Getting Started

Are you a publisher? Who will the publisher be?

No, Gorham Printing is not a publisher. We are a printer. Since you are self-publishing your book, you are the publisher.

How long does it take for you to complete my order?

If your book is already designed and ready for printing, it takes approximately 4-6 weeks to complete. If formatting and designing are required, allow an additional 2-6 weeks. Hardcover binding can take longer.

How do I copyright my book?

To copyright your book, simply place either the word copyright and/or the copyright symbol along with the year of first publication and the name of the copyright owner. For more information, visit the U.S. Copyright Office.

Where do I get a Library of Congress Control Number?

Issued prior to publication, this free number is intended for books that will be distributed to libraries. The number is called the Preassigned Control Number (PCN) and may be requested by submitting a one-page application. For more information, guidelines about what books qualify, instructions and PCN forms, visit the Library of Congress.

Do I need an ISBN?

If you plan to sell your book in a bookstore, you will need to obtain an ISBN (International Standard Book Number) prior to publication. Your ISBN converted into a bar code is used by bookstores to order and track titles. R.R. Bowker Company issues these numbers, which they also publish in a reference manual Books In Print. If you would like, we can provide a bar code of your ISBN for $25.00. Visit R.R. Bowker for more information.

Pricing Considerations

How do I get an estimate from you?

We have 3 ways to get an estimate. You can visit our price charts to get a general idea of price. If you are ready to print and need a specific quote, see Instant Quote. If you have specialized binding, papers, size, etc. use our Specialized Quote.

What size book should I get?

Almost any size is possible up to 8.5x11, but standard sizes are more efficient and less expensive. Our standard sizes are 5.25x8.25, 5.5x8.5, 6x9, 8.25x10.75 and 8.5x11. These sizes are the most economical since they minimize paper waste.

How much more is hardcover?

Many have asked...how much more is a hardcover book compared to a softcover book? Many variables affect the pricing. As a comparison, we will use a 6x9 book, 192 pages, 500 copies as an example: standard perfect binding would cost $4.88 per book; standard hardcover would cost $10.35 per book. Dustjackets or printed and laminated covers would cost more.

Can you print full color text pages?

Yes. We can print your pages digitally and in full color. See Color Pages for more information.

How many pages will my book have?

When we import your file into our page layout program, and design the text, the number of pages will probably change from the original document. To get an idea of the final page count, use the following formula: For a 5.5x8.5 size book, figure approximately 300 words per page and for a 6x9 size book figure approximately 350 words per page. For example, if your book contained 48,000 words, it would end up at approximately 160 total pages for a 5.5x8.5 size book. (48,000 words at 300 words per page = 160 5.5x8.5 finished pages). If you have photos or drawings, don't forget to include them in your page count.

Custom and Template Design

How do you design my cover?

To design the cover for your book, we usually take a combination of your cover ideas, pictures and the content of the book to determine the best look for your cover. Send us your cover design concepts and any original art to be used on the cover. We will come up with a design concept and email it to you for comments. Once approved, we will mail you a complementary first printed proof. See We Design.

How do you design my text?

To design your text pages, we will need a digital text file of the book to import into Adobe InDesign. You can type your book in just about any wordprocessing program, PC or Mac. It is best to have the whole book saved as a single file, with no graphics or photos included, we will add those later. We will scan any photos or artwork and compose a text layout of your whole book. A complementary first printed proof will be mailed to you.(For complex layouts, we email a few sample pages first.) See We Design.

What do you do with my photos, maps and charts?

In order to print photos, maps or charts in your book a halftone must be made of the original image. We charge $9.00 per photo to scan and place photos within the text of your book. We will scan them as 300 dpi grayscale images. If your photos are already scanned, we can optimize and place them within the text for $5.00 per photo. If you provide us with low resolution (72 dpi) poor quality photos, we will not be able to improve their quality. To help us to know where each photo and caption belongs in the book, number the photo and caption with a corresponding number.

What is a "proof" and why do I need one?

A proof is a way of ensuring that we have designed the text and cover to your liking, and positioned all photos and captions properly. You know your book better than anyone, so you are the best person to carefully check the job for any errors. For covers, we typically output a proof on the same paper used for the final job. Proofing color is not completely accurate due to color shifts.

What if I have changes after viewing my proof?

