Frequently Asked Questions about Book Self Publishing

At Xulon Press, we make self publishing your book easy. But if this is your first book self publishing experience, it may still seem like a complicated process. These questions and answers are designed to "cover the bases." If you have further questions, please don't hesitate to contact us.

What does your name mean?
How long have you been in business?
Who is Salem Communications?
Why should I choose Xulon Press as my book publishing partner?
Can I trust Xulon Press?
Who are your business partners?
What is on-demand book self publishing?
Who founded Xulon Press?
What kinds of books do you publish?
Do I get a chance to review the book before it goes to press?
How long does self publishing take?
Do I get to keep the rights to my book?
What kind of book publishing experience does your staff have?
How is Xulon Press different from all other book self publishers?
Will you return my phone calls?
How many books do I have to purchase?
Is Xulon a "vanity" publisher?
What will my book look like?
Will bookstores stock my book on their shelves?
Will my book be listed with Amazon.com?
Do I get my own personal online book page?
Can readers order my book by telephone?
Who determines the retail price of my book?
How do I pay for copies I purchase?
Will my book have an ISBN?
Who owns the copyright to my book?
Are there any other costs associated with your book self publishing service, besides the submission fee?
Do you publish books for authors who do not reside in North America?
Do you publish books in full-color?
Do you offer editorial services?
Are my book royalties taxed?
I am a Xulon author. Book distributors are sending me emails wanting to distribute my book. What Should I do?

What does your name mean?

Xulon is an ancient Greek word found in the Bible. John the Apostle uses the word xulon to describe the Book of Life and the Tree of Life in Revelation 22:19. Xulon is pronounced "Zoo-lon." At Xulon Press, our mission is to add names to God's Book of Life through the books that we publish.

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How long have you been in business?

Xulon Press was founded in 2000. The company has experienced rapid growth, publishing more than 5,000 titles. We've become the fastest-growing publisher of Christian books in the world.

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Who is Salem Communications?

On June 1, 2006, Xulon Press was acquired by Salem Communications. Salem Communications is a leading radio broadcaster, Internet content provider and magazine publisher serving the growing audience interested in Christian and family themed content for air, online, and in print. Salem Communications was founded in 1961 and now has more than 1,500 employees nationwide. Salem is listed in the NASDAQ stock exchange as SALM.

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Why should I choose Xulon Press?

It's fast, easy, and affordable. You just give us your book manuscript and let us take care of the rest. Our seasoned staff will design an attractive, quality book. You don't have to purchase a single copy to get published, and our revolutionary printing process lets you purchase copies in any quantity. You keep your rights, and we make your book available to 25,000 bookstores and libraries. Plus, you'll be a part of the largest family of Christian authors in the world (there's strength in numbers!).

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Can I trust Xulon Press?

Yes! As a member of the Christian Booksellers Association (CBA) and the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA), we are a reputable book publishing company. The staff has more than 150 years of combined experience in Christian publishing.

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Who are your business partners?

Our technology is empowered by industry-leading firms Adobe, IBM, and Microsoft. We work with the country's leading digital book manufacturers, and we have marketing and distribution agreements with a host of organizations, including Ingram Distributors, Spring Arbor Distributors, and Amazon.com.

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What is on-demand publishing?

On-demand publishing means exactly what it implies: books are printed only as they are ordered. We use digital technology to store and print your book electronically. That means we print books only as the market demands them, removing the need to warehouse books. We can print a 500-page book in less than one minute, in any quantity, even one book at a time, fulfilling orders fast.

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Who founded Xulon Press?

Tom Freiling, former managing director of Eagle Publishing, Washington, D.C., and publisher of Creation House, Orlando, Florida, founded the company with a group of Christian entrepreneurs. Freiling is the best-selling author of George W. Bush on God and Country (Allegiance Press), Prayers to Move Your Mountains (Thomas Nelson), Abraham Lincoln's Daily Treasure (Revell), and Reagan's God and Country (Gospel Light). Mr. Freiling has published dozens of best-selling Christian books, selling more than 2 million copies worldwide, and has appeared on CNN, C-Span, and many other television and radio programs. Writer's Digest magazine featured Mr. Freiling as one of the world's leading experts on self-publishing.

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What kinds of books do you publish?

Xulon publishes Christian books, and we reserve the right not to publish any book. We publish books in many categories including Christian living, theology, church growth, discipleship, Bible studies, fiction, poetry, biographies, and many others.

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Do I get a chance to review the book before it goes to press?

Absolutely. We will post online both the text (a galley) and the book cover design (a cover comp) for your review. We can mail you a printed "hard copy" of your book cover or text for a fee.

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How long does book self publishing take?

Generally, it takes about 90 days to get your book published and ready to order (45 days if you choose RUSH service). If you choose to review cover and text files on "hard copy," instead of online, it will take an additional 2 to 3 weeks to deliver materials back and forth between you and our office. Scanned books may take 4-5 weeks longer to publish. Authors should not schedule book signings or other special promotions until they have their printed FREE books in hand.

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Do I get to keep the rights to my book?

Yes! Our book publishing services agreement is author-friendly and allows you to take your book to another publisher if you so desire. Just let us know in writing. The book manuscript will always remain your work and the original work will always remain in your name and ownership.

