Frequently
Asked Questions
Below are frequently asked questions (FAQ) about Poseidon Books service and
publishing packages.
What
are ‘second publishing rights?’
- Second
publishing rights are the rights to use artwork that has been previously
published elsewhere. An example is using a painting that has been previously
published on the cover of a book on the cover of an audio CD.
What
are ‘non-transferable rights?’
- Non-transferable
rights are those rights which are granted to one person or company and
cannot be used by another, third party. Publishing rights for artwork
commissioned by and used in Poseidon Books Publishing projects, for example,
are non-transferable. We license the rights to use the art in your book. But
if you later decide to publish your book elsewhere, you cannot use the same
art; you must obtain new art for the new edition of the book.
How
is the retail price of my book determined?
- The
Recommended Retail Price (also known as the RRP or “cover price”)
of your book is determined by Poseidon Books, based on the production cost
and size of the book.
Can
I include photographs in my book?
- Yes. You
can include black and white photographs, line art (B&W images with no
grayscale).
How
many images can I include in my book?
- It
depends on the book package, talk to us with your requirements.
How
long does it take before my book is available for sale?
- Once the
cover design and layouts are approved and we send your book to the printer,
it takes about four weeks before your book is ready to be ordered. The entire
process, from receipt of your contract until the book is available for sale,
takes an average of 8 to 12 weeks.
What about sales to bookstores? Do you
supply them or do I have to buy the books first?
- Poseidon
Books distributes all titles through our distributor Zeus
Publications. Books are supplied to shops in the normal manner and
stocks are kept on hand, should there be a demand for the title. There
is no cost to the author for this service and a royalty still applies on
bookstore sales.
What
kinds of books do you publish?
- We
publish all kinds of books, including how to books, children’s books,
fiction, non-fiction, yearbooks, family history books and many other genres. We reserve the right to reject any submission. We will not
publish libellous or slanderous material, or any material
deemed illegal by municipal, state or federal law.
How
do I get paid?
- We send
you half yearly sales reports showing the total number of books sold (if
any) in the previous period, and the total royalties owed to you. We will
send you a cheque for the amount of royalties owed, usually if the amount is
$AUD20.00 or over. Amounts less than that will be held over until the
next period.
Do
you need an ABN number?
- The
average person does not need an ABN number (Australian residents only),
however if you are a professional writer, you will certainly need one to comply with
Federal Tax Law.
What
will my finished book look like?
- Your book
can be published in either trade paperback 200 x 130 mm or A5 paperback size
and perfect bound. - Paperback
book covers are printed in full colour on one side, front and back (unlike
books printed by some online publishers, who print only B&W covers). - Sometimes
it is a good idea to buy one of our books so you can see the quality with
which they are produced.
What
if my book has already been published elsewhere?
- As long
as your publishing agreement for your book does not transfer rights to the
existing publisher, then you can publish your book through us. Note that
paperback (softcover) and hardback (hardcover) rights are often treated
separately. For example, if your book is currently available in hardcover
form and you have not also transferred the paperback rights to your
publisher, then we may be able to publish a paperback edition of your book.
When in doubt, it is always best to consult an attorney, who can look over
your agreement (contract) and determine if you can publish your book through
another publisher, perhaps in a new edition.
Do
you edit my manuscript before publishing it?
- A full edit is included with
the partnership plan and the self publishing package. Our
editors will focus on typographical errors, improper syntax, and the like.
We do not alter the composition of your manuscript in any substantial
form without consultation with you and you always have final approval over any recommended
changes.
I
already have an ISBN. Can you use it for my book?
- No.
Whenever a new edition of a book is published it must have a unique ISBN. If
the title, publisher, manuscript/text, author, publication date or format
(e.g., binding, size, etc.) changes, the new book is considered a new
edition and requires a new ISBN. Each publisher has its own Publisher’s
Prefix Number, which is incorporated into the ISBN for each title. We will
assign a new ISBN for your book.
Can
I submit my books layout myself?
- Layout and
design is one of the services we provide as a publisher and design studio,
and the fees for each Package includes these services. - We accept
manuscripts only in MS Word, RTF or Text. We do all of the formatting of
your manuscript within MS Word or Lotus Word Pro. - Complex
designs (i.e., any design that does not closely match one our design
templates) may subject your job to additional costs. If this is the case, we
will send you an estimate of extra costs for your custom design.
Can
I design my own cover?
- Absolutely.
You can be as creative as you like. We will incorporate your design as much
as possible.
What
is a ‘graphic’ or ‘illustration?’
- Any image
other than straight text printed inside the book is considered an image.
Examples include drawings, photographs, charts and graphs, and the like.
I’m
sending images to be included in my book. What format do you need them to be?
- We use
industry standard TIFF image files in production. Image files should be
sized at “original size” and no less than 300 DPI, or “dots
per inch.” By “original size” we mean that the image file
needs to be the same dimensions as the image will be printed in your book.
So if you have a photograph that you want printed at 6×4″ in the book,
make sure that the scanned image is sized at 6×4″ and at least 300 DPI. - If you
intend to use a small image at a larger size in your book, make sure to scan
it at a higher resolution rather than enlarging the image after it is
scanned. For example, if you have a 2×3″ image that you want printed in
your book at 4×6″, then set the scanner to scan the image to 4×6″
at 300 DPI or scan it at 600 DPI. - All
B&W line art images should be in 1-bit or “bitmap” format, 600
DPI. All grayscale images should be in 8-bit or “grayscale”
format, at 300 DPI or better. All color images must be in 24-bit CMYK
format. Images not submitted in the appropriate format will be converted for
a nominal extra fee.
Can
you scan my photos or pictures for me?
- If you
are not familiar with scanning and manipulation of digital images, we can
scan your original photos or pictures for you.
How
should I submit my files?
- If you
are submitting only your manuscript file, you can send it on a 3.5″
floppy disk (PC format), CD-Rom, DVD or email attachment. If submitting graphic files (i.e., TIFFs) you may submit them on a CD/DVD-ROM.
Make sure your files are named so as to indicate what they are. Click
here for our mailing and shipping address.
Can
I get extra books at a discount if I need them?
- Yes. Each
Publishing Package includes a number of copies of your book that are sent to
you as part of the Package. You may purchase extra books at the 40% author
discount, plus shipping charges.
Can
I embed images in my manuscript?
- Your
manuscript can be sent to us as a Word doc which may include images. It is
best however, to send the images separately for us to include.
Can
I use colour images in my book?
- Unfortunately
no. All books published by Poseidon Books are printed in black ink only.How do consumers know my book
is available?When your book is ready for
printing, the cover and promotional copy is uploaded to our web sites for
purchase. The book will be included in our catalogue, which is sent to
bookstores, and will assist in the sales of your book.Where can
someone buy my book?Poseidon Books are available
for purchase on our Internet site, at selected retail outlets, or by our
telephone order system.Why should I
choose Poseidon Books to publish my work?We create attractive, paperback
books suitable for distribution in any store at a fraction of the cost of
traditional self-publishing . Benefits include retaining creative control
and ownership of the work and receiving a higher percentage of the price as
earnings. Our
ambition is to combine the best characteristics of print-on-demand
publishing with those of traditional publishing.Rights
You retain all rights to your book. You are the copyright owner and your
name will be listed on the copyright page of your book.
Have Another Question?
If you have a question that was not addressed within this FAQ page, please
contact us with your question.
We will reply as quickly as possible with an
answer to your question.
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