Glossary
Catalog
S&H
Part
I
Printed Book
Family History
State
Part II
E-Book
Genealogy & History
Fiction
Part III
Non-Book Items in our Catalog
Other Sections
(May include Printed Book, E-Book and Other)
New
Additions
New
Reprints
Gift Services
Online
Order Form Links (SCL)
Working With The
Gregath Publishing Company
(an open letter
from us to you)
Introduction | You'll Be Well
Cared For
The
Well Informed Author/Client
(Includes Who will sell
your book?)
Some Services We Offer | Manuscript Tips | Follow a Book Through Production
What can we do
for you?
That is the bottom line in selecting a printer/publisher.
We would like to say this isn't true and that we were above all that. The fact is you want to make your project the best possible and (unless you are independently wealthy and use money as fire starter) you want the best quality and the most help at the least cost. Many authors make this their only criteria. Most of them will find this an eye opening experience. We feel that part of the value of saving money is also finding a company that can be as active in the process as the author wishes them to be. We offer a full array of comprehensive services, staff that is friendly, knowledgeable, experienced authors in their own right. We want to help you develop a publishing program for your original editions, or historical reprints that is tailor made to the author and the book itself, as well as the budget.
To many, publishing a book is a learning process of it's own. Many authors/clients have a picture in their mind of exactly what their published work will look like, while others don't. We want to work hand and hand with you to make you comfortable with all aspects of your publishing process and keep you in control while offering helpful suggestions. We are not some large scale, automated, business. Since 1970, we have been publishing our own books as well as providing a comprehensive, full range of writing, printing and publishing services to numerous individuals and organizations that benefit from our experience and knowledge base. Allow our personalized attention and comprehensive services to make your fully customized book a reality.
We can offset print from a camera-ready
manuscript (insuring
the published page looks exactly like what was submitted by the
author/client), the high personal factor and pride of workmanship
puts us above most economy press operations. A newer service is digital printing (print on demand)
that can be produced directly from disk or hardcopy. Each manuscript (hard
copy or disk) is checked
in as it arrives. If
anything appears out of the ordinary, the author/client is
contacted. We find this works to everyone's advantage better than
a strict "as is" policy, unless otherwise instructed. While we don't catch
everything, we have had some "good saves", for example:
One author had each chapter in their book in a different file. Somehow each file had a different set of margins. If we had printed it as it was submitted, some of the information would have run off the printed page.
While laying out photos, an employee noticed a caption for 4 people and only 2 people were in the photo. It turned out the author had several photos and captions mixed up.
We usually don't contact an author/client about such things as copy machine speckle or document feeder lines - in this regard our standard for camera-ready manuscript is your published book reflects what you submit. Additionally, we do not have enough time to read your work for content as a free service. However, we hope the examples above show that we do, indeed, care about your work. Additionally, we offer editing services as well as a "fresh eye" for review, upon request.
The Well Informed Author/Client
Have you ever heard of "too much of a good thing". Here, at The Gregath Publishing Company, we feel you can never have enough knowledge (the aforementioned good thing). One thing we consider a failing we see in so many businesses (not limited to publishing) is the lack of information available to the customer. Websites especially (since the business isn't charged "by the inch") should be friendly and informative - like good employees.
We have worked very hard on
a website that is informative and easy to navigate.* With detailed suggestions and alternative
ways to find what you are looking for, we are always looking for new ways to be
of service to our clients, as well as those who are
interested in publishing and genealogy (a
topic close to our hearts). If you have a suggestion, are stumped, or can't find
exactly what you are looking for, just email us - we love feedback.
We feel the more information you have, the easier it will be for you to feel good about your project. Also, there will be no disturbing surprises along the way due to a lack of explanation or information.
The simple truth is that you will ultimately make this decision. You will do your marketing or pay someone else to market for you. Many people have the wonderful idea that "if you print it, they will buy it" without even stopping to think who "they" are or how to find them. Everyone who publishes dreams of a bestseller - yes, even family historians. However, without thought and preparation toward marketing, the hard truth is no book would sell many copies. The Gregath Publishing Company can help with suggestions and offers limited marketing that doesn't cost the author/client anything up front. However, like all other publishers, we just don't know your book and source material as well as you do. Therefore, tips, suggetions and pointers are freely published on our website. Free flyers and other services to help you are available. However, it ultimately comes down to you! If still shopping for publishers, be sure to find out exactly what their "marketing services" are. Authors have in the past, been disappointed that a highly touted "marketing program" consisted of a an ISBN, an author marketing tips sheet, an online flyer page or tear sheets and a press release (the author was to send out). Gregath can provide all of this and more, but we know there is a lot more to marketing then just preparing these tools and the author needs to realize this a well.
Knowing that marketing is
part of any successful, comprehensive, publishing process is a great help.
Knowing your target audience also makes your efforts easier:
Genealogy - look toward family members, libraries, genealogical and historical
repositories, organizations and citizens in the geographical area covered by the
book; Native
American Children's book - contact libraries, schools, Tribes and
Nations; Area History - libraries & schools, cover the area in
press releases; the list can go on and on. Remember that there is
a market for any book. "Your mission should
you accept it" is finding and exploring it.
Page Last Updated: May 05, 2008
*While
every effort has been made with our website, everyone's mind
works a bit differently. If you have any problem finding what you
want on our site, please
email us. We'll be happy to help!
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