OldLinePublishing.com

About Old Line Publishing

Old Line Publishing is a rapidly growing online publisher of books and eBooks. The company prides itself on being a blend of traditional publishing and state-of-the-art publishing. As part of our modernization effort, we're looking toward high tech management systems including a foray into big data. This will permit us to significantly improve all aspects of our work. Our recently hired consulting service for data science is tasked with making available to management some of the huge benefits of big data, data mining, devops, and systems modeling to improve our market analysis, financial and investment opportunities, and the constant search for improved publishing systems with an emphasis on creative support for authors and other contributors. Since its beginning in 2006, Old Line Publishing has focused on creating, marketing, distributing and retailing high quality books and eBooks. Old Line Publishing has set itself apart from its competitors by offering high quality publishing services to both new and established authors and incorporating digital printing for all their catalog titles.

Old Line Publishing has accrued a loyal following of satisfied authors that routinely refer the company to friends and associates who are interested in getting their material published.

Circa 2015 Recent Releases

A HELPFUL QUESTION AND ANSWER GUIDE FOR PROSPECTIVE AUTHORS

What kind of publisher are you?

• Old Line Publishing is a progressive and innovative publishing company functioning as a "traditional" publisher. That means if your manuscript is chosen by our acquisition editor for publishing, you as an author would not pay any fees to have your book published. Any and all manuscripts can be submitted for review to be published in our traditional publishing manner.

What is digital printing?

• Digital printing is a new printing alternative in the world of publishing. It involves a digital printing process, which allows the printer to print high quality individual books, eliminating the need for a publisher to carry a large inventory. Each book is printed and shipped at the time it is ordered.

Who keeps the rights to my work?

• If your manuscript is chosen to be published, Old Line Publishing will retain certain “exclusive rights” to your book. The reason for this is that we are paying for the cost of getting your book published. This includes editing, layout and formatting, distribution and in some cases, marketing. These costs can range anywhere from several hundred dollars to several thousands of dollars depending on the complexity of your book. Once the book is published, the rights that are retained by the company is the only assurance that we can recoup the monies that have been invested to produce your book.

What are “exclusive rights?”

• Exclusive rights are those rights which are granted to one person or company and cannot be used by anyone else. This does not mean that you cannot give permission for someone to use portions of your text or a picture from your book. However, you cannot give permission to another company to print, copy, or distribute your book.

Do you provide author advances for accepted manuscripts?

• No.

Who keeps the copyright to my book?

• You as the author will forever retain the copyright to your book. In fact, the copyright page of your book, which is usually the versa side of the title page, will specify you as the copyright owner.

How is the retail price of my book determined?

• The suggested retail price or "cover price" of your book will be determined by Old Line Publishing based on the costs of producing your book and comparable pricing of similar books on the market.

Can I include photographs in my book?

• Yes. You can include photographs, line art, or other photo-quality images in your book. Unlike some other publishing companies we allow unlimited insertions of images in our publications.

How long does it take before my book is available for sale?

• The entire process, from receipt of your submissions package until the book is available for sale, takes an average of 12 to 24 weeks.

What kinds of books do you publish?

• We publish a wide variety of books, including children’s books, fiction, non-fiction, reference books, history books, and collecting books. We reserve the right to reject any submission. We will not publish, for example, pornography, libelous or slanderous material, or any material deemed illegal by municipal, state or federal law.

How do I get paid?

• We send you triannual sales reports showing the total number of books sold (if any) in the previous four months, the total wholesale value, the gross profit for books sold, and the total royalties owed. We will also send you a check in the amount of the royalties owed. Royalties earned by the author, which are less than $25.00 are not paid. Instead they are held for the next accounting period and a check will be issued when the combined amount exceeds $25.00. Each report and royalty check is sent within 60 days of the end of each four month period. Royalties are paid on the sale price of the book regardless of the cover price.

Do I earn a royalty on every single book that is sold?

• Yes, with one exception. Because we provide such a substantial discount on author copies, we do not pay royalties on author sales of your ok.

What are your royalty rates?

• Old Line Publishing will pay 10% of the sale price back to you in the form of a royalty. This is better than many other publishing houses.

What are “author copies” and how do I get them?

