Category Archives: Copy Editing

Welcome to the Army — Now Available!

Congratulations to Dennis Schulze on the release of his book Welcome to the Army! Columbus Publishing Lab was excited to assist Dennis with the production of this military memoir about his time serving as a military attorney in Vietnam.

The Schulze family believed that Dennis had a story to tell, so they gifted him the Columbus Publishing Lab Complete Package. We edited, designed, and distributed Dennis’ book so that he could bring his story to a worldwide audience.

Our graphic designer made the author’s personal accomplishment into a beautiful book cover. Dennis submitted a picture of an award he received. Our graphic designer took that picture, cleaned it up, and turned it into a meaningful cover that Dennis can be proud to call his.

This book used extensive military jargon, which our editor expertly edited and conformed to style guidelines.

“My publisher has been so patient and professional in guiding a
novice author to the completion of his goal. I couldn’t have done it
without you!” — Dennis Schulze

Check out Welcome to the Army by Dennis Schulze!

Bode Gets a Job — Proving Press

April 9, 2019Author Spotlight, Copy Editing, Distribution Services, Editing Services, Interior Design, Proofreading, Proving PressColumbus Publishing Lab

Dr. Bobby Moore returned to Proving Press to produce the sequel to his work The Book of Bode. In the new release, Bode Gets a Job, Bode tries out many different jobs, including work as a rescue dog, a show dog, and a guide dog.

Dr. Bobby Moore brought his own illustrations to the project. Columbus Publishing Lab took those illustrations and created a flawlessly formatted interior layout and cover.

With a keen eye for detail, the Columbus Publishing Lab team copyedited, proofed and created an e-book version of Bode Gets a Job. Once the final product was executed to perfection, we distributed the book as a paperback, hardback and e-book, so that children can get excited about reading, and of course, dogs.

Find Bode Gets a Job at these retailers or ask for the book at your local bookstore.

Dream of a Lifetime: Ten Years in the Upper Amazon — Proving Press

January 24, 2019Author Spotlight, Book Marketing Services, Copy Editing, Cover Design, Design Services, Developmental Editing, Distribution Services, Editing Services, Interior Design, Proofreading, Proving Press, Self-Publishing Packages Portfolio, The SolutionColumbus Publishing Lab

Norman Walters brought a wealth of life experiences to Columbus Publishing Lab in Dream of a Lifetime: Ten Years in the Upper Amazon. Musician, songwriter, artist, and the owner of a tourist destination along the Amazon river in the heart of the Peruvian jungle, Norman Walters had adventures to share, and he trusted Columbus Publishing Lab to produce his memoir.

The Columbus Publishing Lab team edited the manuscript, designed the interior and the cover, proofread it, and distributed Dream of a Lifetime: Ten Years in the Upper Amazon to all major retailers in paperback and e-book editions. The end result? Norman’s escapades can now be read by a worldwide audience in an attractive, professionally published book.

“Interspersed with tales of his gloriously misspent youth, one of the hardest-working hippies of his generation recounts the genesis of his remarkable achievement–the creation of an eco-sensitive tourist lodge in Peru’s Amazon jungle.” — Amazon reviewer

Find Dream of a Lifetime: Ten Years in the Upper Amazon at these retailers or ask for the book at your local bookstore.

The Design and Construction of the Nautilus – Boyle & Dalton

November 10, 2018Book Marketing Services, Boyle & Dalton, Copy Editing, Cover Design, Design Services, Developmental Editing, Proofreading, Services Portfolio, Standard Cover DesignColumbus Publishing Lab

The Nautilus Cover Ever since he was a boy, Demetri Capetanopoulos was enthralled with Jules Verne’s Nautilus, drawing his first set of schematics at the age of ten. Fast forward to the present day, and Demetri has years of experience as a nuclear submarine engineer and deep submersible pilot—and he still loves the Nautilus. The Design and Construction of the Nautilus seeks to answer the question, “Could the Nautilus have been real?”

