Designing books
You want your book designed so that will grab a reader's attention. A cover that will draw a reader to your book, intrigue them enough to pick it up and buy it. We know the business of design and editing for the publishing business. We know the needs of authors, small presses and professionals. We guide you through the steps to create a design for your project, from choosing color, layout, and design, to the finished product. You will have a finished product you will be proud to promote. And you didn't have to spend a fortune on your project to accomplish your vision.
RSBPress provides the services you need, including:
- clarifying your vision for the project
- editing
- layout
- photo acquisition
- award-winning design
- printing solutions
Beyond design, the book Shepherd
What are the necessaries to a successful book?
- Having a well-edited manuscript
- Having a media/marketing plan
- Having a business plan
We can help you find an editor, plan your PR campaign, find a printer or printing solution. RSBPress can shepherd you through the process of publishing your book, from manuscript through to establishing your own publishing company should you choose to do so.
Publishing is a business. You need to know the business before you plunge into the fray.
Too many potential publishers make the mistake of thinking this is easy. Running a publishing company isn't easy. Just as with any other business. As a publisher, it is up to you to do all the work.
However, using a "book shepherd" to guide you through the process makes all the difference between spending years learning or quickly getting your fledgling business up and running smoothly.
"Kitty Werner has designed the covers and interiors of several of the books I've published, always with great results and reasonable cost. When other publishers ask me for recommendations, she is at the top of my list."
Designing books is a specialty
There are many nuances to designing books that the inexperienced designer wouldn't know about. Those are the little items that set apart a professionally designed book from an amateur's job.
Do you want your book to scream "vanity" or "amateur" to your potential audience? Or do you want your book to fit in with books from the big publishers?
If your cover doesn't make a positive impression at first glance—in about five seconds, you've lost your chance to have a reader pick it up to take the ten seconds to read the back cover.
RSBPress creates covers to entice readers to grab your book from the chaos on the shelves. Each cover is designed specifically for your subject and your project.
Well-crafted interiors sell books. Interiors are designed around the subject. For example, a translation of an 1869 French mystery, File No. 113 uses a classic font and layout for the interior. While a modern book, such as Why The Wind Blows uses a more modern font and layout. Yet both fonts are easy to read and set the mood for the reader. The task is to know which fonts work best for the reader and the subject matter. Using the wrong font makes reading more difficult. This is not your objective.
If you wish to learn more about the basics of publishing
You can download a PDF of a little publishing paper I wrote that details the basics of the different versions of publishing, from the traditional route and how the costs are broken down, to the Print on Demand (POD) route used by many today.
Creating and publishing books is also a business
A "book shepherd" is the term used to describe someone who helps authors turn their manuscript into a finished book, guiding their way through the archaic world of publishing.
There are so many ways to publish these days. If you want to become a player, and potentially have national recognition, you need to have a professionally designed book, and you need to have the access to the outlets that bookstores, both online and off, use to sell books.
Avoid Vanity Presses
There is a difference between "vanity" publishers that take anyone's manuscript, whether good or bad, to "publish" using generic templates for design; and the professional publishers that only produce quality books that have a good chance to sell well and get noticed.
We teach you the difference and guide you through the confusion to find the solution that works for you.
Become your own publishing house
Several of RSBPress's clients have chosen to start their own publishing companies to sell their books. The advantage is simple, the author/publisher controls their own book completely, with no middleman. Any royalties or sales come directly to the publisher. Just understand that all the risks are the publisher's as well. However, the risks can be minimal if done correctly.
As your book shepherd, RSBPress can handle the book publishing business for you, taking care of all the little details and keeping your business on track.
RSBPress learned the trade from working with Random House, editing six and ultimately designing five books for their House of Collectibles imprint.
About RSBPress
Kitty Werner has worked as a journalist, newspaper editor, publisher, computer trainer, designer of books, newsletters, ads, and brochures for various businesses and non-profits.
She edited six editions of Random House's Official Guide to U.S. Flea Markets, and after the first edition, also designed the interiors.
In 2001, she published The Savvy Woman's Guide to Owning a Home that sold out three printings after quarter-page reviews in Better Homes & Gardens and Country Living magazines. The second edition was a Finalist in the Foreword Book of the Year Awards.
The success of her book led to other publishers asking her to design their books, and/or help them establish their own publishing companies as their "shepherd." Her book designs have won awards, both regional and national.
She is a member of Independent Book Publishers Association, and Vermont Authors Project.
She enjoys life as an Extension Master Gardener and hiking in the woods with her husband behind their home in Waitsfield, Vermont.
Some of the books I have worked on and designed
How may I help you?
Drop me a line and let me know.
Kitty Werner
RSBPress
Waitsfield, Vermont
"Whether you are a first time author or seasoned publisher, Kitty Werner is a godsend! Knowledgeable, witty, and professional, she is “one-stop shopping” when it comes to meeting your publishing needs. At the end of the process, you are left with a masterpiece and a friend."
Rhonda J. McClenton, Ichthus Press
© 2018 Kitty Werner, RSBPress