One Book at a Time FAQs

Or someone has probably already asked that question

Here are answers to questions our customers have asked in the past. We’ve organized it in sections to make it easier to find the answers you’re looking for. Can’t find the answer you’re looking for? Give us a call!

Starting Out
Are you a book publisher or a book printer?

One Book at a Time is a printer, and we work with many self-publishers like yourself. We have services and advice that many of our customers use to make it easier to self-publish.

I’m new to self publishing, what do I do first?

Our best advice is to think ahead. Some questions to ask yourself are, who is your audience for this book? Do you want to sell it, or just give it away? How would you like to get your book into readers’ hands? Just hand it out? Fulfill through our online bookshop? Approach your local bookstore about carrying it? Libraries? Amazon?

Should certain kinds of books be approached differently?

What makes a good cookbook is going to be a little different than creating an interesting autobiography. Size? Length? Our experience with a wide range of books may provide some helpful thoughts and insights. Check out some helpful tips regarding the specific genre of book you are creating here.

How can I roughly estimate how long my book will be?
If you are still writing and haven’t formatted your interior pages yet, you can base your estimate on a word count. Because your eventual book will likely use a standard font size, and if it’s mostly text, you can estimate that you can fit about 250-300 words per page. So a book with 10,000 words would be roughly 35 pages, 50,000 words would be more like 180 pages.

Also, you don’t want to forget there will be some extra pages in there for things like copyright pages, indexes, forewords, and dedications. Writing your text in MS Word? You can get your document’s word count under “Tools”.
How many pages can my book be?
Page counts for softcover (paperback) books can range from 32 to 900 pages. For hardcover books it’s slightly less, 24 to 900. Your book should have an even number of pages, or we will have to add a blank page when setting up the proof. For books with more than 900 pages contact us.
You own the copyright. One Book at a Time does not own any part of your copyright. You may choose to share the copyright with other authors that contributed to your book if you choose. That’s up to you.

Yes, it’s good to protect the book you’ve worked so hard on. Fortunately, copyrighting your work is not hard to do. A copyright is automatically established when the work is created. Just place a notice on the copyright page of your book. Write either “copyright” or use the little copyright symbol along with the first year of publication, and your name. Voila! You’re protected! To make it even more secure, many experts recommend also registering your work with the copyright office of the government. Read more under our How-Tos section.

Do I need to get a Library of Congress Control Number to get my book into libraries?

Yes. The good news? It’s free! Before publishing, you need to get a PCN number (Preassigned Control Number) in order for your book to be distributed to libraries. More good news: This sometimes results in greater awareness of your book from people who would not have otherwise known about it. Here’s where to go to get it: https://www.loc.gov/publish/pcn/

What is an ISBN number, and do I need one?

An ISBN (International Standard Book Number) is a specific 13-digit number that identifies your book in the commercial marketplace. In order to sell your book in a bookstore, or online (Amazon) or even get it into a library, your book must have an ISBN number connected to it. If you choose to only make your book available in our One Book Fulfillment Center, then no ISBN number is required. Get more info about ISBN here and how One Book at a Time can help you get one.

Pricing
Do hardcover books cost more than paperbacks to print?

Yes, hardcover books take more time and effort to create. Materials are also more costly. However, it may surprise you how inexpensive a hardcover book can be! Use ASAP Price Quote form to see for yourself. Want a very large quantity, or to create a more unique book? Just as the name of the price quote says, we’ll get back to you ASAP! Still have questions? Give us a call.

Do color pages cost more than black and white pages?

Yes, the cost of labor and materials is more.

Can I have a mixture of black and white and color pages?

Yes, because we use state of the art digital printers, you can print pages in either black and white or color in whatever order your choose.

Will there be any additional costs in my order?

Once you get your estimate, there shouldn’t be any additional charges. However, if you decide to make changes to your order after the initial estimate, this could affect the price. Some of the ways in which your final cost may increase include, adding additional pages, or requesting additional proofs to review, or adding additional services like cover design. Shipping and taxes should also be considered. See our shipping page for more information on shipping charges.