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What kind of book publishing experience does your staff have?

One thing that sets Xulon Press apart from other online book publishers is our experience.

We have more than 150 years' combined experience in Christian publishing. All of the company’s managers have experience working for traditional publishing companies, including Thomas Nelson, Creation House, Harrison House, and Group Publishing, while several staff members are also authors.

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How is Xulon Press different from all other book self publishers?

Simple, we’ve published more Christian titles than any other book publisher in North America – and we’ve printed more than one million books! How can THOUSANDS of Christian authors be wrong?

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Will you return my phone calls?

Every time, and even better than that you’ll be assigned a personal Author Service Representative to work closely with you all along the way. We value our relationship with our authors and know that the success of our books depends upon our relationship with you.

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How many books do I have to purchase?

None. You aren't obligated to purchase a single book to get published. We don't bankrupt authors by demanding they purchase lots of books. No order is too big or too small. We'll print and ship your order in 2-4 business days. Larger orders of more than 250 books can take an additional 2 to 3 days. All orders are shipped by UPS.

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Is Xulon a "vanity" publisher?

No. Vanity publishers will charge you thousands of dollars to print a truckload of books, which they will not help you distribute. Xulon uses technology to keep your costs down, allowing you to buy books only as you need them. We also help you distribute your book to bookstores and on the Web, paying you a handsome royalty for each copy sold.

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What will my book look like?

Xulon books are comparable with any you might find at a bookstore or library. We use an easy-on-the-eyes off-white, acid-free, library-edition stock (paper). Our book covers are printed on a high-quality, laminated stock. We can print books from 48 pages to 500 pages.

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Will bookstores stock my book on their shelves?

It's up to each individual store, based solely on demand. We can't promise stores will stock your book. But most bookstores in the country will be able to search for, find, and order your book on-demand.

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Will my book be listed with Amazon.com?

Yes! If you purchase or upgrade to the Premium or Best-Seller program, your book will be listed on Amazon.com so that hundreds of millions of readers can view and purchase your book. You'll be able to post your own review, check on sales rankings, and even link your own website.

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Do I get my own personal online book page?

If you purchase or upgrade to the Best-Seller book program, your book get its own book page in the Xulon Press online bookstore at http://www.xulonpress.info/bookstore/

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Can readers order my book by telephone?

Yes! If you purchase or upgrade to the Premium or Best-Seller programs, your book will be available to order 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at the toll-free number 1-866-909-BOOK (2665). We'll print, pack, and ship the book for you, so you can focus on promoting your book, not taking orders, packaging, and running to the post office.

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Who determines the retail price of my book?

The retail price is determined by your book's page count. The retail price is imbedded (hidden) in the bar code, so retailers will know how to price your book. But the price is not printed on your book. This way you may offer your book at whatever price you choose.

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How do I pay for copies I purchase?

We accept checks, money orders, and all major credit cards. Xulon Press does not invoice authors for books purchased. Payment must be made when your order is placed. Orders paid by personal check may take 4-5 days longer to process.

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Will my book have an ISBN?

Yes. Your book will be assigned the International Standard Book Number required by book sales channels to track and order your books. In addition, Xulon will place a machine-readable Bookland/EAN bar code on your book's cover. Without this, bookstores can't order copies of your book.

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Who owns the copyright to my book?

You do. When you wrote your book, you automatically asserted copyright ownership. But registering with the U.S. Congress Copyright Office, which records this ownership more formally, gives you better recourse in case of infringement. As of March 25, 2008, Xulon Press began offering copyright filing service to its authors. For more information, click on this link:
Xulon's copyright filing service .

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Are there any other costs associated with your service, besides
the submission fee?

No! From time to time we offer upgrades or expanded marketing opportunities, but you are under no obligation to participate. Additionally, if authors request changes to their text or cover while their book is in production or after it has been published, extra fees will be incurred.

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Do you publish books for authors who live outside the US?

Yes, if you live in Canada or the United Kingdom we can help publish your book. Please note, if you do reside outside of the US, you must use wire transfers to send us funds. We don't accept checks from banks outside the United States of America.

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Do you publish books in full-color?

Yes. Please CLICK HERE to view our color books publishing programs and prices. CLICK HERE to view a list of color books frequently asked questions.

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Do you offer editorial services?

Xulon Press does not offer editorial services, but we do have a list of independent contractors who have done good work for Xulon authors. To view this list, simply click on this link: “Editorial Service Providers”

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Are my book royalties taxed?

They can be. Always remember to consult your tax advisor. We do, however, require you to complete an IRS tax Form W-9 or IRS tax Form W8-BEN, depending on your residency. As a guideline, Xulon Press can only accept the IRS form in the same individual's name as who completed the Publishing Services Agreement.

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I am a Xulon author. Book distributors are sending me emails wanting to distribute my book. What Should I do?

Authors are advised to be VERY careful entering into any distribution agreement with anyone and are advised to seek the help of an attorney who specializes in publishing/ print media law to advise them. Due to the services the Best-Seller and Premium programs our authors ALREADY enjoy distribution by the biggest distributor of Christian books in the world, Spring Arbor/ Ingram which serves 25,000 stores and libraries.

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