Young Authors Publishing Program A Guide to Publishing Your Book with Codex Publishing
Introduction Thank you for your interest in publishing your book with the Young Authors Publishing Program, a division of Codex Publishing. This publishing guide will answer your questions about how to submit your manuscript and what to expect. Still have questions after reading through this material? Feel free to contact us at admin@youngauthorspp.com. What Is the Young Authors Publishing Program? The Young Authors Publishing Program is designed to take a teen s or child s written words and turn them into a physical book with cover art and the whole nine yards. What better motivation for kids to write than to see their words turned into an actual book that can be purchased by grandparents and friends? Turn the work of your heart into a work of art to share with your family and friends. Until recently, having a book published was a dream for all but a select few writers who managed to navigate the tricky waters of traditional publishing houses, and books published by children and teens were completely nonexistent. All that has changed with the onslaught of print-on-demand, vanity, and hybrid publishers. While we promise not be part of the shark pool, we readily admit to being part of the print-on-demand pod. Our goal is for kids and teens (through age 18) to be encouraged to keep expressing themselves through the written word. We want to make the dream of publishing a book attainable for every teen/child author. I Have a Great Idea, Now What? Having a great story idea is just the beginning. Sure, lots of kids can spin a story (usually to stall bedtime!) and some can successfully express that story in written words, but turning that story into an actual book is another matter altogether. What do you do with your plot, characters, settings, theme, and style? Do you know how and why to write an outline? Did you realize that writing a story is more about revising and rewriting than it is about writing in the first place? What other parts of the book should you include? Wow that s a lot to think about! Don t even get me started on the importance of proper grammar. If you want to publish a good story, we ll do it for you, and your grandparents will each buy a copy of your book. If you want to publish a fabulous, well-
crafted novel, work hard at the craft of writing, then pay for us to edit your book, and then ask us to publish it. Not only will your grandparents each buy a copy of your book, but so will many other people. I Don t Have a Great Idea Help! What kinds of things can I write about? Just about anything! You can write down that creative story that keeps running through your head. You can write about knights and castles, fairies, princesses, animals, a mystery, or anything else that captures your imagination. Or, you can write a how-to-survive-middle school guide (or kindergarten, or a move across the country), a collection of your best jokes or poems, a play, whatever. The sky s the limit. We reserve the right to reject a manuscript with inappropriate content. I ve Written A Book, Now What? Finish and edit your manuscript. Choose a plan. Is the manuscript error-free? Do I want my book to be available on just a few Web sites? Am I able to market my book to other audiences? Choose the Tolkien Plan ($ FREE). Choose a la carte items to complement the Tolkien Plan: ISBN number ($30), light edit ($50), and/or a one-page, in-depth critique ($50). Decide on your own cover image or a stock cover image for free, or purchase a custom-designed cover for $50 (both plans). Could the manuscript benefit from a thorough copyedit (more indepth than the light edit available for purchase with the Tolkien plan) by a professional editor, including comments to improve it? Do I want my book to be featured in the Codex newsletter and posted to Amazon? Do I want an ISBN included? Choose the Shakespeare Plan ($300). Add an author biography page, reviews page, foreword page, and table of contents (only if your chapters have titles and minus the actual page numbers) if you wish. These are entirely optional, so don t feel obligated. Write a synopsis (about 100 words) for the back cover. Again, this is optional.
Draw, photograph, or find a (copyright-free) image for the front cover. Please include your source when you send it to us. Or, think of an appropriate style to suggest. If no image is sent or suggested, the cover will have a stock image. Does my manuscript look exactly the way I want it to appear when it is printed? (Our designer will format the exact font and page size.) Are all the pieces in order? Purchase your desired plan on our Web site. Then email your manuscript (as a Word document), cover art (as a.jpeg file), and back-cover synopsis (as a separate Word document) to admin@homeeducatortutor.com. Specify the font. Specify paperback or hardback. Sign and return the contract. Spread the word! Tell your grandparents, friends, teachers, and other family members that you re a published author! Share the links where they can purchase your book.
Comparison of Tolkien and Shakespeare Plans Tolkien Plan Shakespeare Plan 20 % Commission yes yes 1 year contract, renewable yes yes Basic formatting yes yes Listed on Currclick yes yes Listed on Codex yes yes Paperback yes yes Hardcover yes, 108 page minimum yes, 108 page minimum Free Copy of Book no yes ISBN no, available for $30 yes Light Edit no, available for $50 no One-Page Critique no, available for $50 yes Custom-Designed Cover no, available for $50 no, available for $50 Full Professional Edit no yes Listed on Amazon no, available with purchase of ISBN yes What s the Big Deal About Editing? In case you didn t catch it, we happen to think that editing IS a big deal. It s the difference between a good book and a great book. A properly edited manuscript makes people sit up and take notice. It makes people think that you re an excellent grammarian as well as an excellent storyteller. It makes your book more professional (and therefore more likely to sell in larger venues). When you read through your story yourself, you tend to read what you meant to write, not what you actually wrote, so you tend to miss mistakes. A professional editor catches the oopses as well as errors that you didn t realize were mistakes. Even editors who write need to have their work edited by someone else.
