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New to Self Publishing?
The Book Publishing Process arrow Step 1: Education Arrow Step 2: Preparation Arrow Step 3: Book Printing Arrow Step 4: Distribution & Marketing

How do I submit my Trade book to RJ Communications for printing?




STEP 1 - For estimates under 30 days old

If your quotation is less than 30 days old, you can retrieve your estimate by going to the Production Centerand entering your estimate number and email address in the spaces provided and click on Retrieve Quote. (Your estimate number can be found on your Quotation underneath the signature). When your quotation appears on the screen, go to step 2.

 

 

For estimates over 30 days old or where the estimate number is unknown

Go to www.booksjustbooks.com  and submit the desired specifications in the Instant Pricing section of the website.  When your Quotation appears on the screen, go to step 2.

 

 

 



Step 2 - Create Purchase Order

Click on the icon that says I'm done! Create a Purchase Order.  This can be found towards the bottom of the Quotation above the signature and below the price. This will take you to a screen where you can confirm or edit your contact information.  It is very important that this information is correct.  Murphy's Law tells us that if this information is incorrect at this stage, this is exactly where your final books will end up, no matter how many times you try to correct it later.  Take a couple of minutes to make sure that all information is correct. If it is incorrect, click on the button that says Edit Contact Information.  Your contact screen will reappear.  Make corrections and click on the button that says Submit Information.  This will take you back to your quote where you click again on Create Purchase Order. As soon as you verify that the contact information is correct, click on the button that says Confirm and Create PO.

Step 3Complete Purchase Order

When purchase order appears on your screen you will see that it is already filled out as an order from you to RJ Communications to print your specified number of books at the quoted price. Print a copy of this purchase order on your printer. Fill in your requested delivery date (if a specific date is desired). If you want the job printed as soon as possible simply write “ASAP” in the “Requested Delivery Date” space. You are not guaranteed delivery by the requested date but it will give us a date to “shoot for” if you have a scheduled event that you would like to have your book. The other spaces that need to be filled in are delivery instructions for the “proofs” and the final delivery instructions. If the proofs and books all deliver to the same address at the top of the Purchase Order, simply mark the spaces “Same as above” When you are done, you need to sign your Purchase Order and make a copy for your files.

Step 4 - Download Submission Checklist

Download the Submission Checklist by either clicking on the link on the purchase order that says NOTE: Job cannot be accepted without Purchase Order and completed Submission Checklist. Click here.  Or go to the Production Center and click on the Submission Checklist/Trade. This is a PDF file that needs to be printed out on your printer.  If you do not have a PDF viewer you can download a free copy here






 



Step 5 - Complete Submission Checklist

1&2 - Text and Cover files - These first 2 sections have to do with the type of files that are being submitted to us to print from.  If your files were prepared by a professional designer, they will be happy to give you the data needed.  If you need to convert your files to PDF from any other program you can visit the following link to the Adobe website.  The conversion is free if you get it right on the first 5 tries.  Make sure that you pick the Press Optimization rather than the Printer or Print optimization.  The final product delivered from that site is Press Ready.

 

 

 




3.   FREIGHT - This is an important section to have filled in correctly.  The least expensive freight is when a truck picks up from one business with a loading dock and delivers to another business with a loading dock.  Nobody likes freight but it is the only way that you are going to get your books from Point A to Point B.  If you are a business with a loading dock (or if your distributor or warehouse has a loading dock), check A. If your final destination is your house but you have plenty of help to unload the truck, check B. If you are a residence and youíll need the driver to deliver the books into your garage check C.  Most orders under 500 copies are shipped by UPS.  UPS drivers love making inside deliveries.  Orders over 500 copies come by common carrier as LTL(Less than Truckload).  If these drivers are expecting a loading dock and find a garage, they will probably turn around and take your books back to the terminal which will delay final delivery.  This is out of our hands so make sure that you answer these questions correctly.  A signature is required in this section.

