Frequently Asked Questions

Why self publish?
How is Sweetgrass different?
How does the process work?
Who owns the rights to my book?
Is the quality the same?

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Why self publish?

• Self publishing allows you, the author, to have complete control over your material and how it is presented.
  
• When your book sells, you keep the profits, rather than receive a royalty by a publisher.
  
• You retain the rights to your book. In a traditional publishing relationship, the publisher owns the rights.
  
• Your book idea may be very good but appeal to a limited market, and a large publishing house may not be able to publish such a book.
  
• Newspapers last a day, magazines perhaps a month, but books we hold onto forever. By self publishing, you can share your work with readers for generations to come.

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How is Sweetgrass different?

• We distinguish ourselves from online custom publishers by our fully customized services. We work with you one on one to determine your needs, whether it is simply printing; designing and printing; or editing, designing, printing, and distribution. We do not use design templates or limit you to three or four book sizes. We give you the full range of options that any publisher would have, and you are completely in charge of the design of your book.
  
• We can produce your books in a matter of weeks, depending on the type of service required.
  
• Sweetgrass Books is the custom publishing division of Farcountry Press, a book publishing company that has been producing award-winning titles since 1980. We use the same excellent staff and apply the same book publishing and bookselling wisdom to our custom publishing projects.
  
• We can provide ISBNs (International Standard Book Numbers) and barcodes, which allow your books to be sold in bookstores and through online retailers.
  
• We offer distribution services through Farcountry Press that can make your book available through major U.S. wholesalers, through regional distributors around the nation, through online retailers, at chain stores, at local bookstores, museums, and gift shops, on Books in Print, on Google Books, in the Farcountry Press catalog, and on www.farcountrypress.com.
  
• Farcountry Press sales representatives send your press releases to media outlets.
  
• Farcountry Press can store your books in its secure warehouse, take and process orders, ship books, and provide monthly statements to you.

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How does the process work?

1. Our expert staff works with you personally to determine your needs based on the type of book you would like to produce and provides you with a consultation and free quote for services.
   
2. We provide you with a contract for the services you select.
   
3. You provide us with your raw materials ( text, art, photographs, or PDFs).
   
4. Depending on the services you have selected, we can edit your text and provide those edits to you for review before they are made; provide you with sample page designs and cover designs; send you proofs for review; and review any changes one-on-one.
   
5. The books are printed.
   
6. The finished books are delivered to you or they are stored in the Farcountry Press warehouse for distribution.

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Who owns the rights to my book?
You retain the rights to your book and keep the profits from the sale of your book rather than receive a royalty.

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Is the quality the same?
To produce our clients’ books, we use the same renowned printers as Farcountry Press, our parent company. Your book will be of the same quality of printing and binding as the books you see on the bookstore shelves.

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