Writing & Editing

Every manuscript should begin with a strategic and well-structured plan, and every manuscript requires editing. Our editors will work closely with you to develop your manuscript. They can work with your initial draft, or write manuscript engaging content for you, or a combination of both. How we proceed with the creative process is entirely up to you.

Our editors can work with you to:

  • crystallize the core concept of your book
  • develop the overall structure of your book, beginning with table of contents and an outline of each chapter
  • write (or re-write) the content for you based on your supplied material—or give you notes to guide you as you write the next draft
  • develop and refine an existing manuscript to meet our publishing standards

Design

Design is an essential element in presenting and communicating your message, building your brand, and producing a great book. It can be the difference between getting noticed or being passed over. At Barlow Books, we partner you with professional book designers who can help you make informed design decisions about your book.

Our creative team can work with you to:

  • create a professional, eye-catching cover that speaks to your target audience
  • create a professional and attractive interior design that displays your content in a manner that is clear and easy to follow, as well as pleasant to read
  • create any graphics, illustrations, charts, and diagrams required to enhance and accompany your content
  • choose any photos, fonts, and colours that reflect the tone, look, and feel of your book and your brand
  • provide any Photoshop expertise required to enhance your photos and ensure they are print-ready
  • select paper stock, weight, and colour
  • decide on special print finishes like matte, gloss, or spot varnishes, as well as foils and/or embossing or debossing

Production

Your manuscript receives the fine attention of experienced industry professionals throughout the entire process. We transform your manuscript into a book that meets professional trade standards.

Our managing editor will oversee all of the details and guide you every step of the way, including:

  • editing and editorial queries
  • cover and interior design
  • formatting/page layout
  • proofreading
  • indexing (if including an index in your book)
  • preparing your files for printing, and creating industry-standard print-ready PDFs
  • printing and manufacturing

We also ensure your book files are aligned with all distribution requirements so there are no hiccups or delays in publication.

Printing

We work with professional suppliers to print and manufacture books. We can fulfill orders for any amount, small or large.

Small and Individual Orders

For small orders, we take advantage of print-on-demand technology. Individual books are printed when an order is received. The order may come from Amazon, the publisher, or another store. The advantage of this option is that you do not have to pay up front to print and store thousands of books with no certainty of selling them.

Orders Over 100

If you wish to print quantities over 100 to sell in bookstores or to sell yourself at speeches or seminars, then we use an offset printer. Our printer will deliver the books to you or our distributor’s warehouse. The distributor will then ship the books direct to stores or to your seminars and speaking engagements. In this case, you will have to pay for printing in advance—but you will enjoy a discount on the printing.

eBooks

We create ebooks and get the digital books into the main digital outlets, such as Amazon and Kobo.