***NEW MAILING ADDRESS***
Main Street Rag, PO BOX 690100, Charlotte, NC 28227-7001
704-573-2516, contact us
In 1996 Main Street Rag Poetry Journal was an upstart 40 page poetry journal, stapled together with a gray card stock cover. We started much the same way as many literary magazines: a dream, no experience, and a credit card. It was a "hobby."
But we knew from the beginning we wanted to build something that would evolve and last. That meant declaring ourselves a business and learning to do things that were beyond our original goals and abilities.
Now in our ninth year, we've changed the name of our magazine to simply Main Street Rag to reflect the broader base of material we now publish.
We've also changed our business name to Main Street Rag Publishing Company to reflect our involvement in other endeavors besides our own literary magazine. Since 1997, we've been involved in the production of over 100 publications of various sorts, either directly as the publisher or indirectly as a subcontractor.
And now, again, we have expanded our services.
At Main Street Rag Publishing Company, we know what it takes to succeed in the small press. We're not just another printer, not just another press, we are publishers. We're involved in everything from start to finish with our magazine and our books and we can help you with yours.
* Design & Layout
* Pre-press Preparation
* Binding & Finishing
* The Intangibles
Almost everyone has an idea about how a particular project should look. Getting it there is where most problems arise. While there are many computer programs on the market to create a publishable format, not everyone knows how to use them and not all of them are press friendly.
We can help. We can set your project up from hard copy or file or reformat your files to something more press friendly. We work in everything from Word, Word Perfect, and Publisher to PageMaker, Quark, and InDesign. For images we are capable of using Corel, Freehand, Illustrator, and PhotoShop. And we can work cross-platform (MAC & PC), but we prefer files be saved in PC format..
We can do all of your job or only the part that you feel comfortable farming out. We have years of experience in the design and layout area and we work quickly, efficiently, and economically. Some clients use MSR Publishing Company for design and set-up only. Others just for binding.
Some projects arrive already set up, but not ready for press. Pre-press preparation includes checking your native files, linked images, and formatting files into PDF format so it will flow easily through the printing process.
What prompts a publisher to buy its own binding equipment?
It can't be cost. Consider how long it takes to get the equipment investment back when you're only publishing your own projects.
It has to do with control: control of quality and control of time.
Over the years as a publisher, Main Street Rag Publishing Company has worked with several different printers to produce our magazine and book projects. We have learned to ask one question up front: How long does it take to go from file to finished product?
Trial and error taught us that people would make promises they could not keep--so we always added at least five business days to what they said and presented the job early. Still, we had problems getting a job when we wanted it. On one occasion, it took eight weeks from the time one printer received the files to the day we received our books--even though they advertised five weeks.
The very first time we ran MSR ourselves, the entire job took 21 days--but that included 14 days we built into production between printing covers and printing the insides--just in case. The actual production time was 26 hours for 1100 books.
We specialize in short run perfect binding--which we define as under 1000 books, and as few as a handful. If you are a small press, you know how hard it is to find an affordable bindery for this niche market. That's why so many small press magazines and chapbooks are done saddle-stitch. It's also why so many books are not published. Most printers would prefer to not be bothered with short run jobs because of the time involved in set-up, so they jack the price up. Our equipment can convert from one size to another in less than 3 minutes which allows us to ride the crest of the Print On Demand wave.
That does not mean we are not interested in larger runs as well nor does it mean that we are a Print-On-Demand outfit. With our own equipment we are capable of POD and competitive in cost and turn around for runs as high as 2000-3000. Along with our business partners, there is virtually no size job we cannot do at a competitive price; however, turnaround time may be a casualty of runs larger than those mentioned.
Many people ask about pricing first. Rates, obviously, are a major concern, unfortunately each job is so unique, with so many variables involved, throwing out general numbers is not effective. Therefore, we don't ship out generalized price lists or brochures. They only serve to confuse prospective clients. Each job must be priced on an individual basis and we will do so by email, phone or regular USPS mail.
Due to the convenience and ability for both parties to keep dated copies, we prefer to quote via email and will usually do so the same day.
For the purpose of rendering a quote, the factors that most directly effect a project's costs are listed below:
1) Design. If you send us your project as a properly formatted PDF file, there will be no set-up fees; however, most PDF files cannot be adjusted, so we do not take responsibility for formatting errors made by the designer.There is no charge for converting Quark, InDesign, or PageMaker to PDF if they are properly designed. File adjustments start at $50 and go up by $35/hour of work we need to do to the files to make them work.
A print-ready hardcopy must still be shot into a computer. That process starts at $35 and goes up depending on manuscript length, page size, and number of images. Images need to be shot separately and charged separately at a rate of $4 each after the first 5.
If you send Word or Publisher files, there is a minimum $35 conversion fee. Often these file formats have difficulty being converted to PDF or going through a RIP correctly and the project may need to be reset in another program.
Setting up a booklet. We've adjusted our rates on book set-up.
Basic cover design starts at $50/cover and increases at $35 increments--depending on adjustments.
Insides design starts at $50 for a 5.5 X 8.5, chapbook size (40 page) project. After 40 pages, the charge is per page: 5.5 X 8.5 or 5 X 7 ($1.25/page), 9 X 6 or 7 X 8.5 ($1.50/page), 7 X 10 ($1.75/page), 8.5 X 11 ($2/page). Odd sizes will need to be quoted separately.
A basic set-up includes up to 5 scanned images. Each additional is $4 each.There is no limit on the quantity of images and no charge for any images that are supplied in the required format and proper resolution.
2) Printing (inside). Most important factors: Number of pages, dimensions of book, quantity of press run, type of paper, b&w or color inks, and are there any bleeds.
3) Printing (covers). Most important factors: Quantity and dimensions, printing on both sides, how many colors of ink (we do b&w, 2-color, and 4-color process), cover stock, is it to be laminated. Bleeds may or may not be a factor--depending on the dimension of the project.
4) Binding. We've decided to specialize in perfect binding. It has a cleaner more finished look than saddle-stitch and experience has taught us that our equipment can bind as few as 2 sheets of paper to a cover which makes saddle-stitching obsolete.
Most important factors: Dimensions and quantity. For clients who only wish to use our binding services, whether a project arrives collated and whether you are doing your own trimming will also effect pricing. Maximum cost: $1.25/book with a minimum charge of $30.
Why choose Main Street Rag Publishing Company?
Because we do what you do.
We deal with the same concerns as you--time, quality, and affordability--in the production of our own projects. We can help steer you toward producing the best possible outcome that your budget will allow.
Give us the opportunity to work with you. We're confident you will be pleased with the results.
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Main Street Rag, PO BOX 690100, Charlotte, NC 28227-7001
704-573-2516, contact us