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Ready to turn your manuscript into your book? If so, you’ve come to the right place. We create both print and e-books, and can get you set up for either print-on-demand or traditional printing at a reasonable price.

For advice from award-winning book designer Jim Shubin (aka The Book Alchemist), check out our “Ask the Alchemist” section.

Call me (Jim) at 415-209-6323 or email me with other questions or for more information.

Should I Use a Template?

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For some people, using a book design template is a good idea. Here’s how to know if it’s the right option for you.

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Not all spines are created equal

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Different print-on-demand suppliers use different paper, which means your book’s spine will be different thicknesses for each supplier. Here’s how to figure out the specs…

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Your Cover Here

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Here’s why you might want to be involved with your cover design, even—or especially—if your book is being designed by one of the major publishing houses. Elizabeth Gilbert’s The Signature of All Things, released October 1, 2013 by Viking, has a beautiful cover. Remarkably similar is the cover of Anna Quindlen’s Still Life with Bread […]

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Paperback Books—Does Size Matter?

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If you’ll be using more than one print-on-demand supplier (we suggest Ingram Spark for broad bookstore distribution, plus CreateSpace for optimal Amazon.com access), be sure to choose a size that both suppliers offer. Here are the 11 sizes currently supported by both Ingram Spark and CreateSpace…

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Which Typeface to Use?

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There are thousands of typefaces, but you don’t need to sort through them all. It’s really a matter of personal preference. A few rules of thumb are helpful, though: Choose a face with conventional letterforms. (Unusual letter design stands out …

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Book Launch Calendar, Part 2

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I’ve been doing some research; here’s my updated launch timetable. It’s generic enough that you can use it, too. Be sure to stay tuned for ongoing updates.

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Book Marketing Plan, Part 2—Defining my Target Market

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Although it’s one of the most important tasks of marketing, I so do not want to define my target market. I’ll bet a lot of writers feel the same way. Why? I wrote this book for myself. I was my target market. I have certainly not been writing for anyone else. So what’s an author to do…?

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Book Marketing Plan, Part 1—Objectives

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I’ve been thinking about my objectives, and realize that defining them will be a challenge. What I really want to do is create a beautifully crafted book, and then start writing another one. But the more I think about the process—the more ideas I have—the more I want to jump in and get going…

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Building a Buzz, Part 1

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I know I’m supposed to “build a buzz” about my book, but I don’t really understand why, let alone how to do it. In fact, my first buzz-building endeavor was completely accidental. And it got me hooked …

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Book Launch Calendar, Part 1

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I don’t even know what I need to do in order to launch my book, let alone how long it will take or when to get started. So how could I put together a launch calendar? Here’s my first attempt, which turned out to be a very good start.

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