One of the most common questions I get at Bookmobile is “What will the print proofs look like? Will they be bound?” Let’s break it down.
Your Choices for Proofs
At Bookmobile, you can choose to see no proofs, digital proofs (PDFs by FTP or Hightail), or print proofs. We prefer that new publishers see print proofs. And clients with color or quality concerns, or clients who send multiple file revisions, must also see print proofs. We like to err on the side of caution.
If you’re printing a bound galley with us, we’ll assume no proofs if fine unless you say otherwise. If you’re printing a short run, we’ll assume you’ll want to see print proofs.
We send all print proofs via UPS Next Day Air unless you say otherwise. We assume you need everything ASAP!
Also note, we will send a copy of your quote along with the proofs. This provides one more opportunity to make sure that we have the correct specifications (interior paper stock, trim size, etc.), and that there is no confusion about the costs, either.
Are Print Proofs Bound?
No, our print proofs are not bound. The interior proof is collated and trimmed to size, and it’s printed on the stock and from the printer to be used for the final run. The cover proof is laminated, and is also printed on the stock and from the printer to be used for the final run.
Unlike an offset printer, Bookmobile’s proofs demonstrate how your final book will appear. We keep a copy of the proofs on site, too, so when we have your okay to print, we can be sure color and margins are consistent with the proofs.
And because we have a copy of the proofs here, we don’t need your set of proofs returned. We just need an okay to print via email to proceed. We like to have everything in writing.
Why Don’t You Bind the Print Proofs?
We don’t produce books Print-on-Demand (one at a time) at Bookmobile; our minimum run is 25 copies. Setting up a book to bind takes us anywhere from 10 to 45 minutes, so setting up to bind just one proof is not feasible.
What If I’m Not Happy with My Proof?
You should be sending us final, print-ready files, not files that are not yet edited or not yet fully designed. We require a payment of half down before we send out the proofs. If you don’t like your proofs, we can refund the half down, minus the prep and proofs costs. But more importantly, let us know what the issue is. Depending on what the issue is, we may be able to correct it on our end, or let you know how to correct it on your end. Unless it’s clearly our error, we do charge $80 per hour for corrections after proofs.
Still have questions? Need a print quote? Contact me!