So, what will an editor do for YOU? If you purchase basic proofreading to complement the free Tolkien Plan, our editors will check for spelling, punctuation, and basic grammar errors. If you purchase the Shakespeare Plan, our editors will check for spelling, punctuation, capitalization, syntax, tense and number agreement, and other grammar as well as typos. The Shakespeare Plan also includes a one-page critique, which are suggestions to improve the style and content of your manuscript before publication. Listings and Royalties After your book is published, it will be listed on http://www.currclick.com and the Codex Publishing Web site (http://www.youngauthorspp.com). For a book between 50 and 150 pages, the selling price is typically between $12 and $14. The author will receive 20% of the profits after the publisher's costs, which is called net royalties. After two months, if you have purchased an ISBN, we will list your book on Amazon.com, but you will only earn 15% of each sale because it costs us less to sell books on CurrClick or our Web site. If you have purchased an ISBN your book will also be listed with Books In Print, which is a resource for booksellers, publishers, and librarians. In the event that your book sells through Books in Print, you will receive 50% of the net proceeds. Royalty Payments Your royalty payments from the Codex Publishing Web site will be issued via PayPal once a quarter, as long as the balance is at least $10. CurrClick will post your royalty payments from sales on their site as account credits, which can be transferred to your PayPal account. Book Specifics Length Your book must meet the minimum size requirement of 48 pages for paperback and 108 pages for hardback. Generally, there are about 250 words per page. If you have less than 48 pages, you can adjust the font size, spacing, or layout to bring the finished product to 48 pages. Your book should be fewer than 450 printed pages, or you should consider breaking it into two volumes. If your manuscript has more than 65,000 words and you are choosing the Shakespeare Plan, please contact us for an exact quote, as it will cost more.
Page Size Your finished book will be 6 inches wide by 9 inches tall (a publishing standard). You do not need to worry about setting the page size; that is part of the formatting we do at Codex Publishing. Binding Your book will be perfect bound. This is a typical publishing binding on paperback books. The interior of your book will be printed in black ink on white paper. If you choose hardback, the binding will be case-bound. Font You may select the font that you would like to be used, but we might recommend a change. Generally, we will use Garamond; other popular fonts are Arial and Times New Roman. This is Garamond This is Arial This is Times New Roman You may also use styles like drop caps or large first letters (at the beginnings of chapters). Illustrations You may include black and white illustrations embedded into the document. Line drawings will look the best. The Extras Additional sections that are included in many books are an author biography, reviews, foreword, index, dedication, acknowledgements, preface, epilogue, appendix, glossary, index, and table of contents. All of those sections are completely optional, and very few books (especially books for children and teens) include all of those elements. Notes and bibliographies are a completely different animal and we highly doubt you ll be including them. If you are, please contact us first. If you choose to include them, this is the general order for the various elements. Please make sure that you put everything into one document in the proper order, exactly as you wish it to appear in print. Just skip whatever elements you are not incorporating. We take care of the inside title pages and the copyright page. Front of the book: Dedication Table of Contents Foreword Preface Acknowledgments
Text of the manuscript, with illustrations embedded, if you are including them Back of the book: Appendix Glossary Index Cover Specifics Front Cover Your cover will be printed in a color-gloss laminate. You may send your own design in a.jpeg format (just make sure it is not a copyrighted image) with your manuscript. Or, you may suggest an appropriate style. If no image is sent or suggested, our designer will choose a stock cover image. Send your artwork without any text, we often have to move text around or adjust the size. If you want a cover designed for you, choose this option under this is an option under Choices on the signature page. You will be able to make the final decision before the cover art is finalized if you choose to have it designed for you. Spine If your work is over 140 pages, we will have space to put the title and author s name on the spine. The color of the spine will match color of the front cover. Back Cover The back cover of your book can include: - A synopsis of your book (around 100 words that you need to write) - An ISBN number - A copyright statement - A picture of the author These elements are optional. The back cover will remain blank, except for the copyright statement, if you do not send the other elements or purchase an ISBN. More Information Yes, the Tolkien Plan is really FREE; there are no hidden charges (you do have to purchase a copy of your book, though). No, there is no limit to how many times an author can utilize either plan. No, we don t plan on suspending our free program anytime in the foreseeable future. Yes, there is an author
discount. If you purchase your book through CurrClick or Codex, you don t actually get a discount, but you will still get your royalty (same percentage). There is no discount for you to purchase your book through Amazon. Ready To Get Started? Order your plan; pay any applicable fees. Print out the contract (below) and fill it out COMPLETELY. You can scan it and send it via an email attachment, or you can send it via snail mail. Please ask us for a mailing address when you email your story. Email your manuscript as an MS Word document or plain text document attachment to admin@youngauthorspp.com. Also be sure to include the synopsis, author picture, and cover illustration (.jpeg file) as separate attachments, if you re utilizing these elements. We will NOT begin working on your book until we have a signed contract. We will sign, scan, and email a copy of the contract s signature page back to you for your records. That s it! Let s print and sign the contract!
