In my last book update, I wrote about how my editor and I finished work on the manuscript in late March. The edit was a wonderful yet exhausting process, so I tried to step back from book production for a few weeks to restore some of my balance. I began running again for the first time since January. I caught up on some home projects (like filing our taxes). I enjoyed a spring break road trip with my family through Gatlinburg, Birmingham, and Nashville. I celebrated Passion Week with my church family, and on Easter Sunday I saw more people inside our church building then I’d seen in years.
I couldn’t stay completely away from the book, though. I let the edited text cool for a week or two, then I read it all the way through. I tweaked the manuscript in a few spots without changing anything of substance, and I came away convinced that the text was very close to its final form. I created an advanced reader copy (which I’ll explain more in a future update). I also worked on finishing a chart that I’m going to include in the back of the book.
Along the way, I also managed to set up my publishing imprint. It was fairly easy: I just had to search for a business name that wasn’t registered in Kentucky and then register that name as a “doing business as” name with our county. Welcome to Longspan Books.
A publishing imprint is necessary for a book to be assigned an International Standard Book Number (ISBN). An ISBN is a unique number, registered through a recognized domestic agency, given to a particular version of a book. An ISBN is necessary for any author who wants their book to be available in as many potential markets as possible. However, there are prominent self-publishing services that offer their own imprint–and even free ISBNs–for authors to use. Why set up my own publishing imprint?
Well, it again comes down to potential, just like every step of the publishing process. Since I’m taking on the task of publishing the book–including having it professionally edited, designed, proofed, and printed–it doesn’t make sense to hand off the ownership of my ISBNs to a third party. Having my own imprint gives me a tiny yet legitimate place in the publishing world.
I chose the name Longspan Books for several reasons. Most importantly, the name was unique and available (including longspanbooks.com). It’s short, easy to remember, and easy to spell. Longspan also makes one think of a long span of distance or time, and that’s exactly the point. I want Longspan Books to help people see how the good news of Jesus bridges the incredibly long distance between us and God. I also want anything published by Longspan Books to have lasting impact in people’s lives for years to come.
I’ll soon have more updates on the book, but now I need to refocus on The Truly Good Book series here on the blog. I’ve missed our journey through the Bible over the past couple weeks! I should have a new post next weekend. If you’re not already subscribed to the blog, you can subscribe via email below, or follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or WordPress.
Featured image by Nathan Riley on Unsplash
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