We recommend that you submit your files in a final edited form in order to avoid additional charges, but you may see things you missed once the text is designed. When you receive your proof, we ask that you mark any changes on it in bright ink so we can find them. When we receive the proof back, we will make editorial changes at an hourly rate. We recommend that you submit your files in a final edited form in order to avoid additional charges.

If you give us a PDF

What do you do with my text PDF?

Upon receipt of your text PDF, we will first check it for problems (such as missing fonts, low resolution or size discrepancies). Then we will print a proof and mail it to you. If you wish to change something, you will need to change the file and resend us a new PDF. Processing a new file will cost $25.00, and additional printed proofs after the first one are $38.00 each.

What do you do with my cover PDF?

Upon receipt of your cover PDF, we will first check it for problems (such as missing fonts, low resolution or size discrepancies). Then we will print a color proof and mail it to you. If you wish to change something, you will need to change the file and resend us a new PDF. Processing a new file will cost $25.00, and additional printed proofs after the first one are $12.00 each. Keep in mind that color can vary greatly from device to device. If you are concerned about exact cover color, you are responsible for applying color management policies to account for these variations.

What is a "proof" and why do I need one?

A proof is a way of ensuring that your PDF was made properly. Common errors are missing fonts or unembedded images and these problems will show up on the proof. You know your book better than anyone, so you are the best person to carefully check the job for any errors. For covers, we typically output a proof on the same paper used for the final job. Proofing color is not completely accurate due to color shifts.

How should I do my pictures, maps and charts?

Screened images should be scanned and saved at 300 dpi (dots per inch). Line art should be scanned and saved at 600 dpi. If you have used postscript software to create your maps or charts, they should be saved in a vector file format like .eps for optimum quality.

Do I still need to approve a proof if I bring my work in on disk?

It may seem like a proof wouldn't be needed in this case but it really is. Output devices process digital information using a variety of processing languages. Your approval of the proof which we will provide assures that the output device used has correctly interpreted and processed the information you have provided.

What if I have changes after viewing my proof?

We do not make changes to PDF files. If you have changes, you must make them and provide us with a new PDF. For $25, we process the new PDF and begin production without any additional proofs. Or, we can print and mail additional text proofs for $38.00 each. Additional cover proofs are $12 each.

What if my text has bleeds?

If you are planning a book with bleeds, it would be best to contact us first to see if it is feasible. Some restrictions due to size and other factors may make the project cost prohibitive.

Manufacturing Stage

What kind of paper is used for the text?

Our house sheet is 60# white Weyerhaeuser offset for text, which we order in large quantities, resulting in savings for you. For offset books, we can also special-order other colors and weights upon request.

What kind of paper is used for the cover?

For softcover books we use white 10 point C1S, which is a heavy weight stock coated on one side (C1S). Other papers are also available; check with us for details. If the book is hardcover, the cover can be foil stamped or printed.

How is the cover protected?

Covers are protected using gloss film lamination, a plastic sheet that is heated to adhere to the printed cover. Matte lamination is available as well, but we cannot guarantee that it will protect the cover from scratches and scuffs. Matte lamination also shows fingerprints badly when used over dark-colored covers.

How do you print covers?

Digitally printed full-color covers are cost effective up to about 1300 covers. Higher quantities are printed offset. For both digital and offset, we use a 10-point cover stock with film lamination.

What is the maximum number of pages you can perfectbind (softcover)?

The maximum page count that we can perfectbind (softcover) is 512. (The binder cannot physically hold any more.)

What is the maximum number of pages you can casebind (hardcover)?

There is no real maximum page count for hardcover smyth-sewn books, however, weight and portability should be considered. The most pages we have had bound is 1,072 which is 3 inches thick

After Your Book is Finished

How will you ship my book?

After your book has been completed, it is packed for shipping. We use 8.5x11x12 inch or 9x12x12 inch boxes, depending on the book size. For most shipments we use UPS Ground because it is the most economical. Typically, the boxes for 6x9 books weigh 43 lbs. each and the 5.5x8.5 and 8.5x11 boxes weigh 34 lbs. each.

How much does shipping cost?

Go to Shipping for more information.

Will you keep my book files in case I reprint it in the future?

Yes. We keep all books on CD indefinitely. Negatives that have been used to print offset books are kept for 5 years and then destroyed. We will notify you and can mail the flats to you for longterm storage.

What happens when I need reprints?

You can call customer service to obtain a price quote for reprints. We will print from the file that has been saved on CD or use the negatives if we have them on file. This will save you the cost of setup.