Young Authors Publishing Program By Codex Publishing Turn the work of your heart into a work of art to be shared with family and friends. Contract This Agreement between the Author, and Codex Publishing, Abingdon, VA 24212 (hereinafter called the Publisher ), whereby it is mutually agreed: The Author grants to the Publisher exclusive world rights to print, publish, and sell in all book forms, both hard copy and electronic, throughout the world for one year from this date the unpublished work name on the attached signature page. AUTHOR S GUARANTEE The Author guarantees that he is the sole Author and/or Proprietor of said work and that it in no way violates any copyright belonging to another party; that it contains nothing of a libelous or scandalous character; that it is not in violation of a right of privacy or otherwise contrary to law; and that he and his legal representatives will hold harmless and keep indemnified the Publisher from all suits and all manner of claims, proceedings, and expenses, including attorney's fees, which the Publisher may incur on the grounds that said work is a violation of any proprietary right or copyright, or contains anything libelous, scandalous, or otherwise unlawful. The Author shall not, without the consent of the Publisher, publish or contract to publish any abridged or other edition of the said or similar work that shall conflict with the sale of the work covered by this agreement. MANUSCRIPT The Author agrees that the version of the manuscript delivered to the Publisher is complete, including all supplementary materials and exactly the way the Author wants it to appear in print. The Publisher will edit the manuscript as provided for in the Author s choices on this contract signature page. The Author shall be solely responsible for obtaining from the original copyright holders any necessary permissions and any payments that may be required for said permissions for using said copyrighted material in his manuscript. The Author must notify the Publisher if any portion of the manuscript has previously appeared in print. The Publisher will use the same care in protecting the manuscript and accompanying material as customary practice demands in protecting similar material in its possession, but it shall not be liable for damages resulting from the loss or destruction of such materials, or any part thereof. COPYRIGHT The Publisher shall have the right to the copyright of the work in the name of the Author in any and all countries of the world. It shall also have the right to any assistance from the Author as may be necessary to protect the copyright and renewals thereof. The copyright shall revert to the Author at the end of one year (the end of this contract) unless the contract is renewed.
PRODUCTION, PUBLICATION, AND ADVERTISEMENT The Publisher agrees to publish the work at its own expense. The Publisher shall have the right: (a) to publish the work in one volume, and in such form, style, size, type, and manner, including paper to be used, as it deems best suited to the sale of the work; (b) to set or alter the prices at which the work shall be sold; (c) to determine the date of publication, and all other publishing details; (d) to advertise the work for sale on the Codex Web site, the CurrClick Web site (as long as the Publisher maintains an active contract with CurrClick), the Amazon Web site, with Books In Print, and other venues as deemed appropriate by the Publisher. ROYALTIES The Publisher shall pay to the Author on all copies sold (less returns) royalties, once per quarter as long as at least $10 has accrued, as follows: (a) On copies, whether hard copy or electronic, sold by the Publisher (except as provided below), 20% of the Publisher's net receipts. (b) On copies, whether hard copy or electronic, sold by Amazon, 15% of the Publisher s net receipts. (c) On copies, whether hard copy or electronic, sold by Books In Print, 50% of the Publisher s net receipts. CurrClick shall add to the Author s account for all copies, whether hard copy or electronic, 20% of the Publisher s net receipts. OTHER RIGHTS The Publisher shall have the exclusive right to arrange, in behalf of the Author, for the sale of all other rights, including serialization, syndication, translation, digest, abridgment or condensation, motion picture, dramatization, radio, television, mechanical rendition and/or recording, or any other use of the subject matter; and if these rights are sold, the net proceeds shall be divided equally between the Author and the Publisher. USE OF SELECTIONS The Publisher, after the work has been published, may publish or permit others to publish such selections, digests, abridgements, serializations, syndications and mechanical, photocopied, visual, and sound reproductions or recordings as it thinks proper, without compensation to the Author or the Publisher if, in the judgment of the Publisher, such use may benefit the sale of the work.
AUTHOR'S COPIES Copies of the published work may be purchased by the Author from the CurrClick or Codex Web site (still eligible to receive a royalty payment). If the Author purchases the Shakespeare Plan, the Publisher shall furnish to the Author one soft cover edition of his/her book, including shipping (unless overseas) at no additional charge.
RECIPIENT OF ROYALTY CurrClick will issue royalties as account credits. The Publisher, until advised otherwise by the Author or his/her legal representatives, along with proper documentation, will issue the royalties as provided above via PayPal to: Author s Name and PayPal Address: CHOICES (please check appropriate boxes) Tolkien Plan ~ Free Shakespeare Plan ~ $300 ISBN number ~ $30 (add to Tolkien Plan) Light Edit ~ $50 (add to Tolkien Plan) Critique ~ $50 (add to Tolkien Plan) Custom-designed cover ~ $50 (add to either plan) Available in hard cover only (108 page minimum) Available in soft cover only (48 page minimum) Available in hard or soft cover Garamond Arial Times New Roman Other Title of the manuscript as you wish it to appear on the book cover: Signatures of the parties hereto: THE PUBLISHER Codex Publishing Signature: Date: THE AUTHOR Signature: Print name and address: Date: Parent s signature: _Date: