Module 3 · Turning a Manuscript Into a Professional Book
Print-ready files and the author proof
What you'll understand: Understand what gets submitted and what you're checking when you review it.
Production ends with a small set of files: a print-ready interior PDF, a print-ready cover PDF built to your exact page count, and an eBook file if you're publishing one.
The author proof
Before publication you review the book as a reader would see it. A digital preview or review is part of the process, and a printed proof copy is worth ordering where that's appropriate for your book. This is your last comfortable chance to catch anything.
- Is your name spelled correctly on the cover and title page? It happens.
- Do chapters start where they should, and are running heads correct?
- Are images sharp in print, not just on screen?
- Does the back-cover text read well and fit?
- Are the copyright page and ISBN correct?
Why this matters
Approving the proof is the moment you accept the book as final. After publication, corrections are possible but slower and more visible.
What to do with this information
Plan an unhurried proof review, and order a printed proof where that makes sense for your book.
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