FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

• I haven’t finished my manuscript. Do you want what I have so far, or should I wait until I’m finished to submit?

Only submit the manuscript when it is complete. You have one year from the date of your contract to submit. Please take the time you need to format and edit completely before submitting. Major changes or additions to the manuscript post-submission will be subject to your editor’s approval.

• What if I submit my manuscript to you but find a mistake later on before production begins? Should I resubmit the manuscript?

No. Wait until you’ve made contact with your editor. When your editor contacts you, you can discuss your concerns at that time, and he/she will let you know the best course of action at that point.

• I have a lot of photographs I’d like to use in my book. Can I add them after my editor contacts me?

Please see the Images & Photos link and instructions about how to submit photographs or other images. If you would like to submit a biography photo for the back cover, you may wait until your cover designer has contacted you.

• Someone has agreed to write a foreword for my book but is not sure exactly how to do it. What should I tell this person?

The purpose of the foreword is to give the author credibility and promote the book. The foreword shows that someone worth listening to (i.e., not your grandmother) feels that this book is worth reading. It should be from someone with a title, position of influence, or educational degree in a field or subject area related to the content of your book. An outside recommendation or testimony can help build your book’s credibility (especially if your book is nonfiction) but is not necessary.

Regarding what to include in a foreword, attempt to answer two broad questions: Why is the information presented in this book important? and Why should the reader listen to the author?

• My manuscript contains Scripture quotations. How do I need to format my manuscript so it complies with all copyright and fair-use laws?

See the Nonfiction: Theology, Devotional, Christian Living page. Check it out for an in-depth description. If you didn’t see that part of the instructions because you didn’t write that kind of book, please accept our apologies and go to the link anyway!

• Do I need to get permission to include a portion of someone else’s book in my manuscript?

In many cases, the answer is no. The fair-use section of the copyright law allows you to reproduce a particular work for the purpose of criticism, comment, teaching, or research without having to obtain special permission. However, you must cite the material properly. Otherwise, you’re plagiarizing, and besides being a stunt that high school students pull, that’s illegal!

• Do I need to get permission to include an image or photograph that I didn’t create?

Yes, if you do not own the copyright to a particular image, you must obtain permission to reproduce it in your book. This includes images taken from the Internet, books, magazines, or newspapers. It also includes photographs taken by a professional photographer. You cannot claim fair use regarding images and photographs. In many cases, obtaining this type of permission can be difficult and/or expensive. You as the author are responsible for making sure you are not illegally using someone’s image.

• I’m a little confused about what should appear on my back cover. Is there a process to help me with that?

Yes. Find the link appropriate to the type of book you’ve written and use the backmatter instructions you find therein.

• Will I be assigned a ghostwriter? What’s the difference between editing and ghostwriting?

Tate Publishing does not offer ghostwriters. Mostly because we do not believe in ghosts. (Check our Statement of Beliefs. No mention of ghosts.) But seriously, no, your book will not be ghostwritten by us. You are welcome to hire a personal ghostwriter if you wish, but we will edit only. For an excellent explanation of the difference between editing and ghostwriting, see the following link: http://publishedauthors.blogspot.com/2008/04/hiring-help-editors-vs-ghostwriters.html

• Does Tate Publishing use MLA, APA, or something else?

We use The Chicago Manual of Style, 15th Edition.

• What is the cutoff date for sending in pictures for my book?

All photographs must be submitted before editing begins (before your editor contacts you). Your editor will review your images for possible approval. Please see the link to the Photos page for exact instructions on how to do this.

• Why is there a gap between when my book is available to me and when it’s available for nationwide purchase?

Your marketing rep uses the time between the initial printing of your book (when it’s available to you) and the book’s release date to get the word out and set up events for you. This time is crucial to creating a good buzz about the book before it hits the market.

• I like my title, but my editor or cover designer doesn’t. Who has the final say?

If your editor or cover designer has suggested you come up with a new title, it would be in your best interest to at least consider the suggestion. We want your book to sell well, and we have seen books flop because of bad titles, and we have also seen a lot of similar titles come through, so if we are suggesting a title change, we will probably have a pretty good reason. It’s not just ’cause we’re mean-we really do have the best interest of your book at heart!