What additional services are available, and do they cost extra?

Additional services include Interior page formatting, and Cover design. For small technical corrections like adding a spine to your cover file, or an ISBN barcode, we charge a flat fee of $25/file.  Check out our Services page.

What’s a proof?
After you send us your files, we turn them into a proof — a sample of your book that is assembled the way it will look when actually printed. The proof is your opportunity to review the colors and formatting of your book to ensure it’s set up just like you want it to be before it gets printed. If it’s not what you expected or it’s a problem at our end, we can fix it and send you another proof. If you decide to make changes to your proof and send new files, there will be a fee for revisions.
What’s so special about your proofing process?

Unlike other book printers that just send you a pdf of your book file, the proof you receive from One Book at a Time will be a digital proof with pages that actually turn (like the digital books you read online). Customers have said they find it more helpful to see just how their book will work, page by page.

To access your digital proof, you’ll receive an email with easy-to-follow instructions and a link that allows you to download your digital page-flipping proof.

Alternatively, you can request a printed proof instead for a small fee. A printed proof features hand-trimmed, loose pages (unbound), printed on your chosen paper stock. Call for details.

What does “bleed” mean?
A bleed is the part of your image that is outside the final cut of your printed piece. It is used to extend an image, color or line beyond the artwork edge, which enables us to trim the finished product without leaving an unsightly edge.
What are Crop Marks?
Crop marks indicate where the cover or page ends, and where the paper will be cut to your specified book size. Crop marks indicate the “trim” size of your book. Look under HowTo’s for definitions of many terms, or go to the File Prep page for more detail about requirements for Bleed, Trim and the Safe Text area in your file.
What is a PDF?
A PDF file is an Adobe file that stands for “Portable Digital File”. We prefer that you send us a PDF file in order to make your book. A PDF captures formatting information, which it “locks” in place. That means it’s a very secure and consistent version of your file. PDFs can be opened with Adobe Acrobat, or any version of Adobe Reader and are viewable and printable on virtually any platform.
How do I make a PDF?

Go to our HowTo’s section and look for How to make a PDF.

What kinds of files will you accept from me?
We prefer PDFs. One Book at a Time will accepts files in almost any format — for instance, MS Word or Adobe InDesign, etc. However, the safest, easiest and most cost effective method is to send your files in a PDF format. For more information about files go to our File Prep page.
We recommend that your images be between 200 and 300 dpi. Anything less than 150 dpi may print blurry and pixilated. With the size of most books we are printing, it would not be worth submitting any images over 300 dpi.
What kind of paper is right for my book?
Uncoated paper stock is typically used for the interior pages of books. Uncoated paper does not have a coating to fill in between the fibers, making it more porous and absorbent than coated paper stocks. Images printed on uncoated paper will be softer. Coated paper stocks are used more often for hardcover books and books that feature images that need to be more crisp. Go to Printing a Book/Materials for details about papers that are available.
Does it matter what size my book is?
We offer a number of sizes in hardcover and softcover books in both portrait and landscape formats. If the size of your book exceeds 12×12”, then it falls into the category of “custom” book. For instance, if you’re creating a photobook or a children’s book, you may want to build your book in a custom size. See Printing a Book for more details about hardcover, softcover and custom books.
What kinds of printers do we use?
Your book will be printed on our state-of-the-art digital HP Indigo printers, using only factory-spec toner. We also utilize a Minolta, and a large capacity Canon printer for Black and White printing. For large volume orders, and special custom printing, we utilize our high-speed Heidelberg offset printers. Customer service, Prepress, Design and our Bindery divisions all operate within our Addison, Texas complex. For certain complex operations and hardcover bindery, we utilize a long time partner company nearby.
How long will it take to get a finished book?

Turnaround times are quick at One Book at a Time. Softcover books are printed within 5 days, Hardcover within in 10 days. Need your books faster?  We can print your books as soon as overnight. Please call to discuss your requirements and we will do our best to accommodate you.

Where do you ship?

Anywhere in the USA. See Shipping Info.

How will my book get shipped?

