FAQ for Sweetspire Literature Management Services

When printing full-color books with Sweetspire Literature Management, you have two options: Premium Color and Standard Color. Both are printed on 70lb uncoated white paper, but the key difference lies in the ink quality. Premium Color: This option uses higher-quality ink, making it ideal for books where color images play a crucial role, such as illustrated children's books, high-end photography collections, or design-focused publications. Premium color ensures vivid, sharp images that enhance the overall reading experience. While this option increases the production cost, it is worth considering when visual impact is essential to your book. Standard Color: This option provides good-quality color at a lower production cost. Standard color is best suited for books that contain color elements like images, tables, or graphs but are mainly text-based. It is a cost-effective solution when the quality of the images is less critical to the reader’s experience, making it a popular choice for authors looking to keep their print prices down.

Choose Premium Color if your book relies heavily on high-quality images (e.g., art books, photo-heavy publications, or books where image quality is paramount). If your book has a low page count, the cost difference between premium and standard color may be smaller, making premium color more accessible. Choose Standard Color if cost-efficiency is your main concern and the images in your book are secondary to the text or don't require top-tier reproduction quality. Standard color printing is a great option for books that have some color but are primarily focused on written content.

No, print-on-demand setups do not offer the option to mix color and black-and-white pages. If your book contains even a single page with color, the entire interior will need to be printed in color, which will follow the pricing structure for full-color books.

When setting your book's retail price, consider your target market, the print costs, and your desired royalty. For example, if you set a higher price using premium color for the US market, you may want to adjust the pricing for international markets like the European Union to accommodate different consumer expectations while still earning reasonable royalties.

Yes, Sweetspire Literature Management offers adjusted pricing for bulk orders, we call it Author Volume Discount. If you plan to order copies in large quantities for events, direct sales, or personal distribution, we will work with you to ensure you receive a discounted rate.

Sweetspire Literature Management offers trade paperbacks, which are of better production quality with higher quality paper compared to mass-market paperbacks.

Yes, Sweetspire Literature Management offers hardcover books, also known as hardback or hardbound books, which are known for their sturdy construction and durability.

The available trim sizes for black & white hardcover books are: 5" x 8" 6" x 9" 8.25" x11" ( Limited Distribution Only)

Yes, we can accommodate hardcover availability in other trim sizes, but the distribution of these formats is not guaranteed.

The available trim sizes for black & white paperback books are: 5" x 8" 6" x 9" 8.25" x 11"

The minimum page count for black & white paperback books is 48 pages, and the maximum page count is 900 pages.

The available trim sizes for colored paperback books are: 6" x 9" 8.5" x 8.5" 8.5" x 11"

The minimum page count for colored paperback books is 24 pages, and the maximum page count is 480 pages.

The minimum page count for black & white hardcover books is 48 pages, and the maximum page count is 900 pages.

The available trim sizes for colored hardcover books are: 8.5" x 8.5" 8.5" x 11" 6" x 9" ( Limited Distribution Only)

The minimum page count for colored hardcover books is 24 pages, and the maximum page count is 480 pages.

Sweetspire’s dedicated design team works with authors to create an incomparable book cover that stunningly represents the book's content. Our front cover guidelines include the book's title, subtitle (if any), author name(s), and necessary graphics for the cover artwork. Authors can submit ideas, sample graphics, or choose a custom cover illustration option for an additional fee.

The custom layout service ensures your book interior looks professional, suitable to your book genre, and formatted for multiple digital devices. This service includes formatting for Amazon Kindle, Google Play Books, Barnes & Noble NOOK, Kobo Books, and iBooks Store. The ISBN (International Standard Book Number) is provided to help customers identify and order the exact book they want to purchase.

Sweetspire includes Amazon "Look Inside," Google Preview, and Barnes & Noble Read Instantly services in all publishing programs with e-book formatting. About 15-20% of the text is randomly selected for preview by Amazon and Google, allowing customers to access a limited preview of your book.