• Why are pen names discouraged?

It is hard for a first-time author to market a book from a pen name. Potential buyers get confused about how to find the book. (”I know my friend Patty wrote a book, but I’ve searched online everywhere for her name and can’t find it. I even searched for her book title, but it brought up some other author’s name!”) Pen names are no longer necessary in today’s market. Throughout history, they were used primarily by women whose works would not have been published or accepted by the public if it had been known they were females. Today, audiences do not have such prejudices, and unless the book is nonfiction and contains sensitive information about the author or other people in the author’s life, pen names are not appropriate. And even in the case of sensitive nonfiction, please discuss the issue with your editor (who knows all!) before making a final decision.

• I’ve got things that are super-important in my manuscript. Can I use bold, all-caps, italics and underline? If not, why not?

Formatting of this nature is distracting to readers and does not allow the eye to flow smoothly down the page. In fact, studies that have not yet been conducted show that it may give the reader epilepsy. Besides that, it’s against Tate House Style. Italics only, and only for emphasis.

• How many pages will my book end up being?

Final page count will not be determined until layout stage, when a graphic designer takes the text and formats it using the font style, font size, and other elements that make it look like an actual book.

• When will I know the cost of my book?

Again, this will happen in layout stage. When you get the proof of your book, the price will be there on the back cover, determined by the production costs to print the book.

• What if I can’t think of a title? Can someone help me with this?

If you want title help, your editor will be thrilled to help you out!

• Why can’t I capitalize my God pronouns?

The lowercasing of pronouns that refer to God (him, his, my, your, he, etc.) is in no way meant to be an offense or an affront to God. We do it because capitalizing them is unnecessarily distracting to the reader and can actually detract from the message of your book. Additionally, it’s considered grammatically incorrect in the publishing industry, and most Bible translations lowercase them too. There are multiple religious style guides which back this up, including the SBL Guide, which is the one we follow most closely. It does not mean that we do not honor him or place him in the highest regard because we certainly do, and it absolutely does not diminish the quality of your book.

• How is the size of my book determined?

The size of your book is determined by the original word count. There are 3 standard book sizes available. Your cover designer will decide which size is appropriate for your book based on the word count, but they will also take into account whether your book is part of a series or if the subject matter would best be presented in another size. Your cover designer will inform you of your book size when they are designing the front cover.

• I have a cover design that I would like to use, what should I do?

Our talented design staff will contact you and discuss how to create a marketable design for your cover once you’re in production. If you have visual examples or ideas that you would like to be considered for your cover, please submit them at the same time as your formatted manuscript.

• What is e|Live?

E|Live is a wonderful addition to your book that is offered at the time of your contract. The e|Live option allows the reader to experience your book in more than one way. When they purchase your book, they will find a logo on the cover letting them know that there is an e|Live code available for your book. On the last page of your book, they will find a code where they can go to TatePublishing.com to redeem a free audio download of your book.

• What is an audio book?

Every book published with Tate Publishing has the opportunity to also be released as an audio book. The audio book contains one to multiple discs where your books is read aloud by our talented audio staff! The audio book option is offered at the time of your contract as one of our Multimedia Options.

• When do I need to submit my author photo and where will it be placed?

Your author photo is a great opportunity to put your best foot forward. Having an author photo is completely optional, but we often encourage authors to use an author photo to place next to their bio on the back cover and to use in promotional materials at book signings or other events. If you choose to use an author photo, you will need to send it either by mail or digitally over email to your cover designer in the cover design stage of production. Your designer will keep your photo on file and will add it to the back cover before you receive your final proof. If you choose to submit your photo digitally, it will need to be 300dpi at 3 x 4” minimum. We recommend that you avoid submitting snapshots or candid photos as the photo quality and lighting are often poor. Please go to a professional photographer to insure proper image quality and presentation.

• Can you publish my book in another language?

Your Acquisitions Representative will have more information regarding this matter. Tate Publishing has published bilingual books; however, at this point, we don’t offer translation.