We worked with Boyle & Dalton, the publisher of The Design and Construction of the Nautilus, to provide editing, design and marketing services, so the finished book would reflect the years of passion and research that Demetri Capetanopoulos put into exploring the science behind the Nautilus.

The first step in the publishing process was a developmental edit. After reading the entire manuscript, an experienced developmental editor provided Demetri with a detailed report containing recommendations to improve areas of concern. As a result, Demetri was able to act on the suggestions of our editor to vastly improve The Design and Construction of the Nautilus before the book was released to readers.

Next, a professional copy editor combed through the manuscript correcting spelling, grammar, and punctuation mistakes, as well as standardizing the manuscript to a style guide. Our editor worked closely with the author to ensure the technical terms used throughout the book were formatted accurately.

After the copy edit was complete, our interior designer set to work creating a custom aesthetic to be both elegant and readable. We also incorporated pictures, graphs, and schematics provided by Demetri to enrich the reader’s experience and illustrate the different systems of the Nautilus, seamlessly building them into the design of the book.

As soon as the interior design was complete our proofreader checked the entire manuscript a final time, searching through the text and the design for any last-minute errors.

Our cover designer worked with Demetri and his publisher to incorporate several schematic drawings, creating a dynamic cover design that commemorates the Nautilus while attracting passing readers to his work.

We distributed The Design and Construction of the Nautilus in paperback and hardcover formats to all major retailers as soon as Demetri was completely happy with his final files. The Design and Construction of the Nautilus is readily available to readers, and Demetri collects a quarterly check for his sales without the need to store, ship or purchase copies of his book up front.

Find The Design and Construction of the Nautilus on Amazon.com here.

Demetri spread the word to his friends and family about the release of The Design and Construction of the Nautilus but wanted to expand the reach of his story. Columbus Publishing Lab provided marketing services to Demetri following the release of his book to help get The Design and Construction of the Nautilus into the hands of more readers.

Throughout the entire publishing process, Demetri had a dedicated point of contact for questions and updates. Calls were answered or returned, emails were read and promptly answered, and a close-knit team who actually cared about his book brought the project to fruition.

If you’re interested in making your book project a reality, we invite you to contact us by clicking here. We’re happy to sit down with you for a free consultation or answer your questions via email/phone.

Welcome to Doxieville – Children’s Book by Darrin Todd Martin

May 8, 2018Author Special Website, Book Marketing Services, Copy Editing, Design Services, Distribution Services, Editing Services, Interior Design, Proofreading, Proving Press, Services Portfolio, Website DesignBrad Pauquette - Columbus Publishing Lab CEO

Todd and Trudi Martin came to us with a passion and an idea. They love their dachshunds at home, which they’ve bred for years, and they wrote a children’s book which celebrates the personality of each pup and brings them to the page.

As a first-time author, working with a first-time illustrator they’d met locally, they had a lot of questions—they were committed to publishing a great book. Our team was happy to answer questions, provide good advice, and coach them through the process to make sure that the results exceeded their expectations.

“The hardcover books just arrived, they are BEAUTIFUL! You guys did a great job!” – Trudi Martin, co-creator of Welcome to Doxieville.

The Columbus Publishing Lab team edited the manuscript, worked with the illustrations to lay out the interior of the book, proofread the book, and built a cover with the provided artwork. The resulting book is gorgeous, error-free, and an amazing representation of Todd and Trudi’s passion.

Welcome to Doxieville is now available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes, and Sony/Kobo in hardcover, paperback and digital formats, as well as available to brick-and-mortar bookstores around the world.

We also built a custom WordPress website at www.DoxievilleBooks.com, and provided guidance and consultation as they set out to market their book.

If you’re thinking about self-publishing, it’s OK that you don’t know how to complete every part of the publishing process. That’s why we’re here. Our authors bring their passion to the table, and we fill in the gaps to ensure that their books are better than the books coming out of the big, traditional publishing houses.

Todd and Trudi could have taken this book to a traditional publishing house. But by working with Columbus Publishing Lab, they maintained creative control of their work, they produced a better book, and now they’re in a position to make more than 10x the royalties per book sold.

