Checklist for Manuscript Submission

After you have purchased your publishing package, you will have one calendar year to complete your manuscript submission. Following is a list of information and materials you'll be asked to provide during the online manuscript submission process. Compiling the following material in advance will make the submission process easier and faster.

If you have any questions, please contact 1-800-AUTHORS. An iUniverse publishing professional will be happy to help you every step of the way.

Customer Profile

• Contact information such as address, phone number and e-mail address that will be used to correspond with you throughout the publication process.

Authors and Other Royalty Participants

• Name of each individual or entity that will receive any portion of the royalties generated from the sale of your published book.
• The type of royalty participant, such as author, co-author, agent, corporation or organization.
• The primary contact that will be used for all publishing correspondence.

Author Biography

• An author biography (50 word-count limit) will be included in your book, placed on the iUniverse Web site and provided to book wholesalers and retailers.

Information About Your Book

View our front cover sample (PDF 57KB).

• Title
• Subtitle (optional)
• The Byline (optional) lists the author's name and may include credentials, affiliations (usually for nonfiction titles) or previous titles. For example: Chief Clinical Psychologist, City University Hospital; or, Author of Taking Charge.
• Quote (optional) Here is where an endorsement or excerpt from a review might appear. For example: "Never before has a book been so poignant and thought-provoking. It has changed my life." —Thomas Smith, Author of The Best You Can Be
• A Copyline (optional) is a headline highlighting a unique or special feature about the book. For example, "The New York Times Bestseller."
• Reading Line (for nonfiction, optional) This line of text gives the reader more detailed information about the subject and contents of the book, in addition to the subtitle. For example: A Step-by-Step Guide to Balancing Your Life and Achieving Bliss.
• Bullet Points (for nonfiction, optional) Key words, phrases or even short chapter titles from the book that detail the contents in an easy-to-read format. For example:
  • Enjoy your job
  • Relieve stress
  • Live a healthy lifestyle
  • Exercise
  • Improve your memory
  • And much more
• Cover Copy Level of Importance Sometimes an author's name is more important and should be more prominent than the title. For example, if you are widely recognized on the lecture circuit, you might want your name more noticeable at first glance. On the other hand, if you have a catchy title, that should be featured. An example would be Dr. Atkins (author prominent) or the South Beach Diet (title more prominent).
• Author name exactly as it should appear on the cover of your book. If applicable, enter a pseudonym or pen name.
• Co-author name, if applicable, exactly as it should appear on the cover of your book.
• A book description consisting of approximately three to four paragraphs describing the overall content of your book. This is intended for reference only and will not appear on the book.
• The exact name of the copyright holder. If you wish to publish under a pseudonym, or pen name, use your pseudonym as the copyright holder so that your true identity does not appear in the copyright notice and remains anonymous.

• Original year of copyright and the years of publication of any subsequent editions that appeared on the copyright page of the book. For new manuscripts, use the current year.

  Please note: iUniverse places the proper U.S. copyright notice in the front of each book but does not register the copyright on behalf of the author. It is the author's choice and responsibility to register the book with the U.S. Copyright Office.

Marketing Copy

• The keynote or "elevator pitch" that should consist of one or two sentences (25 word-count limit), which succinctly tell readers what the book is about and why they should buy it.
• The back cover copy, a brief overview of the book, that entices the reader to browse and purchase the book. The ideal length should be 150 to 200 words.
• Key search words that will help people find your title through retail outlets.

Target Market

• The target age group for your primary readers.
• The genre: fiction, nonfiction or poetry.
• The category of your book chosen from a list of general topics.

Photo and Illustration Files

• The cover photo and illustration files that will be uploaded for the cover of your book including the exact credit lines. The uploaded file will either be the exact design that should be used for the front cover; a file to be used as the illustration on the front cover in a design created by iUniverse; a file containing samples of artwork for reference ONLY and iUniverse will create a new illustration for the cover; or a general idea for the cover with no provided artwork that iUniverse designers will use for reference ONLY.

  Please note: If someone outside of iUniverse has designed your cover, please be certain to include the name of the designer and any credit information in case it becomes the final design for your book.

  Caution: iUniverse cannot use images without permission from the original artist.

• Author photo for use on the back cover; note that photo placement may vary for each book.

• Number of interior graphics (photographs and illustrations) that are to be included in your book.

  Please note: Book cover illustrations (both front and back covers) and the author photo are included in the base price of your submission. If you only plan to submit cover illustrations and the author photo, then choose "None" as your selection. Interior book illustrations require an extra charge of $100 for 1-25 and $200 for 26-50. If you have more than 50 interior illustrations, please contact Submission Inquiries for more information.

Find and Upload Your Files

• A completed, proofread and edited manuscript in Microsoft Word or Word Perfect format with at least 10,000 words or 48 pages in length (104 pages for a hardcover edition). Your manuscript must be submitted as a single file.
• Cover design photo and illustration files that must be in the TIFF (.tif) file format, CMYK, at 300 or 600 dpi resolution and matching the dimension of the final trim size, plus an 1/8" bleed on the top, right and bottom sides. It is not advisable to use borders on your cover.
• The author photo in the TIFF (.tif) file format, CMYK, at 300 or 600 dpi resolution, 2"x2" printed size. Optional for Premier Pro, Premier, Express and Select.
• A separate file for each photo or illustration that will be placed within the interior of the book. Each file should be in the TIF (.tif) file format, Grayscale, at 300 dpi resolution as well as embedded in your manuscript exactly where you want it to appear.

Royalty Allocation Information

• The Social Security Number or Tax Identification Number for each royalty participant listed in Step 1. This is required for U.S. residents only.
• The percentage of royalties each individual or entity should receive.
• Direct deposit option if the participant wishes to receive royalty payments via direct deposit (ACH Credit). Pertinent direct deposit information will be gathered after the submission process is complete. This option is available for use with U.S. banks only.

Additional Publishing Services

• Optional editorial services
• Optional book marketing services