Why do I need a professional edit for my manuscript?

Editing is not just a matter of correcting grammatical and spelling mistakes. Your manuscript must be; (i) clear, (ii) correct, (iii) concise, (iv) comprehensible, and (v) consistent in order to enhance its overall presentation and make the work publish-ready.

For fiction manuscripts, a professional edit will examine critical elements such as premise, plot, pace, characterization, dialogue, setting, and timeline. We will also evaluate your grammar, punctuation, style, and word choice. In addition, we will appraise the manuscript’s readability and marketability.

For nonfiction works, a professional edit will analyze the content, organization, author’s credibility, and target readership. Our editors will also assess your grammar, punctuation, style, and word choice. To be marketable, your non-fiction manuscript must be concise and readable.     

How long will it take to edit my manuscript?

Editing is a tedious process that can take days or weeks, depending on how much work is required to make a manuscript publish-ready. As an example, a typical edit for a 90,000 word novel will take 4 – 6 weeks.

Can I design my own book cover?

The basic answer is no. We have established design standards that must be met. You can submit cover design ideas. Simple cover designs are far more effective than complex, intricate cover designs. Please keep your concepts straightforward. Interior book blocks and exterior covers must be approved by the Lasaria Creative design team prior to publication. 

Our experienced designers will provide you with 2 design concepts. Custom artwork is extremely expensive and you will be charged a substantial design fee if your concept is overtly elaborate.

You can supply us with artwork and photos, but you MUST own the rights to use that artwork. We will not be responsible for any copyright or trademark infringement. Artwork or pictures must be submitted in .png files with at least 300 DPI. All artwork must meet our Lasaria Creative design standards.

Interior artwork and photos must be submitted in grayscale .png files with at least 300 DPI. We do not publish books with color interiors.

Who owns the rights to my work?

You.

What is your royalty structure?

We pay author royalties based on net sales (total sales – returns = net sales) as reported by our distributors as follows: On copies sold at the full retail price as imprinted on the cover or established in electronic form:

• 12.5% of the retail price on the second five thousand (5,000) copies sold

• 15% of the retail price thereafter

No royalties will be paid on copies distributed for advertising, reviews, promotional or other purposes; or on copies sold at or below cost, or copies sold to the author for the author's personal use. No royalties will be paid for any segments or chapters used for promotional purposes. Royalty payments are made on a quarterly basis.

Are the royalty rates negotiable?

No.

What are returns?

Typically publishers grant booksellers the right to return unwanted and/or overstocked copies of books. These books are considered “returnable.” As books are returned, booksellers charge publishers for the cost (i.e. their purchase price) of any books returned and expect to be reimbursed. The cost of returned books is either deducted or netted against the proceeds of book sales of the publishers’ titles in the month returns are shipped. Some booksellers will only purchase books that are returnable; therefore, there is a probability that sales may be significantly reduced if a title is designated as non-returnable. All of our books are designated as “returnable.”

Can I buy copies of my book at a discount?

Yes. You can purchase discounted copies of your title at the Publisher’s Direct price.

How long does it take for my book to show up on retail websites once my title is approved?

Lasaria Creative does not control when or if a title will be on a retailer’s website because each retailer updates their product list and website on a different schedule. If a retailer approves your title, a good time estimate would be 4 weeks under normal circumstances. If your title is showing up on some websites, but not others, this is probably a retailer specific issue.

Why does my book show up on website A as “usually ships in 2-3 days” and on website B as “usually ships in 2-3 weeks”?

Each retailer has a different method of messaging availability of titles.

Why is my title priced differently on various web sites?

Although your title has a suggested list price; retail pricing and discounts are at the sole discretion of the seller.

Why isn't my title available at my local bookstore?

The availability of your title is at the discretion of the individual retailer.

So how long will the whole process take?

Once the title’s interior and exterior have approved by Lasaria Creative for printing, it will take 2-3 weeks for the title to get into the distribution system. At that point, this information is made available to other distribution partners. The retailers are responsible for picking up the information and updating their websites as they see fit. This process may take an additional 3-4 weeks. The typical time frame is about 8 weeks.

What are your pet peeves?

Oh, where should we start ...

• Write a professional query. Sending us emails with poor grammar and punctuation will get you rejected immediately. If you can't write an email, you can't write a book. In your query email, please write in complete sentences. Many people write like Tarzan in their emails. That may be fine for your office or your friends, but it's not acceptable if you want to get published. Lines like, "Find first chapter attached. Sorry if message too lengthy" make us crazy.

• Don't say your book is a "masterpiece" or a "bestseller." Huge egos are not attractive to publishers.

• Adhere to our submission guidelines. It sounds simple, but many people don't want to play by the rules. It's annoying.

• Delete your prologues and epilogues. They do not add value to the story.

• Do not take an exposition dump in the first chapter of your manuscript. Exposition is boring! Jump right into the plot and let your characters tell the story. Write your chapters like they're scenes from a movie - in one place and time. Let the back story come out through the dialogue and the actions of the characters.

• If your work is not complete - do not send it to us! We do not grant publishing contracts based on partial manuscripts or proposals. Period.

• Every author thinks his or her novel would make a blockbuster movie. If you want to get a movie deal, write a screenplay and submit it to someone who works in the film industry. 

• Every author is expected to promote his or her book, no matter which company publishes it. People buy books from the author. No one says, "Gosh, I can't wait for the next book by Random House." Writing a book is easy. Selling a book is hard.