Do you have a passion that you’d like to see on the page? Let’s start a conversation. Contact us today.

Maman — Boyle & Dalton

September 15, 2017Book Marketing Services, Boyle & Dalton, Copy Editing, Cover Design, Design Services, Developmental Editing, Distribution Services, Editing Services, Interior Design, Proofreading, Self-Publishing Packages Portfolio, Services Portfolio, Standard Cover DesignEmily Hitchcock - Columbus Publishing Lab COO

Maman weaves the life story of a Jewish-Iranian woman whose identity is fiercely bound to her family, her country and her faith. Married at a very young age, Maman raised seven children in the midst of poverty and the chaos of political upheaval in Iran. Moris Niknam, one of those seven children, tells his mother’s story with a nostalgic love through memories both sweet and heart-wrenching.

We worked with Boyle & Dalton, the publisher of Maman, to provide editing, design and marketing services, so the finished book would reflect the heartfelt effort Moris Niknam put into chronicling his mother’s extraordinary life.

The first step in the publishing process was a developmental edit. After reading the entire manuscript, an experienced developmental editor provided Moris with a detailed report containing recommendations to improve areas of concern. As a result, Moris was able to act on the suggestions of our editor to vastly improve Maman before the book was released to readers.

Next, a professional copy editor combed through the manuscript correcting spelling, grammar and punctuation mistakes, as well as standardizing the manuscript to a style guide. Our editor worked closely with the author to ensure the Persian language used throughout the book was formatted accurately.

After the copy edit was complete, our interior designer set to work creating a custom aesthetic to be both elegant and readable. We also incorporated pictures provided by Moris to better illustrate his upbringing in Iran, seamlessly building them into the design.

As soon as the interior design was complete our proofreader checked the entire manuscript a final time, searching through the text and the design for any last-minute errors.

Our cover designer worked with Moris and his publisher to incorporate several family photographs, creating a dynamic cover design that commemorates Maman while attracting passing readers to her story.

We distributed Maman in paperback and e-book formats to all major retailers as soon as Moris was completely happy with his final files. Maman is readily available to readers, and Moris collects a quarterly check for his sales without the need to store, ship or purchase copies of his book up front.

Find Maman on Amazon.com here.

Moris spread the word to his friends and family about the release of Maman, but wanted to expand the reach of his story. Columbus Publishing Lab provided marketing services to Moris following the release of his book to help get Maman into the hands of more readers.

Throughout the entire publishing process Moris had a dedicated point of contact for questions and updates. Calls were answered or returned, emails were read and promptly answered, and a close-knit team who actually cared about his book brought the project to fruition.

If you’re interested in making your book project a reality, we invite you to contact us by clicking here. We’re happy to sit down with you for a free consultation, or answer your questions via email/phone.

Hockey Daze — Proving Press

May 13, 2017Copy Editing, Distribution Services, Editing Services, Interior Design, Proofreading, Proving Press, Self-Publishing Packages Portfolio, The SolutionEmily Hitchcock - Columbus Publishing Lab COO

Rolf Remlinger is a funny guy who loves hockey. For the past 25+ years he’s been illustrating the humor he finds on the ice, delighting sports fans with hockey comics in the style of Gary Larson. His work has been featured in the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Hockey Ink, Hockey Stop and Michigan Hockey.

When Rolf came to Columbus Publishing Lab he had a stack of paper comics succumbing to the ravages of time. To accompany these he also had a host of extras: press passes, article clips and insider hockey knowledge. Rather than let his work be lost to fading ink and yellowing paper, we were ready to preserve his collection forever by publishing Hockey Daze.

After an initial consultation, Rolf decided the Solution Package best fit his needs. Our first step was to copy edit the text that accompanied Rolf’s comics, correcting errors of spelling, grammar and punctuation, as well as standardizing it to a style guide.

Learn more about our self-publishing packages here.

After the text had been professionally edited, the bulk of our work went into arranging the materials Rolf had provided in a fun, readable way. Our interior book designer matched each comic with a caption containing behind-the-scenes information about its creation, and added fun details like extra pen-and-ink illustrations, copies of press passes and articles Rolf had accumulated over the years.