• “Author copies” are those copies of the book that you personally buy with the intention of selling or distributing yourself. You will always want to have copies of your book on-hand in order to show family, friends, and associates and you will certainly want to have author copies available when you do a book signing or presentation. We offer author copies for sale to you at a 55% discount off the retail price. To get author copies all you need to do is email us with the number of copies you need and we will send you an invoice.

Why do you need my Social Security Number?

• The IRS requires us to report any wages in excess of $600 or royalties in excess of $10 within a calendar year paid to contractors, including illustrators. We need your Social Security Number in order to comply with federal law and to properly report royalties paid to the IRS.

What will my finished book look like?

• Your book will be printed in any one of five sizes (5” x 8”, 5.5” x 8.5”, 6” x 9”, 7” x 10”, 8” x 10”) and can be printed in black & white or color and can either be a paperback or hardcover. The interior pages of your book can either be printed on a white or cream colored paper. Paperback book covers are printed in full color on one side, front and back on heavy 10 pt. paper and with a glossy finish. Hardcover books can either come as a full color casebound cover or a cloth cover with full color jacket.

Can you create digital books such as Kindle or Nook?

• Yes, we can produce digital books for Kindle, Nook, Microsoft Reader, Adobe eBooks, Palm Reader and many other digital book eReaders.

Do you edit my manuscript before publishing it?

• If your manuscript is chosen to be published, then Old Line Publishing will edit and proofread your work. Our editors will focus on typographical errors, improper syntax, and the like. We do not alter the "style" or composition of your manuscript in any substantial form.

I'm sending images to be included in my book. What format do you need them to be?

• We use industry standard JPEG, TIFF & PNG 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 6x4" in the book, make sure that the scanned image is sized at 6x4" 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 2x3" image that you want printed in your book at 4x6", then set the scanner to scan the image to 4x6" 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.

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?

• All manuscript files and graphic files should be submitted via email or on a CD. Make sure your files are named so as to indicate what they are. All manuscript files must be submitted as a Microsoft Word file (either .doc or .docx).

Can I get extra books at a discount if I need them?

• Yes. You may purchase books at the discount cost of 55% off the retail price, plus shipping charges at any time. However, it typically takes 1-3 weeks for you to recieve your books, depending on the size of your order.

How will you sell and market my book?

• Once your book is finalized by the printer we will begin letting the world know that your book is available. We will always promote and sell your book through our own website, as well as other internet bookstores such as Barnes and Noble.com and Amazon.com. In some cases, we contract with a marketing firm to do specialized and focused niche marketing. Your book is entered into a master database which is used by all the bookstores in the US (Books in Print). We will mail up to ten copies of your book to book reviewers. We will also send out a press release.

Is there a minimum number of books I must purchase?

• No. You are under no obligation to purchase any books. However, you will often find it handy to have books readily available for you to distribute as you see fit. You will be one of the greatest promoters of your book.

Will I have input into what my book looks like?

• Yes, most definitely. Old Line Publishing will carefully review your book and your ideas to create a wonderful art package for your book. No artwork goes to press until you have given the final word of approval. Keep in mind the end product needs to draw the reader in and be as visually marketable as possible.

Where will readers find my book?

• Your book will receive access to the widest book distribution network in the world. Your book, upon completion, will be available by order through most traditional "brick and mortar" bookstores and will be listed with online booksellers such as amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com, as well as being put in our own e-commerce catalog. It will also be listed with Books In Print.

Will you consider a previous book I've had published, but that is now out of print?

• Typically, we do not republish previously published material.

How long is the publisher-author agreement binding?

• Currently our agreements cover a period of five years from the published date of the book. After the five year period all rights revert back to the author. A new agreement can be negotiated after that time.

Will my book be made available to "brick and mortar" bookstores?

• Yes.

Will a book published by your company be guaranteed to show up on a bookstore shelf?

• No. We make your book available to brick & mortar stores through Ingram’s, but it does not mean that a bookstore will order it and stock on their shelves.

Do you have authors who have been successful in getting their books on the bookstore shelves?

• Yes, we have authors who have made it into the bookstores.

Do you work with the authors to establish book signings?

• We try very hard to work with authors and book stores to arrange book signings and events. Typically we step in where authors are not being successful. That’s not to say that we will have success, but we will try as hard as the author to arrange something. Most often we let the author start things off by contacting the bookstores of their choice and seeing what needs to be done to have a book signing. We will then make sure that the bookstore has the necessary books on hand to do the signing and making personal contact with the store when necessary.

