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?
Where will my e-book be available?
Do I choose how much my e-book costs?
How much royalty do I earn from e-book sales?
When can I expect to see my e-book on a retail site?
Can color books be formatted as e-books?
Will the format of my e-book differ from my print version? 
Will my e-book have an ISBN?
If I request post-publication corrections for my book, will the e-book be updated as well?
Where can I check my e-book sales?
Will my e-book be digitally protected?
How can I purchase the E-book Digital Format and Distribution service? 
Why isn't my book in the iBookstore?

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Unlike standard self-publishing we do not publish every manuscript submitted.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 
• Titles are priced competitively with those books produced by traditional publishers. CrossBooks will select a proper retail price based on genre and page count.

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

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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."

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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, such the Amazon Kindle or the nook. 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 have the largest e-book stores in the nation giving readers access to hundreds of thousands of books.

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Where will my e-book be available?

There are many retailers on the Internet that sell e-books.  When you publish your e-book with us, readers can download your e-book on the following devices and websites:

• 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)
• 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* (Apple's online bookstore available to iPad, iPod touch and iPhone users)

*Apple reserves the right to accept or deny content for availability on the iBookstore.
 *Apple doesn't support all foreign languages in e-books. Refer to our FAQ for a complete list of which languages Apple doesn't support.

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Do I choose how much my e-book costs?

We will set the default price ($3.99) of all e-books at our discretion. However, vendors may choose to sell the e-books at a higher or lower price than what we set.

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How much royalty do I earn from e-book sales?

You will receive 50 percent of the net payments received from sale of your e-book. Royalties will not be paid on copies provided free of charge or sold to the author.

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When can I expect to see my e-book on a retail site?

It will take approximately four weeks after your book is printed for your e-book to appear on retail websites.

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Can color books be formatted as e-books?

Yes, as of February 28, 2012, color books can be converted into e-books. This service is now included in every publishing package we offer.

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It is a possibility. The format of your color or black and white e-book could change in order for us to make your e-book compatible with e-reading devices; however, we will strive to keep as much of the original formatting as possible. Please note that there will be no changes whatsoever to your e-book's content.

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Yes, your e-book will have a unique ISBN. This ISBN will be different from the softcover and hardcover versions of your book. However, your e-book's ISBN will not vary between the different e-book formats (such as mobi, epub, PDF).

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If I request post-publication corrections for my book, will the e-book be updated as well?

Yes. All changes and corrections you request for your book, in terms of content, will be implemented on all versions of your book, including the e-book version.  Any non-textual changes are subject to technical limitations and may or may not be applied to the e-book version.  

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Where can I check my e-book sales?

E-book sales and royalties can be tracked through your Author Account, just like the printed version(s). You'll receive a royalty report and payment for all versions of your book (print and electronic) on a quarterly basis, as is described in our Publishing Agreement. For more details about royalties, view our Royalty FAQs. 

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Will my e-book be digitally protected?

Your e-book is protected by the same laws that protect your printed book.  For details, view our Copyright FAQs.

As for DRM, or Digital Rights Management, it is up to the individual vendor to decide whether or not to further protect your e-book through DRM. 

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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.

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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. Apple may choose to deny content from the iBookstore due to typos in marketing copy (about the book or about the author), poor editing, poor formatting and subject matter.

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