After the interior files had been created, a proofreader combed through the book files, catching any last errors in the text or layout. We also created an e-book version of the book, designed specifically to be readable across all major e-book platforms.

Rolf provided his own cover design, and our team added the final elements like the barcode and book description, while ensuring the cover was formatted correctly for print.

As soon as Rolf was completely happy with the final files, we distributed Hockey Daze in paperback and e-book formats to all major retailers. Rolf collects a check, and we handle all the hard work. The convenience of our distribution services gets Hockey Daze in the hands of hockey fans without the need for Rolf to miss a single game.

Find Hockey Daze for sale here.

Our distribution services also include setup with our printer. Rolf can purchase books in any quantity from us at a significant discount off the list price, which allows him to offer special signed copies to friends and family, and through his existing website.

Throughout the entire publishing process, Rolf had a dedicated point of contact for questions and updates. He never had to wonder if his emails were being read, and a friendly Ohioan was available to take his calls every time.

We produce great books of all kinds. Will yours be next?

The Black Lens — Boyle & Dalton

April 28, 2016Book Marketing Services, Boyle & Dalton, Copy Editing, Cover Design, Design Services, Developmental Editing, Distribution Services, Editing Services, Interior Design, Proofreading, Self-Publishing Packages Portfolio, Services Portfolio, Website DesignEmily Hitchcock - Columbus Publishing Lab COO

Christopher Stollar spent over three years gathering research for his novel, The Black Lens (Boyle & Dalton, 2016). He conducted interviews with sex trafficking survivors, social workers and police officers, in addition to volunteering with several non-profit organizations.

Find a copy of The Black Lens here, or ask for it at your favorite bookstore.

With so much care, hard work and passion put into the writing of this book, Christopher knew the production part of the publishing process had to be handled with equal care and attention. We worked with Christopher and Boyle & Dalton (the publisher of the book), to provide editing, design and marketing services for The Black Lens.

Christopher invested a lot of time in his manuscript, but he knew it wasn’t reader-ready yet. The first step in the publishing process was rigorous developmental editing by a professional developmental editor. Our editor provided Christopher with a detailed report of problem areas and suggestions, and worked closely with him to provide the guidance needed for a rewrite. The result? A publication-ready version of The Black Lens.

After the developmental edit was complete, our copy editor combed through the manuscript, correcting grammar, spelling and punctuation mistakes, while standardizing the text to a style guide.

After our editors cleaned up the manuscript, our interior designer got to work creating a professional layout for the interior of the book. Not only is the interior design visually appealing, it’s simple enough to maintain readability for all audiences. Our proofreader gave the finished interior a final check, and we moved on to creation of an e-book.

The Black Lens takes an unflinching look at sex trafficking. It was extremely important to the author that the harsh realities of this horrific crime were reflected in the book’s cover, while being mindful of how triggering provocative imagery can be. Our designer ultimately created a cover that respectfully conveys the nature of the issues covered in the book, while keeping the aesthetic starkly modern to jump out at the passing reader.

Using the book’s newly created branding, our web designer created a custom website for Christopher to showcase his work, blog, and connect with new readers. Check it out for yourself here: ChristopherStollar.com

To help get The Black Lens out to as many readers as possible, we worked with Christopher on a marketing plan that would best suit his needs, including getting the book into the hands of the right reviewers. One of our marketing consultants worked closely with Christopher along the way to ensure energy was being expended in the right outlets.

The Black Lens was only released a few months ago, but it has already garnered attention from the press, reviewers and those who have experienced this horrific crime firsthand. To read what’s been said in the press about this new release, click here.

We love working with passionate authors like Christopher. If you’re ready to take your book project to the next level, we invite you to contact us by clicking here. You’ll have a dedicated point of contact throughout every step of the publishing process, and your manuscript will be handled with the same care you’ve invested in it already.

We produce great books. Will yours be next?

