Gregath Publishing e-zine 
Volume 2, Number 8
August, 2003
Helping writers, genealogists and computer users of all kinds
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Please note that while an effort to generalize much of this text has been made, some references to "we, our, etc." still occur and much of the information provided applies to The Gregath Company and may not with other printer/publishers.  ALWAYS double check with your printer/publisher on every detail.

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Table of Contents
You may click on each department below to go directly to that article.  At the end of each article (if supported) is a link back to this contents.

What's It Mean?
Design Inspiration
Book Manufacturing Concepts
Marketing Advice
Computer Help

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What’s It Mean?
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(Print) Margin: Presses cannot print edge to edge on a page. Binding requires trimming also. Proper margin allowance ensures a pleasing end product. (White space all around)
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For other printing, publishing, marketing lingo, check our glossary at http://www.gregathcompany.com/gloss.html
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Design Inspiration - 
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We receive manuscripts, including pictures with the instructions "Do Not Cut Pictures", every day. No printer that we know of would have any reason to cut your ORIGINAL pictures/submissions. In our printing process, a negative and a new print [known as a half-tone] must be made in order to be reproduced on an offset press. Many snapshots are of one or a few family members, with a whole lot of unnecessary background. Most of these pictures show very little, if any, detail of the subject. If they were enlarged and the half tone "cropped for effect", the same size picture would show the subject(s) in much more detail.

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This section is drawn from information online at http://www.gregathcompany.com/tips.html 
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Book Manufacturing Concepts
Offset printing versus digital printing
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When delving into the world of digital reproduction/printing, (family) historians should be sure exactly what they are paying for.  A large percentage of "digital print" that is being published is simply being produced on a digital based copy machine.  While today's digital machines (of any type) are much better than the copy machines even 15 years ago, this format hasn't been tested by time.  Much like any E-book format you can get today - it cannot be considered archival quality because of this.  There are some true digital printing presses - accepted and tested printing processes that receive their printable image directly from a computer rather than plate, film, or other media.  These are as archival as their printing process that has been tested over time.

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Marketing advice
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Join email lists that have the same subject matter as your book.  After getting an idea of the type of information that is posted and the rules, send an email to the list(s) about your new publication.  You might start at http://groups.yahoo.com or http://www.egroups.com 

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Computer aid - font size (rule of thumb)
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Almost all programs will allow you to adjust the font size to some extent or another.  Production programs such as Acrobat, Expressions Web (app updated 5-18-15), Print Artist, Publisher, Excel, Corel Draw, etc. usually give the most control.  Internet programs (with the exception of outgoing html email) are a bit different.

The Rule of Thumb: always look at your pull down menus!  Most programs have a menu that has to do with viewing or formatting (many times both).  Click them to see if there are font changing options.

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Note:  All references to "click" are using the left mouse button unless otherwise noted.

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About this e-zine
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