You found your old typewritten manuscript in a drawer from years ago, before computers. Nobody wants to retype hundreds of words over again. So what are your options when all you have is a printed copy, faded, full of white outs, or even handwritten? How do I begin the process?
Cover 2 Cover Book Design can help turn your typewriter copies into an editable digital document. The first part of the process is to submit a portion of your manuscript for evaluation. We will advise you on how to send your manuscript, without jeopardizing your original materials. The evaluation may also help identify various cost saving ways you can help streamline the process. We offer a free evaluation of your materials to show you the Typesetting and Formatting possibilities, and provide a FREE quote.
Manuscript Typesetting options
We can provide various options in the Book Typesetting and Formatting process, and help you find the best way turn your manuscript into a modern digital text document. The quality and legibility of the printed materials will basically determine what process will be used to convert your typewritten pages into editable text.
Printed Manuscripts
In most instances we can typeset your manuscript using OCR (Ocular Character Recognition). We begin by digitally scanning your documents so we perform the OCR process. The OCR software will recognizes each character and converts your typewritten pages into editable text. When we have finalized the process, you will receive a digital, to edit manuscript. We can provide the typeset document as a Microsoft Word or Text file, depending your preference.
Handwritten Manuscripts
OCR will not be effective typesetting process for handwritten or printed materials that are too degraded in quality. These types of manuscript materials will need to be transcribed by typing the document into the computer. In the case of handwritten manuscripts, legibility is especially important in determining the effectiveness and cost of typesetting. If you would like typesetting assistance, you are welcome to submit a sample of the handwriting for a quote.
MANUSCRIPT EVALUATION
The legibility of your document will be evaluated for flaws, like highly creased paper, faded text, or broken letters. An OCR technician may be able render a legible document despite these issues. OCR can generated a document it certainly should be considered a final manuscript simply because the process is not infallible. We recommend that you use our editing services to proofread and edit for mistakes.
Manuscript Formatting
If your files are already in an electronic format or text document you are ready for formatting. Formatting is the term used to describe the settings in a text document that control the document fonts, text indents and justification, page breaks, margins, page headers, and other characteristics of your manuscript document. Our formatting services will give your document a more professional look by:
- Streamlining your document styles used to define the fonts, type sizes, headlines and body text so your document has a consistent look.
- Define and assign styles that will be used to automatically generate a document table of content with the correct page numbers.
- Setting margins, headers, footers, footnotes, page numbers and other elements contained on each page to meet publisher submission guidelines or printer specifications.
Submit a manuscript for typesetting quote
If you would like a quote for typesetting a manuscript printed or handwritten on paper and information on how to prepare and send documents*, call 1-888-284-2654 or email us at info@cover2coverbookdesign.com.
*Please note: you should never send, and we do we accept, first hand or 'only copy' documents of any kind. You will need a duplicate manuscript of the best quality possible to provide for the quote.