Building Your House — Columbus Press

January 27, 2016Book Marketing Services, Copy Editing, Cover Design, Design Services, Developmental Editing, Distribution Services, Editing Services, Interior Design, Premium Cover Design, Printed Marketing Materials, Proofreading, Self-Publishing Packages Portfolio, Services PortfolioEmily Hitchcock - Columbus Publishing Lab COO

Shannon Upton is good at organizing. Really good. Whether you’re dealing with a cluttered home or a cluttered spirit, Shannon’s latest book has tons of tips, tricks and anecdotes to help you straighten up your life.

We worked closely with Shannon and Columbus Press, the publisher of the book, to provide editing and production services for Building Your House.

Find Building Your House here, or ask for it at your favorite bookstore.

As a speaker and author, Shannon understood how important it was to make sure her words would have a positive impact on her readers. Our developmental editor provided Shannon with the detailed feedback she needed to improve her manuscript, while keeping her message intact.

Following the developmental edit, our copy editor combed through Shannon’s text, correcting spelling and grammar mistakes, and standardizing the manuscript to a style guide. We worked closely with Shannon to ensure any changes made didn’t alter her intended meaning in any way.

Our team of graphic designers and book marketers gave Shannon’s existing branding an overhaul. The result? All of Shannon’s marketing materials, as well as her book design, feature a bright, modern take on her previous aesthetic. Her brand is recognizable to her existing followers, while still grabbing the attention of new readers.

In addition to the re-brand, our designers created marketing materials for Shannon that ranged from printed post cards to read-along guides and planner pages. Each time Shannon hosts an event, she has marketing tools at her disposal to keep her audience engaged, while simultaneously attracting new readers.

While our editors were proofreading Shannon’s book interior, our cover designer was hard at work developing a custom cover to fit the theme of home and family organization.

As soon as Shannon and Columbus Press were completely happy with the final product, Organizing You was distributed as a paperback and an e-book to all major retailers.

If you’re interested in a complete publishing package for your book, we invite you to contact us by clicking here. We work with small presses, professionals and individuals to produce fantastic books.

Mons Graupius — Boyle & Dalton

January 26, 2016Author Special Website, Book Marketing Services, Boyle & Dalton, Copy Editing, Design Services, Developmental Editing, Distribution Services, Editing Services, Interior Design, Proofreading, Self-Publishing Packages Portfolio, Services Portfolio, Website DesignEmily Hitchcock - Columbus Publishing Lab COO

Mons Graupius mixes eloquent prose, a spitfire snob of a female protagonist, and harrowing mountaineering adventures–all set in the summits of Scotland.

Find Mons Graupius here or ask for it at your favorite bookstore.

Already a published author, M.G. Anderson was familiar with the importance of working with a professional editor to improve his manuscript. Our developmental editor provided the detailed feedback Anderson needed to improve his work and get it publication-ready.

After the developmental edit was complete, our copy editor read through the manuscript, correcting any grammar and spelling errors, and standardizing the work to a style guide. We worked closely with the author to keep personal touches like his Scottish vernacular intact.

After our copy editor cleaned up the manuscript, our interior designer got to work creating an interior designed to be both aesthetically pleasing and readable. Following the completion of the interior design, our proofreader read through the entire manuscript again, catching any last minute errors. We then went on to create an e-book version of the book, readable on all major e-book platforms.

Anderson worked with his own cover designer to create custom artwork for his book. We worked in tandem with that artist to ensure Anderson’s book cover would be up to the specifications of the printer.

While we were finalizing the book details, our web developer was busy working on an author website that Anderson could use to showcase and market his work. View our handiwork here: www.MGAndersonAuthor.com

As a result of our editing and design services, Mons Graupius is distributed as a Boyle & Dalton book — a symbol of quality within the industry. Learn more about becoming a Boyle & Dalton author by clicking here.

Along every step of the publication process, Anderson had a dedicated point of contact to meet with him, answer his calls and respond to his emails. This level of care comes with every Columbus Publishing Lab package.

We produce great books. If you’re ready to see your book in print, and in the hands of waiting readers, we invite you to contact us today by clicking here.