Publishing
Not everyone wants to get published by the mainstream press. But most writers want a copy of their work to hold in their own hands.
If you want to do it all yourself, get a copy of Secrets of MicroPublishing: For Those Who Aspire to Publish. It'll help you to set yourself up to be your own publisher. It shares tips based on hard-won knowledge as well as advises you on your options. It is widely available.
If you want to work with us then email us for a list of our publishing packages. They vary depending on the project. Producing a book can be quite straightforward and therefore cheaper. Or more complex. We relish a good challenge and have produced books with illustrations, graphs, maps, photographs, side boxes, unusual layouts, graphic novels and chapbooks.
You control how the world reads your book, or in the case of audio, hear your book. We have the expertise to ensure your book is professionally designed, skilfully formatted and beautifully presented.
Proofreading
Proofreading today is not what it was before digitialization. Between spell check and beta readers, most writers seem to think that proofreading went the way of the dodo. Sadly not. Instead, the job has changed to meet the demands of the digital era. There is the pre-production proofreading (when it is still a word document) and the post-production proofreading (also known as typesetting or book designing). The skills overlap. If the document has been proofread and if you have a good book designer who catches problems with the layout, then the post-production proofread is not always necessary.
Pre-production the proofreader:
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corrects spelling, punctuation and grammar
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ensures stylistic consistency (e.g. British/US English, forms of abbreviation, hyphenation, etc.)
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ensures that bibliographical references are consistent in terms of style/presentation and listed in correct order; cross-checks in-text citations against their entries in the reference list, index or bibliography
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reads for sense
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where necessary, compiles a list of outstanding queries for the author to address (e.g. inconsistent information, information or text that seems to be missing, etc.)
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advises on copyright applications, acknowledgements and legal concerns
Post-design the proofreader does all the above plus:
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checks page layout and ensures consistency of presentation (e.g. page numbering, page depth, headings, spacing, justification, paragraph styles, etc.)
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checks for bad word breaks, widows and orphans (print books only)
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cross-checks the Table of Contents with the rest of the book to ensure accuracy; completes the information on the Table of Contents (i.e. page numbers)
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checks illustrations are suitably placed and captioned
How it works: Email us the Word doc or docx if it is pre-production or the designed (or typeset) pdf if it is post-production. Once payment has been received we send your work out to an experienced proofreader. It should come back to you within a few weeks. You have final say over any changes that are made. I
What it costs: Approximately, we charge £0.02 per word. Proofreading a bibliography or an index costs more. A quote is available upon request.
All our proofreaders are Professional Members of the Society of Editors and Proofreaders, which certifies that they have appropriate qualifications and training.
"Clapham Publishing Services has a stellar dissertation editor. Not only does [the editor] have excellent command of complex grammar and syntax, she also delved into the material which enabled her to make helpful structural and wording changes to my text. Her finished product was polished and professionally presented, with the work having completed in a manner responsive to my timelines." - Sheila Jennings, whose dissertation won the Mary McEwan Memorial Award 2019
eBook Only
Some works are appropriate to being published only in e-book form. In these instances, getting a work printed and bound is an unnecessary expense and you might well prefer to invest solely in an ebook, also known as a digital format.
It's important to realise which genres sell the best digitially and which tend not to. And which eplatforms your work should be on. And on which devices your work should be accessible.
At the best of times, adapting your work for uploading as an .epub or mobi is daunting. If you have a lot of pictures or a complex design, then the technology involved with turning your work into a professional-looking ebook readable on all devices can be overwhelming.
Our highly-trained book designer is experienced with .epub and mobi and the technological requirements of various eplatforms. We can put your ebook up on about 25 different eplatforms so that it is widely available.
How it Works: Contact us and tell us what you what's involved with your work: how many words, pictures, graphs, charts, illustrations, chapters. We tailor our pricing to the needs to your individual project. So tell us about it and we'll send you a quote.
"So grateful that Clapham Publishing Services gave us the advice we were looking for to publish our ebook series. It has gives us the control and knowledge that we want for our own work. We think we've made more money this way." - Jay Marie James
Print Only
There is nothing like the feeling of holding your book, printed and bound, in your own two hands. You can sell it to your friends and family, give it away as a Christmas or birthday present, or donate it to your local library. It's all your hard work made tangible.
You can create exactly the book you want: hardcover, paperback, dust jacket, photographs, maps, illustrations, photos, fold-outs. And you can have as many of them as you want, mailed to whatever address you want.
For specialist works where the visual lay-out and typography are integral to the storytelling itself, such as art and photography books, memoirs and cook books, we have a solid working relationship with award-winning, internationally renowned book designer Prof Phil Cleaver. Through his services we can push the boundaries of what constitutes a book to create something truly unique and utterly gorgeous.
How it works: Contact us and tell us about your book: how many words, pictures, illustrations, and chapters. Tell us how big or small you'd like the book to be, and what kind of binding you'd like. Choose how many copies you'd like to have printed. If you're not sure about all those questions, we can chat over email or the phone. We'll then send you a quote that is tailored to your individual needs.
"Clapham Publishing Services has been pivotal for my self-publishing journey. Our conversations helped me organise myself and source external help where needed and in less than 2 months I had my book printed and delivered." - Denise Ratulea
Print-On-Demand:
Both eBook and Print
Some works are intended for as large an audience as possible. Commercially-minded authors who don't want to lose a single reader, businesses which want a public face for their publications, and hobbyists, activists and intellectuals reaching out to far-flung enthusiasts should consider this service.
Print-on-demand means that your work is available to be ordered through practically every bookstore, almost anywhere in the world. It is available both in paper and also as an e-book for every device. That's global distribution.
How it works: While options are somewhat more limited than the print-only service, you can nonetheless create exactly the book you want: hardcover, paperback, dust jacket, photographs, maps, illustrations, photos, fold-outs. And you can also have as many of them as you want, mailed to whatever address you wish. The ebook is similarly bespoke. We create exactly what you want to see, and then make it go global. So contact us about the kind of work you would like to see produced. We'll give you a quote.
Audiobook:
MP3 and CDs
Audiobooks have been growing at the rate of 20% per annum. It is possible that more people are buying audiobooks than are buying print books. It's the newest medium into which authors are moving. And with new technology, audiobooks are becoming more widespread and accessible. Like print and ebooks, a quality production speaks to the quality of the work. So a professionally produced audiobook is a reasonable investment.
At Clapham Publishing Services, we can produce a superior audiobook with professional voice artists and superb production values. You can choose MP3 download only or also have it as CDs. Bespoke cover design and original music make it truly unique.
How it Works: Tell us how you would like to hear your own book and how you would like to have it made available. We'll create a bespoke package that meets your needs. Contact us for a quote.