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad download for $1.99.

What royalties will I receive from each app sold?

You will receive 50% of each app sold.

Can users who download my book share it with friends, colleagues or online?

No, your work is protected, and app users aren’t able to share your book.

Can I purchase more animation or pages separately?

We have custom animations available, so call your Publishing Consultant at 866.928.1240 for a quote.

How long will it take for my book to be turned into an app?

The process takes up to 60 days.

Book Publishing and Printing

Print-On-Demand (POD) Book Publishing

E-book Digital Formatting & Distribution

App Publishing

E-book Digital Formatting & Distribution

App Publishing

Free Publishing Guide

Call toll-free: (866) 879-0502