Looseleaf constructs beautiful, agile ebooks and tests them across all major platforms. Our designs adapt well—working with the flexibility of ebooks rather than trying to fight it—and we make sure all your font licensing and other technical aspects are smooth, legal, and in line with ebook platforms’ latest requirements.
Our Design Packages
All custom ebook formatting packages include the following:
—Cynthia Anderson, nonfiction author
- Research & development for designs specific to your subgenre, audience, print provider, and other needs
- 1 custom design concept
- 1-2 rounds of revisions on the concept
- Placement for custom extras like illustrations, tables, etc. (the number of custom extras varies by your design package)
- Vetting font licenses and other elements to ensure they are legal and appropriate for ebooks
- Accessibility features, including sections tagged for ARIA-enabled platforms and alt text for images
- Testing across all major ebook platforms
- A distribution-ready ebook file (usually in multiple formats)
- Lifetime guarantee against typos & tech changes (if you find any typos in your book or if technology advancements break your book file, bring it back to us and we’ll fix it at no additional cost)
Timeline
Expect custom design to take 2-4 weeks from the project’s start date. This time frame includes time for focused design work, any revisions you request, and multiplatform testing as well as time for you and your proofreader to review the files before they go to press.
Start dates vary depending on the time of year and Looseleaf’s current number of requests. If you have a specific publication date in mind, send your custom design request at least a month before your desired start date and a minimum of two months before your planned publication date.
A fully valid ebook file requires a cover image, so your ebook files cannot be completed before you have a finalized cover.
The Process
The book design process has a series of steps and stages.
- Each custom design project starts with your request for a quote. We’ll ask you a few details so we can give you an accurate quote based on the complexity of your book.
- Once you approve the quote, you’ll answer questions about your subgenre, audience, comparable titles, and design preferences so Looseleaf can create a design that suits your book’s niche.
- Looseleaf will create a design concept for you to review. The concept will show your frontmatter and up to two chapters in the chosen fonts and styling. You can ask for revisions at this stage so your design matches your vision. (Note: We usually send concepts in PDF and ebook formats. PDFs are usually easier for you to review for design and proofreading purposes. These PDFs do not undergo our rigorous typesetting process and should not be considered professionally typeset, reader-ready print versions unless they are a part of a print-and-ebook bundle.)
- You receive files for proofreading and final checks. Looseleaf recommends using a professional proofreader. Remember, proofreading is a time for minor changes for errors in grammar, usage, formatting, and continuity. It is not a time for revisions or rewriting. If you don’t already have a proofreader in mind, Looseleaf can bundle proofreading with your design.
- Your designer puts in the proofreading changes and finalizes your distribution-ready ebook files.
Ebooks are an important part of most books’ publishing plans, but many books also benefit from having a print edition as well. Bundle ebook formatting and print book layout together to save on both services.
Pricing
Pricing varies depending on a book’s length and design complexity. The starting prices for ebook-only packages on narrative-based fiction are usually around $400-$450. More complex books (e.g., those that include headings, illustrations, charts, etc.) start at $625.
If custom book design isn’t right for your book, consider our template-based book design service.
Contact Us About Ebook Formatting
Learn More
Learn more about the other design options Looseleaf offers or visit our resources page to learn more about editing, design, and publishing.
