Producing a Special Edition Hardcover
What I learned and how you can avoid mistakes
When I started writing I LOVED THE MOTHMAN AND OTHER STORIES, I wanted it to be illustrated. I contacted friends and artists I enjoy and asked if they wished to contribute. Everything was going great until I realized my initial release date was going to be after Halloween. How could I miss out on all those signing opportunities? I’m glad I pushed the paperback out faster. I hustled, but I made decent money.
I thought about doing a special edition paperback, but my mind quickly latched on to the idea of a hardcover. Till then, I had only used IngramSpark and Amazon to produce books, and I didn’t love the look of their hardcovers. I wanted something special.
Though I haven’t used Kickstarter, I’m part of a community about it on Facebook. I noticed many of the authors were doing special editions for their campaigns, and I dove down the rabbit hole.
First, you need to choose a printer. This is the company that will produce your hardcover book. I chose 48 Hour Books because they are located in the town where I work, and I don’t have to pay shipping. I also found that they have great customer service. I was able to visit the factory and view book samples, plus my representatives were great. Your printing needs are going to differ depending on where you are based and what you want to be done. Connect with other authors—locally if possible—to find out what service they are using.
Second, you need to decide if you want to distribute this hardcover. I am only selling it at shows and through my personal online shop, but you can create one to be sold in the usual online markets. If you are going to distribute it, it’s easiest to use print on demand, as most authors do for their paperback works. You’ll need a separate ISBN, and you may have to contact vendors to make sure your works are aggregated on their sites once both versions are out.
Finally, you’ll have to decide what features you want. There are so many to choose from that it might make your head spin! And most of them will incur an extra charge from your printer.
Your basic product is a case-bound hardcover. This means the book’s artwork is printed directly onto the cover.
You can choose to add foiling, a shiny emphasis to text or even an entire pattern. Foiling can come in blue, gold, silver, pink, or whatever other color the printer can offer.
You can add a dust jacket, which you see on many commercial hardcovers. Some authors have used foiling on the inside of books and then put on the jacket to protect it. I have even seen authors foil both the case and the jacket.
Some printers will do edge printing, which is trendy these days. A pattern or color is printed directly on the book’s top, bottom, and the edge that isn’t bound. If you do this, you can’t have dark pages inside your book (as I do). They will interrupt your pattern.
Once you have your ideas and estimated pricing, get in touch with a designer. This is vital for a hardcover. Even if you have produced your own paperbacks via Atticus or Vellum, each printing site will have their own requirements for their hardcovers. The printers will also need your designer to create any specs for the features you have chosen. Get templates and instructions from the printer for your designer so it’s easy for them to give you what you need. You may need separate cover and formatting designers depending on your professional’s skill set.
Once you have loaded everything, it’s time for production! I recommend getting a printed proof, even if it costs extra. You’ll be able to see exactly what the book will look like and provide changes to your printer if necessary. I’m currently awaiting my proof—maybe I’ll have more to report once I get it!
You can pre-order the hardcover now through my shopping website. You can also grab the paperback wherever books are sold!
