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Hi there,

 

I am an up and coming author-publisher who believes in the importance of the spoken as well as the written WORD. I am currently in the middle of getting my maiden book published. However, I have ran into some difficulties.

 

I recently tried to open a printing account with Lightning source who have a plant here in the UK where I reside. The problem is their application requirement is very difficult to meet especially considering this is my first time in the industry. I have been asked to provide trade references which unfortunately I do not have.  I have not dealt with any company in the industry apart from the company that is designing the book cover.

 

I was wondering whether anyone has had a similar experience with Lightning source and more importantly, what they did?

 

Emmanuel

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Are you opposed to publishing through another house?

Hi there,

ofcourse, not at all. Actually, I am currently requesting for quotes from other printers. The guys who did the cover design for me have also expressed interest in arranging the printing for me. But I don't want to give the project to the same company.

 

So to answer your question, it is NO.

Ok, good to hear. That will make things much easier for you to break into print. PM me about that.

 

LSI is a great company, don't get me wrong. But, there are other ways around the red tape.

 

Any reason you don't want to give the project to the same company?

Cheers for the advice. I was just thinking that because they have done the cover design (which I will show you in a minute), I should give it to another company. BUT! this is just a thought.

 

Actually, one of the quotes I have got so far is from the same company the designers are working with. The interestng thing is that the quote I got directly from the company is much more than for the same amount of copies than the one the designers want to give me. There is therefore a compelling reason to go with them.

 

So yes, I will go with them once I have settled the bill for the cover design work.

Wait, wait. Don't be hasty with that either.

 

It's excellent that your quote from them is good. Now, that's ONE OPTION. Explore other options as well. Trust me, I definitely understand how anxious you are to get your first book out, lol. I was the same way. A friend of mine was as well. Now we both wished we'd done more with our first, but we'll correct that later on.

 

Alright, you have one option. See if you can find a better option now. Does the printer you're talking to offer distribution? Do you have to set that up yourself? Look at all the details.

That is something I've never thought of. I will have a look. Actually, I will make it one of the pre-requisite for the printing service.

 

Just out of curiousity, what genre do you write? Mine is predominantly christian non-fiction.

Sorry for the late response. I write mostly racy romantic suspense. Fiction. However, I'm polishing a non-fiction book now, called The Dating Doctor Diaries. I'm also starting a new series that's not as erotic.

There are lots of writers, like myself, who have an account with POD’s. Providing you have a valid ISBN most would be happy to publish it for you. They like me wouldn’t do any of the advertising except make the book available across the world at bookshops and online suppliers. But there is a cost charged by the POD’s such as set up charges and the catalogue insert cost for each country which with a single sample book leave little out of a hundred pounds, besides which ISBN’s actually come in minimum of tens at over a hundred pounds as well. Then file setup, even through a POD like Lightning Source,  would require Adobe In Design to use their templates and Adobe Acrobat 8 as the minimum criteria for setting up the printing files.

I advise you place your book first on the eBook market, through Amazon, or smash words and gauge the take up. Most writers, like me, do this and often it generates the largest market and income for the book and smash words will even give you a free ISBN.

Thanks Keith for your advice. But the question is how do I go about setting up the e-book format?
Smashwords will give you the guidelines on what format and all that. It pretty well guides you through if you just pay attention to the site and read it.

That's correct. But even if you get it wrong they will tell you if you have formatting problems before the book goes live to all the ebook stores. NOT THE CONTENT that is up to you to make sure the editing and proof reading is as good as you can get.

You must bear in mind it goes live on smashwords as soon as its downloaded. I always place a block at that stage and look at it first, to make sure its how I want it to go out.

A good test is to download Amazon PC book reader for Kindle, and Adobe ebook reader. That way you will see how it looks on two important platforms.

Thanks guys for the information. I will get myself act together and go the e-book way. Just out of curiousity, do you guys know of outlets for publicity materials. And in particular, materials to do with christian living?

Cheers.

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