If you aren't using MS Word, your word-processing program probably has a Rich Text option under Save As.
Manuscripts may be submitted via email or mailed on cd if you have lots of images or large files.
Note: In limited cases we may be able to accept print-ready Adobe PDF files. There are many ways to create pdf files, most of which do not produce the high-quality 'PDF/X-1a' specification files needed for printing. Talk to your customer service representative.
Here are some simple rules to make the layout process easier.
Start with Word or Word Perfect. Be sure the file you submit is either file type .doc or .rtf. (rtf is Rich Text Format, and all major word-processing programs have Rich Text as an option under Save As.) Send your manuscript as a single file, containing everything you want published, in the order you want it, including the title page, table of contents, dedication, acknowledgments, etc. Two exceptions: Internal images. Those should be sent separately. (see below) And leave the page after the title page blank; we'll insert copyright information.
Banging on the enter key: Separate chapters with a hard page break (usually ctrl-enter). Do not just enter carriage returns until you reach a new page. Your text won't flow in layout precisely like it does in your file anyway, but hitting the enter key until Word shows a new page on your computer screen will create a big break in the middle of a book page where you least expect it. And there's no guaranteed way to find all these breaks during the layout process, meaning some of them could wind up in your printed book.
Clearly indicate chapters by using different fonts and formats for headings. Use your program's style formatting function to mark different heading levels, e.g. Heading 1 for all chapter titles, Heading 2 for section heads, etc. Minimizing the number of styles in your document will save time and reduce the opportunity for error. Learning to use the style function in Word will save you hours of grief in the future.
Don't bother with page headers, footers or page numbers. Apostolic Pentecostal Books and Literature Book Publishing will add them during the layout process. We don't mean chapter headings; we're talking about the book title at the top of every page for instance. Just leave those off.
Fonts. Use the font style and size you wish to see in print, e.g. Times New Roman 11 pt. We can reset manuscripts in different fonts, but it is time-consuming and may be costly for you. Avoid non-standard fonts. If you must use Wingdings or the like, be sure to tell us about it. You may be asked to provide non-standard font files, so if you don't know how to do that, don't go there in the first place. Books print and read best in common serif fonts like Times New Roman, Book Antiqua, Bodoni, Garamond, Bookman Old Style, Century Schoolbook or Georgia. Non-serif fonts are hard on the eyes
Carriage returns should be used at the ends of paragraphs only, not at the end of each line. Use one extra return to indicate a scene break, but don't put an extra blank line after every paragraph. It looks amateurish. You may use * * * or the like for scene breaks.
Don't position things with the space bar or tab key. Use the centering and paragraph-indent functions where necessary. What looks centered on an 8.5 x 11 page in Word will not be centered once laid out on a 5.5 x 8.5 book page. This will incur editing charges or get your manuscript returned to be corrected before we can accept it. If you want a standard indent at the beginning of paragraphs, click Format/Paragraph and set first line indent to .2 or .3.
Only use hyphens in words that are normally spelled with hyphens or to set phrases apart. Don't break words from one line to the next using hyphens.
No section breaks. Create your document as a single continuous section (this is usually the default in your program – don't override it by entering section breaks).
Don't underline things you wanted italicized. Use the italics button in your word processor. Remember the typewriter? Underlining is an old-school publishing convention from back before computers. If you want to use two hyphens together to indicate an em (long) dash, you should set Word to make this correction for you under Tools/Auto Correct/Auto Format. APBL Book Publishing will search for them as a rule during layout, but don't leave double hyphens in your manuscript if you don't want to see them in your book.
Speaking of old-school typewriter conventions, don't put two spaces after each sentence. Again, this is a throw-back to your high-school typing class. To a computer, a space is just another character, and layout programs justify them as such. Double spaces will create unsightly gaps in your book.
What about images?
Send images as separate files, not embedded in the document. It makes them easier to handle, and keeps them from getting converted to bitmaps by the word processor. Mark the intended position of each with the actual filename of the image. Don't include instructions like 'place that picture of me and fluffy here.' We'll place them where they belong during layout. NOTE: All images should be at least 300 dpi at the size they will be in print. If you're not sure, ask your customer service representative.
APBL Book Publishing will not be able to use 'art' created by MS Word. Remember that Microsoft WordArt is not a graphics program. Neither is PowerPoint. The art they create, including simple arrows and boxes, is not intended to be used outside of Microsoft Office - and like a lot of things that started life in Word, they won't behave like you expect when your manuscript goes to layout - this could cause delay, rework on your part and cost everybody money. Graphics should be created using a graphics program like Adobe Photoshop or Paint Shop Pro.
Don't copy images from the internet for use in your book. You probably don't have the right to use pictures you find on the internet anyway, but more importantly, the images on the internet are generally about 72 dpi; images that will be used in your book need to be at least 300 dpi. We can't accept low-resolution web images for your book. NOTE: This does not apply to stock image sites like www.istockphoto.com. Images purchased through stock image sites will almost always give you the option of downloading a 300 dpi file suitable for printing. If you are unsure about your images, ask your APBL Book Publishing customer service representative.
Help us understand your goals
Please tell us about you:
What uniquely qualifies you to write on your subject?
What would you like to accomplish by having this material published?
What experience do you have writing other books or materials? Sales history?
What kinds of book promotion are you ready to undertake?
Tell us about your idea:
Who is the primary audience for your material? Secondary?
In what ways will your material be helpful to the audiences you identified?
Comparing your manuscript to the competition among published books, how and why is your idea different and better?
What kinds of promotion do you think will be particularly effective for you and your book?
What we need to see in writing:
Send a letter of inquiry to us in which you respond to the questions above and relate any other information you think will help us make a decision about the suitability of your manuscript. (The mailing address is at the end of this page.)
If you would like your material returned to you in the event it is not suitable for APBLBP, also send a postage-paid reply envelope large enough to hold it..
