| Back to Back Issues Page |
 |
|
Size matters: Editor's Notes #261 May 16, 2018 |
| Hello, Art is knowing which ones to keep." —Scott Adams In this issue: 1. Size matters 2. Tickled my funny bone 3. Interesting Web site 4. Writing prompt 1. Size matters Book size matters. When I edit, I charge by the word. Write fewer words, save money. Physical size also matters and influences costs and sales. I originally planned a children’s books to be 8 1/2 inches by 11 inches and had paid to have it laid out at that size. When I inquired at the local post office about the cost of shipping, I gulped and figured out the dimensions I needed to make the postage reasonable. That change alone has influenced countless sales for people who wanted to give the book as a gift for a distant friend or relative and more than covered the cost of redoing the layout, even though the cost was considerable. If you self‑publish, you will also have to choose paper, which comes in a surprising range of textures, tints, and weights. All of these considerations influence the cost of printing and where weight is concerned, the cost of shipping. Along with the paper, you will choose material for a cover, and that choice adds to the cost, including the cost of shipping. The font you choose influences costs, too. Fonts vary in size, and for a book of two hundred pages or more, that can make the difference of a dollar or more in selling price. Besides the choice of font and its size, you also need to consider the spacing of the words on the page including the margins. Costs are not the only reasons to choose a particular book size or font or margins. Reader expectations also plays into choices. What is the size of most books like yours? What do the margins generally look like? You want yours to look like it belongs with the rest. Although there can be legitimate reasons for a quirky size, most books sell better if they look like others in their group. While you are writing, you may not care about the size of your book, but when the time comes to give your ideas physical shape, size matters. =========== 2.Tickled my funnybone When you get a bladder infection, urine trouble. =========== 3. Interesting Web site Wishing you’d get something in your mail box? Have a snoop at messages to and from others. http://www.lettersofnote.com =========== 4. Writing prompt Choose one of the letters of note from #3 above. Write a reply. =========== Join Writer's Helper Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/WritersHelperEditor Follow me on Twitter @AudreytheEditor Link on LinkedIn https://ca.linkedin.com/in/audreyowen (Email me first so I know how you know me.) =========== If you know a writer who would appreciate receiving Editor's Notes, forward this issue. If someone has passed this on to you, you can get your own free subscription by signing up at https://www.writershelper.com/newsletter.html |
| Back to Back Issues Page |