How much does it cost?

$2.00 per page for formatting, 2¢ per word for copyediting, custom illustrations vary depending on complexity, $15.00 per image for image placement (included in price for illustrations), $200.00 for cover design. See the Prices page for more detail.

Can I put pictures in my book?

You bet! Illustrations or photos add value to a book. Keep in mind, however, that color printing is more expensive than black and white. But if you really want color, the price is worth it, and is very reasonable. Quotes will be provided after formatting and image placement is complete.

I have my manuscript typed on paper. Do you accept paper manuscripts?

No, I'm sorry. We are not equipped to take a paper document. We must receive digital files. The cost to convert to digital from a typed manuscript would be prohibitive. You may want to consider typing and saving it as a digital file on your computer, or having a friend or high school student do it for you for a nominal fee.

How soon will I get my book?

If you are in the habit of checking email several times a day, and are willing to stay in touch with us daily, we can have your book ready for the printer in two weeks or less. First printing usually takes 3-4 weeks, and reprints take 7-10 business days. Children's books take longer.

How much creative control do I have?

All of it! We don't argue with our clients unless something they want will make us both look bad. Reasons are always given when a difference occurs, so that you understand why we are objecting to what you want. You also get a free review and a chance to make corrections, before your book goes to print.

For formatting, corrections are restricted to formatting issues -- margins, line-spacing, heading styles, etc. For a job that entails copyediting only, the corrections or changes are restricted to issues that will change the quality of the content. We don't allow the changing of words just to be changing words. If it actually changes the content or meaning of the content, those changes will gladly be made for you. By the time you submit your manuscript, everything should be worded the way you want it -- then we just make you look good!

We will address copyediting issues in a book that we did not edit, but they will be charged by the hourly rate of $65.00 an hour. We will address formatting issues in a book we did not format, but at the same rate.

What is the cover price of my book?

Your retail price should be at least triple the per copy cost for printing, so you make enough to replace the books you sell, even if you sell them to a store with a high wholesale discount.

Do you offer illustrations for children's books, and what does it cost?

Yes, we do. We offer artwork services for all types of books. The cost varies, depending on the complexity of the image. If you wish to see samples from each artist, please visit the Artist's Page. All of our artists are professionals, and your illustrations are created exclusively for your book. Custom artwork takes much longer -- anticipate approximately one week per image, on average, for illustrations.

Please be aware that children's books are often purchased on the basis of the quality of the artwork alone. Illustrations that are compelling, appealing, visually exciting, and make a reader smile at first glance will sell a book where the title, text or author's name alone have no impact. Artwork touches people in deep places and different ways, but a book with unappealing artwork will sit on the shelf, collecting dust.

Do I get an ISBN number?

Yes, if you need one. An ISBN can be purchased for $50.00. ISBN numbers do not designate ownership or rights. They are simply a numerical identifier for your book, and this numerical identifier also identifies the publisher. It lets bookstores, distributors, wholesalers and other publishers know who is the publisher of your book. If you use our ISBN, you will be provided with a letter of permission, so you can establish a vendor account for yourself with any wholesaler or distributor.

Do I keep all my rights?

Yes, absolutely! You are not bound to Cedar Hill Publishing in any way. If you chose to have your book published by someone else in the future, we would hand over all of your materials, and they would assign your book a new ISBN number. It's that simple.

Do you publish hardbacks and paperbacks?

Yes, we do. Our printers offer many options for binding, and hardback and softcover are only two. For children's books, they offer saddle-stitch or standard binding (called "perfect" binding -- cover has a spine, and is glued at the spine to hold the pages together), and also single and double-wire spiral binding. Then, there are plastic spiral binding, glossy cover, matte cover (no shine), and a choice of paper, too, depending on whether or not there will be color images.

How can I contact you?

Click here for the Contact Page.

How do I start?

Send your manuscript, a digital document (like a Microsoft Word document) by email or snail-mail, and we can give you a quick estimate of the costs. If you decide not to have us do your book, that's okay, and all documents will be removed from our computer promptly. If your manuscript was not created (typed) in Microsoft Word, it must be saved as an .rtf (Rich Text Format) file, so it can be opened in Word. If you aren't sure how to do this, contact us for instructions. We'll help all we can.

What else do you do?

Click here to see "More Services".