What is typesetting (formatting)?
After a book has been edited, and before it is sent to the presses, it needs to be laid out and styled so it prints correctly. If you plan to publish for electronic reading, formatting styles your manuscript to be reflowable on a digital screen. Let Kingsman Editing focus on the small details of preparing your manuscript for print and digital publication, ensuring your book allows for an aesthetically pleasing experience for your readers.
What sets you apart from other formatters?
Our e-books are crafted with coding languages (CSS and HTML). This gives us more control over the visual output and "reflowability"—the way the words adjust their size and line length for different sized screens and devices. It also provides readers with a table of contents directly in their e-reader menu for easy navigation.
Our print formats are styled using Adobe InDesign, the premiere program used by all professional typesetters in the publishing industry. This gives us the freedom and ability to truly bring something special to your internal layout and design. Chapter styles and fonts will be discussed and personalized for you, including any icons, borders, or graphics you may wish to include.
What should I have prior to formatting?
So you're ready to publish, your book is edited, your cover is ready for its final dimensions, and you're preparing for future ads, giveaways, interviews, and more! To ensure one of the last to-dos on this path to publication goes smoothly, here is a short list of things you should have ready for your typesetter:
Your manuscript will be prepared EITHER for digital OR print distribution. Choose this option if you only need one or the other.
If publishing for digital distribution, your manuscript will be prepared as a reflowable file for e-readers, ready for uploading to online markets. You will receive the following files: epub, mobi, and e-book PDF (upon request).
If publishing for paperback or hardcover distribution, your print-ready files will include a clean, professional layout in your desired trim size. You will receive the following file: print-ready PDF.
Your manuscript will be prepared for BOTH digital AND print distribution. Choose this option if you need both formats.
Your manuscript will be prepared using both methods described in the "One format of choice" option, for both digital distribution and paperback or hardcover distribution. You will receive the following files: epub, mobi, e-book PDF (upon request), and print-ready PDF.
Your short story manuscript will be prepared for digital distribution as a reflowable file for e-readers, ready for uploading to online markets. If your short story is longer than 15,000 words, please select one of the other packages.
You will receive the following files:
Typically, we ask for one week to complete your formats, starting from the day we receive your manuscript. Though it doesn't usually take quite that long, we like to plan ahead for unscheduled delays and the inevitable "life" that might pop up. If your book requires the creation of a graphic design or heading icon, this could add on a few days, but we will always let you know if we feel it's going to take longer than expected. And as always, we keep your intended release schedule in mind as well!
Here at Kingsman, we value the quality of our work and the final product that goes out to your readers. To support you the best way we can, we offer one free round of unlimited alterations after formatting is complete.
After we deliver your formatted files, we highly encourage you to give it all a thorough proofreading. If you're going to publish in print format, we recommend you order a physical proof copy. This is your last chance to catch errors and typos before hitting that publish button! Compile a list of all required revisions into a single document or email; anything in the document, we'll apply to your files. Then we'll send you your updated formats, ready to publish.
However, if you find yourself needing further alterations, there is a $25 charge per additional round.
Yes, we do! The internal file for paperbacks and hardcovers are almost identical in their creation. (The biggest difference is the cover size, so be sure to discuss that with your cover designer.) Let us know if you're planning to publish in hardcover! If you want your paperback and hardcover formats in the same trim size, you can use the same print-ready PDF file. We will make sure your file accommodates both ISBNs with appropriate margins. If you want your paperback and hardcover formats to use different trim sizes, you can select the Add-On option on our price quote and we'll handle the rest.
We sure can! Just like with a novel, you'll select if you're interested in just one format (e-book OR print) or the formatting bundle (e-book AND print). We opted to charge the same price here because we feel there's a trade off between formatting a lot of words with very few pictures compared to formatting a few words with a lot of pictures. Children's book formatting does require more frequent client-typesetter discussion, though, to ensure we build the book you envision!
We custom build your book to fit your vision. From novels to journals, from early-readers to poetry, from appendices to picture books, and across every genre you can imagine—your book is in good hands. Need a visual? Check out some of the work we've done for previous clients!