Frequently Asked Questions
Below is a list of frequently asked questions about our services. Do you have a question not covered here? You can reach us at mail@jerapublishing.com, or fill out our contact form.
About Jera Publishing
What does Jera Publishing do?
We assist authors with self-publishing their books. From consulting, editing, book design, cover design, eBook conversion, to marketing assistance. We can do everything as a package deal or a-la-carte depending on your needs.
What does "Jera" mean?
Jera is a Nordic rune, meaning “harvest,” that represents the rewards of patient, hard work. Jera is not only what we strive to embody as a business, but also what we strive to provide you, the author: a professional, polished book that reflects the hard work you put into it.
How long has Jera Publishing been in business?
Our owner, Kimberly started working with authors to self-publish their books over 15 years ago. That’s before the rise of eBooks and IngramSpark and CreateSpace (now Amazon KDP) did not exist!
Can I come to your office to talk to someone?
We are no longer able to meet clients in our office. You can schedule a phone call or video conference to talk with us.
Do you outsource?
Most of our interior design work and eBook conversion is done in-house. Complex cover design work is usually sent to our designer, Jason, who is a subcontractor that has been working closely with us for 9+ years. If you are in need of editing, we have a list of editors that we work closely with that we can either refer you to directly, or outsource your job to them as part of a package.
Working With Jera Publishing
Will you be my book's publisher?
No. We help authors successfully self-publish their books, which means they will be the publisher. We are not a traditional publisher or a subsidy publisher. You might be interested in our article Subsidy Publishers vs. Self-Publishing.
Do I retain my rights and royalties?
Yes, you retain 100% of your book’s rights and royalties when you work with Jera Publishing.
What is your turnaround time?
Our turnaround time depends on many factors, including:
- Our current workload
- The type of work you want us to do
- The length and complexity of your book
Some types of books, such as a novel, take less time to format than a more complex interior, like a cookbook. Our quickest turnaround is our Value Book Interiors and eBook conversion package for novels, which we can do in about a week or less.
If you would like an estimate of our turnaround time for your book, contact us and we will be happy to get you an estimate. If you have a very tight deadline, we can often work with you on options to meet that deadline.
What file format should I send my manuscript in?
We prefer that your book’s manuscript is sent to us as a Microsoft Word file. If possible, all material should be in a single Word document.
How do I send my files to you?
You can send your files as an email attachment to mail@jerapublishing.com or you can use our file exchange service at https://www.hightail.com/u/jerapub. We can also work with Dropbox. Sometimes authors will send us their files on a thumb drive in the mail. Any of these options are acceptable.
International Standard Book Numbers (ISBNs)
Do you provide ISBNs?
As a self-publisher, you are responsible for obtaining the ISBN for your book, but we can help you through that process! ISBNs can be purchased through Bowker at http://www.isbn.org.
You may find our article on ISBNs at https://www.self-pub.net/blog/self-publishing-shorts-isbns/ useful.
Printing
Do you print books?
We are not printers. Most of the authors we work with use Print-On-Demand printers, such as IngramSpark or Amazon KDP. A few use offset printers. We can assist you in finding the right printer based on your needs and help you get the book set to their specifications and submitted to them.
The following blog article may be of interest to you: Print-on-Demand Versus Offset.