Do you accept multiple submissions?

• Yes.

Can I send my manuscript to other publishers and/or agents?

• We encourage all authors to submit their manuscripts to other publishers and agents. You don’t want to limit your options.

Do you print books in hardcover?

• Yes, we can produce a hardcover with no problems. Of course the retail price of the hardcover will be higher than the paperback. We usually start with a paperback to see how sales move and if there is a demand for the hardcover we then move to produce that as well.

How is the retail price of a hardcover book determined?

• The cover price of a hardcover book is largely dependent upon page count. As the publisher we will set the list price of the book. When setting the price we take several factors into consideration including the cost to create the book and the market price of comparable books on the market.

How many books do you print on initial launch?

• All of our books are digitally printed so that there is no minimum/maximum print run. Digital printing is a method of printing which allows us to publish new titles without the high cost of inventory. When your book is published, your book will be listed in numerous distribution catalogs (Ingram’s, Follett, etc…) as always having available stock so that stores anywhere in the US can order stock and receive immediate delivery. We will always maintain a small inventory here at OLP for individual sales through our website, but our agreements with individual printers allow them to print and ship direct to wholesalers and distributors.

For signings, do you provide the author with a supply of books?

• A supply of books for book signings is largely dependent upon the bookstore or venue. For example, bookstore chains such as B&N and Borders will typically order through the wholesaler so that you have a supply available. Most independent bookstores will typically ask you to bring your own supply. In the latter case, you would need to purchase your supply from us at your author discount. Unfortunately, we cannot supply books on credit. You will need to check with each individual bookstore you plan to do a signing with and see what their policy is. When possible have the bookstore order the books. That way it’s no cash out of your pocket.

Are your books printed with ISBN & barcodes?

• All of our books are printed with an ISBN and barcode. It is a requirement in order to have them in stores.

Is there ever an opportunity to discount the book?

• Yes, in some cases we offer a discounted price for thirty days after the book is released and then offer special sales when appropriate. Also, keep in mind that you may purchase a supply of books at your author discount and then retail them for whatever price you would like.

Do you allow pre-orders on books?

• Yes, we can in some cases start taking pre-orders for new releases about thirty days prior to the release of the book. You may take your own pre-orders as early as you like.

Do you supply the author with an initial stock of books for marketing purposes?

• No.

In regards to cover art, do you allow the author to provide the cover art for the book if desired?

• Yes, we do allow for the author to submit cover art for consideration, however our preference is to create your cover art in house. We try very hard to create the cover that the author envisions. There are specific requirements for submissions of cover art so please check with us prior to your book release about how to handle a cover art submission.

Do you handle foreign sales? If so, what requirements must be met to begin distribution overseas/in other languages?

• We currently have print/distribution systems set up to distribute in the United Kingdom, Europe and Australia.

Do you handle any aspects of merchandising if a book does well? (i.e.; novelty items etc.)

• Yes, we can accommodate the merchandising of items associated with the book. They are considered on a case by case basis.

How does copyright registry work with your company?

• You will need to take care of registering the copyright of your work in your name. We do not retain the copyrights for any book. That always remains with the author. The only thing we ask for is for the right to publish, print, distribute, market and sell your book.

Would you mind if I took the contract to a lawyer for review?

• You are more than welcome to have anyone you wish review the agreement. It is our goal to have authors sign an agreement with complete confidence that they are making the best decision. I know there are companies out there that intentionally make false promises and there are others that make promises that they unintentionally cannot keep. Our company is one that makes realistic promises, sets realistic expectations, focuses on the needs of the author, and tries its best to create a great book.

Will my book title remain the same and will this be stated in the contract?

• Title changes are made with the author’s consultation and permission. Everything we do is a discussion and is mutually agreed upon before any action is taken.

Is it possible to have a map in the book?

• Yes.

I see on a lot of novels that the cover art illustration is credited to the artist either within the book or on the back cover. Is this something that would be done if you accept the artwork I am having done?

• Yes. We would give him/her credit on the versa of the title page as “Cover art created by…” That would be the only place he/she would be credited.

Does the Kindle version launch with the hardcover/paperback?

• Yes, typically. Sometimes it may follow by a week or two.

Are you able to create a book galley?

• Yes.

If you have additional questions that were not answered here please feel free to contact us at authorquestions@oldlinepublishingllc.com.

OldLinePublishing.com