Yes, Sweetspire offers a U.S. Copyright Registration service, completing and submitting the necessary paperwork to the U.S. Copyright Office. The process takes 6 to 12 months to receive the Certificate of Registration.

Yes, Sweetspire provides Library of Congress Control Number (LCCN) registration. The LCCN is a unique identifier used by librarians worldwide to catalog books published in the United States. The Library of Congress reserves the right to refuse cataloging titles under 50 pages unless they are children's books or for transitory materials.

Sweetspire Literature Management plugs authors into a global wholesale network with access to more than 39,000 wholesale book distribution channels, including: Ingram Book Company: The largest book wholesale distributor in the world. Bowker: A trusted source for bibliographic information. Google Books: A service that searches the full text of books and magazines. Amazon: A chain of retail bookstores owned by Amazon. Kobo Inc.: A Canadian company that sells ebooks, audiobooks, ereaders, and tablet computers. Baker and Taylor: A distributor of books to public libraries and schools. Barnes & Noble: The bookseller with the largest number of retail outlets in the United States.

Sweetspire offers several types of editorial services to ensure a flawless and professional final product: Basic Editing: Corrects light grammar issues, spelling, and punctuation. Proofreading + Basic Editing: Identifies issues with structure and mechanics, and provides proofreading for grammar and editing for structure. In-Depth Editorial Evaluation: Provides an adept view on the quality of the book and recommendations for improvement.

The estimated complete editing delivery is 6-8 weeks, depending on the work queue. An editorial evaluation is required before opting for a full editing service.

Sweetspire does not hold royalty percentages for titles not published under them. Royalty is calculated by subtracting 35-55% for distribution and printing costs from the online retail price, with the remaining amount given to authors. Payments are conducted in USD via Electronic Fund Transfer, and reports are issued quarterly if the royalty sales commission exceeds $100.

Discounts are based on the quantity ordered, ranging from 30% to 60%:

Book returns refer to the process where booksellers return unsold copies of books to the publisher. If you designate your book as "returnable," booksellers can send back overstocked or unwanted copies, expecting reimbursement for their purchase cost.

Making your book returnable increases the likelihood that booksellers, especially brick-and-mortar stores, will stock it. Stores often prefer returnable books as it reduces their financial risk. This can lead to greater exposure and potential sales for your book.

When setting up a new title, you can choose from three returns options: No or Non-Returnable: Booksellers cannot return the book. ( This is the default status of your Title once published until Booksellers Returbaility Program is activated) Yes – Deliver: Returned books are sent back to you. Yes – Destroy: Returned books are sent back to Sweetspire and destroyed.

Costs depend on the returns option you select. The wholesale cost of the book plus shipping and handling fees are charged. For instance: Yes – Deliver: $3.00 per book for US addresses; $20.00 per book for international addresses. Yes – Destroy: Only the wholesale cost of the book; no shipping fees.

Charges are covered by Sweetspire Literature Management depending on the duration availed for Bookstore Returability Program.

Authors must contact their title executive to request their book be tagged as returnable. Once the request is made, a confirmation email will be sent to the author. This service is renewable on a yearly basis.

The program ensures that your book's visibility is maximized by making it more attractive to booksellers. It also provides peace of mind by securing potential royalty loss on a yearly basis. This comprehensive service not only enhances the market reach of your book but also protects your financial interests, ensuring sustained royalty income despite returns.

The author(s) retains full ownership of copyrighted works, excluding Sweetspire Literature Management's logo and ISBN number. Sweetspire can produce the original work in various forms for an agreed fee, maintaining full ownership rights for the author.

Yes, Sweetspire’s SLM Limitless Pathway service collects information about literary agents and submits inquiries on behalf of authors. Authors can be represented by a literary agent, and Sweetspire is not accountable for any agreements made between the author(s) and the literary agent/agency.