BOOK PUBLISHING 101:
From words on paper into a printed book

As a writer, you may have an idea of how books are typically published: you submit your manuscript, and the publisher gives it back to you as a published book a few months later. In some cases, this process can take years.

Usually, you have little to no say over the look and feel of the final output. This is the traditional publishing method.

Here at Xlibris though, how books are made is a whole different process. When you self-publish with us, you take the lead. With your help and guidance, Xlibris professionals—from editors to artists to QA experts— will create your book with machine-like efficiency but with your personal touches and creative direction incorporated!

This Xlibris process is called supported self-publishing. We outline the steps of the process below.

Initial check-in and content evaluation

The first step involves having your work evaluated by our team. Our goal is to assist you in publishing a quality book. And the content evaluation step is a crucial step in achieving this goal.

Once you submit all the material we need to put your book together, we will review it to make sure that it's ready for production. Some of the things we will be looking out for in your manuscript include offensive words, hateful themes, and legal issues such as plagiarism, copyright infringement, and libel, among others. We will coordinate with you closely in case some changes are needed or additional documents are required.

Editorial and illustration services fulfilment

The Xlibris team is a well-rounded group of professionals who are ready to support you in your dream of becoming a published author.

Professional encoders, editors, and illustrators will work with you to help you polish your work. They will comb through your work and see if statements, ideas, and sentences need improvement. They will create a set of illustrations and graphics that will beautifully complement your writing. These editorial and art services may already be included in your publishing package; if they aren’t, you have the option to purchase them separately.

Layout design and format

The next step to making your Xlibris book is to create a cover and layout design. We have qualified professionals who will handle these specific tasks for your book. Your design team will work on your book cover and interior based on your specific design requests.

After we complete your requests, we will then email you your cover and interior proofs for review. If you have additional corrections, revisions, and requests, your Xlibris design team will work on them until you are happy with how your book looks.

Final quality assessment (FQA)

Once you approve the final layout design and format for your book, we will send the files back to the Content Evaluator to make sure that everything conforms to Xlibris’s content guidelines after going through all the revision stages.

Quality assessment is an important step in how Xlibris books are made. For this part of the process, our team will work to ensure that your book conforms to our content guidelines. We do not put out a book for publishing simply for the sake of getting them out the door. Your book will receive a thorough and detailed quality check because your work deserves nothing less.

Initial print run

Congratulations! You will soon be holding a copy of your lifelong dream in your hands! Your publishing journey is almost over and you’re set to finish it successfully, too.

The initial print run is an exciting part of how Xlibris books are made. After the final quality assessment, we will send your book to our printers. The initial print run includes your author copy and several more, depending on the Xlibris publishing package that you get. Moreover, we will also process book orders you may have for additional copies at a discounted rate.

Online availability

The last step of the Xlibris publishing process is putting your book up for online availability. we will make your book available for purchase on online bookshops and digital devices. Your book will be listed on our online bookstore, too.

Your readers are waiting so we will help you make it easy for them to find and buy your book. After all, their support and feedback is an integral part of your creative process. Not only will online availability be an avenue for your current readers to find your work, it’s also a way for you to expand your audience. With your books available for sale, you have truly become a working writer and published author. And your Xlibris team is proud to have supported you in this rewarding journey.