 

 

 

4.   Purchase Order and Trade Customs - these 3 boxes must be checked and signed.  The first just says that you have signed your Purchase Order. The second says that you have read the Printing Trade Customs.  It is important to know and understand the ìrulesunder which your book will be produced.  The main thing that you need to understand is that printing is not an exact science.  There will be some quality fluctuation throughout your press run.  If you are not prepared to accept this you might want to save your money and go see a movie or something. Publishing may not be for you. Most of the customs are common sense things that most people intuitively know.  The one point that causes a little confusion is the overs/unders clause.  Buying books is not like buying a can of soda from a soda machine.  All efforts are made to deliver the exact quantity ordered but production variables make it necessary to have a +/- 5% variable.  This means if you order 1000 books, you might receive 950 or you might receive 1050.  If overs are delivered, you will be charged.  If you are short, you will be credited for the shortage. The 3rd item is that you have read the prepress requirements posted at the website.  Trouble free files will be your best bet at having trouble free production of your book.  You need to sign in the space left for a signature.

5.     Method of Payment - The terms of payment on all BooksJustBooks.com printing projects are 50% of the amount on the purchase order due with the order, balance of the amount on the purchase order due prior to printing and final balance (adjustments for overs/unders, corrections and freight) due prior to shipping. Any payment may be made by credit card. First payments may be made by check and second or third payments may be made by certified check. All checks payable to RJ Communications. In the unfortunate event of a check being returned by the bank for insufficient funds, you will be charged any fees that are charged to RJ Communications by the bank (minimum $35).


6.    New York State Resale Certificate - If you are not from New York, you do not need to worry about filling out a New York resale certificate.  If you are located in New York, you will need to fill in a resale certificate or else we will be forced to charge you sales tax.  It does not cost you anything to get a resale certificate. Your social security number or Federal ID number is usually your resale number.  Where most of you will be selling books through a distributor, you will not need to collect tax either.  The final consumer is the one who pays the sales tax.  If you have any questions, ask the person who prepares your regular taxes.



STEP 6 - Inclusion in the BooksJustBooks online bookstore (Optional)

 It is highly recommended that you list your book with our new bookstore, www.justbookz.com. The store only charges 25% of the retail price as compared to the 55% that Amazon and Barnes & Noble charge.  The Bookstore Agreement can be found in the Production Center.  Take your time filing out this form.  The words you choose can make the difference between someone buying your book or someone else's. If you need some extra time to complete this form, it does not need to be submitted at the same time as the rest of the job.  If you choose to complete the form later, that’s fine, just don’t forget. It’s a great way to sell your books.

Step 7 - Send your completed package to RJ Communications

Once you have completed the above 5 steps, combine your Purchase Order, Submission Checklist, disc, hard copy and check (if applicable) into a secure package and send it to : RJ Communications 51 East 42nd Street Suite 1202 New York NY 10017 Attn: Denise Puryear.  It's as easy as that!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Schedule - The schedule is 3-4 weeks from OK disc and 6-8 weeks for trade hardcover.  

Many of the scheduling components are within your control. The schedule on your job does not start until all your paperwork is completed and your files are pre-flighted for correctness.  Please double check everything before sending it into RJ Communications.  If a signature is required sign it.  If information needs to be filled in on one of the forms fill it in.  Generally you will be called within 2 business days of receipt of your package if anything is missing or incorrect.

Once your job passes pre-flight it is sent to the appropriate network printer.A book proof will be sent out in about 1 week which serves as your final check. You must sign the Client Approval Form and return it and the proof to the location specified on the proof form. Telephone OK's are not accepted. The printing will not proceed untill both proof and OK are back in the possession of the printer.

Your books will generally ship within 2 weeks of receiving your OK to Print.

Any questions with any of the above, please do not hesitate to call and ask questions.  A few minutes spent now could save you days later.  We look forward to printing your books.

Thanks