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Author Guide

[firstname], Welcome to the Morgan James Publishing Family!

I’ve read that there are two great flashes of inspiration in the process of publishing a book, the first coming when the project is first conceived, and the second when you finally hold a finished copy of the book in your hands. These are separated by a seemingly endless time of perspiration. At first the sweat is almost entirely yours. Later it is ours as well, and it is almost entirely ours in the final stages, after you read the galleys.

But the book begins with you. You–the author–are the creator. We–the publishers, author relations’ managers, creative directors, typesetters, designers, marketers, salespeople, and others who collectively represent Morgan James Publishing–are the mechanics. Together we can help you shape the book in its early stages, and we can help you develop relationships with the audience for whom you are writing, but the expertise and the writing itself must come from you.

Your book has an excellent chance of success–otherwise we would not have entered this partnership–but both partners will have to contribute an enormous amount of work to secure that success. The venture is not without risk, but the rewards can be substantial. We offer these author guidelines–resulting from our years of publishing experience–in the certain knowledge that they can reduce the risk and increase the rewards. Our guidelines are not inflexible; every manuscript has its own requirements. But authors who carefully follow the instructions in this guide find the publishing process smooth, see their books published in a timely manner, and are generally more satisfied with the results.

These instructions do not deal with the content of your manuscript, but they concentrate on its form and style and the work required to turn it into an entrepreneurial book. The first part of the guide offers instructions on word processing or typing, text styling, and artwork preparation. The second part, the appendices, includes samples of various manuscript components. The manuscript preparation checklist allows you to verify quickly that you have prepared your manuscript well.

The guide is intended for writers in wide-ranging fields and for each of our imprints, including Guerrilla Marketing Press, Glazer-Kennedy Publishing, eWomensPublishing, Top 20 Press, Milton Rae Press, to name a few. It is intended for first-time authors as well as veterans. Regardless of your publishing experience or the status of your manuscript, you will find this information useful. We have tried to answer the most commonly asked questions about manuscript preparation and a great many questions that are raised less frequently, but no one guide can cover everything. If you have questions about any aspect of your project, do not hesitate to contact your Author Relations Manager (ARM). He or she is always available to provide additional assistance, and it is much easier to resolve special problems before rather than after you submit your manuscript.

Now, while the light from the first great flash of inspiration is still strong, is the best time to roll up your sleeves and prepare for the perspiration ahead. If you begin now and treat these guidelines seriously, your hard work will be leavened by a growing sense of satisfaction and achievement. Besides, the sooner you submit your final manuscript, the sooner you can watch us sweat.

We are delighted to be publishing your book and look forward to working with you.

When you are ready, you canupload your book to us using the form below…