After your book gets printed, we pack it for shipping. Boxes are no larger than 9x12x12” and weigh approximately 12-18lbs. We use USPS for shipping. For large volume orders, freight trucking may be necessary. See our Shipping Page for more information.

Can I split-ship to different locations?

Yes, we can send books to more than one location. See our Shipping Page for more information.

After an order has been placed, can I change the shipping information?
Unfortunately, you cannot change the shipping method, or quantity after an order has been placed. If orders are returned due to our mistake, we will take full responsibility for re-shipping the order. If for any other reason a shipped order is returned, you are responsible for paying to have the order re-shipped.
How much will shipping my book cost?

Shipping costs will depend on the quantity and size of books ordered. We ship to any domestic US address, using UPS best rates. Addresses in Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands requires a surcharge.

Those who purchase your book from our One Book Fulfillment Center will have handling and shipping added to the cost of the book.

See our shipping page for more details.

Do you keep copies of my book in the One Book Fulfillment Center?

That’s up to you! As a convenience to our customers, you can choose to use our One Book Fulfillment Center. When you order your book to be printed, you will let us know how many copies of your book you would like us to keep at the Fulfillment Center, and we’ll ship the remainder to you. Then we’ll send you a link that you can share with readers so that they can purchase your book directly through the One
Book Fulfillment Center. If we run out of books we will contact you.

Are my files secure?
Yes, your files are stored on a secure server, as well as all your personal information.
What about reprinting my book?

We can reprint your book anytime without you needing to send new files. We archive your files for 5 years from your last order, so it’s quick and easy to order reprints whenever you need them. Just Login to MyAccount and select History. Select the book you’d like to reprint.
If it’s an exact reprint, select reprint and just submit your payment online. If you have changes you want to make to your reprint, just mail in a copy of the book with changes marked up, or submit a Word document with exact changes you want to make, ie, include your personal information and book title, then write the page number, line number and the change you want made. Of course, feel free to contact us with questions.

Is it free to use the One Book Fulfillment Center to distribute my books?

Yes! The One Book Fulfillment Center is a free service to our customers to make it easier to distribute your book without the expense and complexity of commercial publishing, or the hassles of fulfilling each book order yourself.

Do I have to use the One Book Fulfillment Center?
No that’s up to you. However we recommend it. It’s easy, eliminates the hassle of fulfilling orders from home or your office, and best of all, it’s free!
How do I use the Fulfillment Center?

After printing, we will send you a link that you can share with anyone wishing to order your book. Your customers will pay whatever price you have determined for your book along with a handling and shipping charge. We accept all major credit cards, and will ship their book out within 5 days. Easy, peasy.

Am I limited in what retail price I set my book to?

You can set the price to whatever you want — even make it free to your readers. However any
book that we fulfill for you through the One Book Fulfillment Center will incur a shipping and handling fee.

How do I get paid when someone orders a book from the Fulfillment Center?

When your readers purchase your book through the One Book Fulfillment Center, you keep 100% of your sales profits — no fees, commissions, or royalties. One Book at a Time will send out checks to you each month for any books sold.

How long can I keep my books in the Fulfillment Center?

We are happy to warehouse and fulfill your book orders through the One Book Fulfillment Center for one year free. After one year, we will send you a notification, and let you decide if you would like us to continue to keep your books at the Fulfillment Center for a charge of $25/year. At any time, you can ask us to ship the remaining books to you at standard UPS rates and avoid this annual charge.

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One Book at a Time 100-Year Guarantee

We guarantee that your high-quality One Book at a Time hardback or paperback will last for 100 years from date of printing or we will replace it. This applies to any book of any size except saddle-stitched items and pamphlets under 10 pages. This guarantee applies to the production quality of the binding, glued endpapers and interior pages. If we deem that the book has received especially negligent treatment or water damage this guarantee does not apply.

To report a book that needs replacement call 1-888-416-7667, or write us by sending an email along with a photo of the book to OrderDesk@OneBookPub.com or mail the damaged book to One Book at a Time / Guarantee, 4680 Belt Line Road, Addison, TX 75001. A replacement book will be sent back to you within 30 days.