LaTeX Typographical Services
Academic publishers are increasingly placing the burden of generating camera-ready copy (CRC) onto the author. It also seems that most academic writers are still using WYSIWYG (what you see, is what you get) word processing software, such as Word and, to a lesser extent, WordPerfect.
While these programs tend to make writing relatively simple–in that they are familiar and readily available tools, the process of rendering the output of these programs according to the strict guidelines laid down by the publishers is either too burdensome or simply beyond the skills of most authors. After all, the author is an historian, philosopher, anthropologist, or what have you, not a typographer.
If the author is unable or unwilling to spend the time ensuring that the copy produced by Word or WordPerfect meets the publisher’s standards for the CRC, only one option remains viable: hire a professional typographer. However, this can become a very expensive proposition. The going rates for such work vary from 40USD/hr to 100USD/hr. With a typical book of 250 pages taking anywhere from 5 to 30 hours of work, the author is faced with a substantial, further, burden.
I have a solution. I am a long-time user of the TeX and LaTeX computer typographical systems and an academic philosopher. I am quite familiar with the kinds of books that academics write and the tasks required to electronically typeset them. This experience allows me to quickly generate compliant, professional CRC. I have a wide variety of high quality typefaces, can integrate charts and graphics into the book, and will lay out the text exactly as you wish within the requirements laid down by your publisher.
Gallery
Here I will soon have a few mock-ups of what can be achieved using LaTeX. These will be examples of the actual files that would be delivered to you for your printing and delivery to your publisher. The layout of the book is completely specifiable by you (and the requirements of the publisher; including the size of the pages of the book, typeface, etc.). I can make the book look exactly as you desire and is required.
In the interim, here is a short example of what you get:
Rates
I deal in the product, not by the hour.
| Service Description | Cost |
|---|---|
| Typeset and deliver a PDF of a book that is mostly text; a few diagrams and/or mathematical formulae | 300CAD |
| Substantial numbers of diagrams and/or formulae | +75CAD |
Methods
I use the very latest versions of TeX and LaTeX along with the most up to date LaTeX packages on a MacOS X system generating fully compliant PDF v1.4 documents.
You will send me the source documents in Word, WordPerfect, or straight text along with the instructions provided by your publisher. I will deliver a PDF in approximately 48 hours that you will then proof read. We’ll trade back and forth until you are satisfied with the document. I also provide you with the final LaTeX source code of your work.
If you are in need, contact me here
