Proof Copies

When you go through the process of sending a book to a print-on-demand service you will eventually have the option of ordering a proof copy of the book. Most will give you the option of previewing a PDF copy and buying a printed proof copy. The printed version will be exactly like the final version available to purchase but will have a large PROOF printed in it somewhere.

Preview the PDF first. Check that the cover images are correct. Check that front matter, content and back matter are all printed correctly. If everything is OK you should buy a printed proof copy also.

Why both?

The second time I ordered a proof copy the book sent had a much darker cover than I expected. It was almost black. It was meant to look like an old diary but you couldn't make out the aged appearance. The colours you get on a cover may not be what you expect. The interior may not be correct also. Are the pages you expect to be right hand pages on the correct side? Will the book open easily without any danger of the spine breaking? Do you spot a mistake in the text despite all your editing? You won't discover these problems until you hold a paper book in your hand.  

...and here's an example

In the image above, using 'section break (even page)' had led to two extra blank pages and an image not facing the story title. In addition I had not noticed the title was not vertically aligned to the middle.

If everything is correct and you are happy with the proof then publish your book. Once it's available go to its Amazon page and buy a copy. That first sale will mean Amazon gives it an ASIN number and it enters their page ranking system.

Before you buy a copy of your newly published paper book I strongly suggest you read the article by Brent Underwood on publishing his book 'Putting My Foot Down.' You can search for it online or go ahead and buy the ebook itself which explains how it got to be a #1 best-seller so quickly despite being only three pages long.

Next step: Working on ebooks - Formatting your ebook