Print and eBook Production: Prepare a Better Publishing Quote Brief

By American Publishing Club · Updated October 21, 2026

What information helps with a print and eBook quote?

Provide the manuscript length, genre, editorial status, intended formats and any special content such as illustrations, tables or notes. Share your preferred book dimensions if already decided and explain which cover assets are available. Print and eBook production need format-specific checks, so a single generic file requirement may not describe the whole project.

Identify the content that affects layout

Tell the provider about images, captions, chapter structures, reference material and other elements that require more than plain running text. Explain whether those elements are finalized and whether you hold the necessary permissions. If illustrations are still being commissioned, agree how they will be handed over. Clear source material helps the provider define the layout and review work without relying on incomplete assumptions.

Set a manuscript approval point

Ask when the text must be approved for production and how later changes are handled. Corrections to a settled manuscript are different from rewriting sections after the layout is prepared. Establish which file is the current approved version and who collects feedback. A controlled review process reduces confusion when multiple people comment on the same book. It also makes revision responsibilities easier to explain in a quote.

Define the checks and final files

Request a list of the files you will receive for each agreed format and the checks included before handoff. Ask how proof review and platform-requested corrections are treated. The retailer or distributor controls its own acceptance process, so clarify the support offered if a submission requires changes. Confirm account access and record keeping rather than assuming the production service includes every publishing task.

Request only the work your book needs

Send the current manuscript stage, format requirements, special-content details and release window to American Publishing Club. Mention whether you need cover design, editing or platform assistance as well as production. These services can be discussed together, but the quote should identify their individual roles. A scoped brief helps you compare proposals and avoid paying for duplicated or unnecessary work.