Publish Your Own Chapbook Workshop 2025
THREE TUESDAY EVENINGS in OCTOBER, 2025
OCTOBER 7th, 14th and 28th
(6:30 to 8:30 pm EST on ZOOM)
One of the most satisfying moments for poets and short prose writers is the first time they see their pieces published, but in today’s highly commercialized market there are fewer traditional opportunities for publication. If poets, especially, want their work published in book form, self-publishing is not just considered acceptable, it is the norm.
The most commonly recognized format is the chapbook. It is economical and easy to create, but certain fundamental skills are needed for poets to prepare and print this important publication, often the first time their poems are delivered to the world. Chapbooks can be any size, the number of pages varies from 16 to 30 depending on the number of poems included.
MicroPress publisher James Dewar will once again present this popular three part series that will guide both emerging and well-known poets and prose writers through the process of publishing their work in a chapbook.
To keep costs low and the process simple, a Word Template for a 6″ x 9″ book will be provided at the beginning of the class in Microsoft Word and Open Office formats and will be the template used by participants to design and finish their chapbooks.
By the completion of the workshop participants will have created print-ready templates to take to a printer, and will possess the knowledge and templates to create future chapbooks on their own. As a sidebar, this workshop also demonstrates how to create files to upload to Print-on-Demand providers and E-Book sellers. (Amazon is used in this workshop to demonstrate this process.)
COST: $349.00 + 13% HST for all 3 workshops.
PLEASE CLICK HERE TO REGISTER AND PAY
Additional available options:
a) Professional book cover design by Sue Reynolds. COST: $150 + HST.
b) 25 copies of your chapbook printed by our exclusive Canadian Printer, Hume media Inc in Toronto, for $150 + 5% GST. (shipping cost not included)
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:
• Either Microsoft Word or Open Office Writer installed on a pc desktop or Apple computer AND an everyday familiarity with using the features of Microsoft Word or Open Office Writer
(These are the only two templates available in the workshop.)
• A computer with a good internet connection and a zoom interface that properly accesses video and sound.
(Note: using a cellphone or a small screen tablet is not available in this workshop.)
• A generous selection of poems and/or pieces (20+?) edited and ready for insertion into the chapbook template. (You may decide to change the order of pieces or make changes to pieces once they are in the template, but try to limit this as much as possible to avoid creating layout issues in the template. The more prepared your pieces are before the layout begins, the easier the process will be.)
• Since most of the layout will be achieved between classes, set aside lots of time in October to complete these tasks.
• Patience and enthusiasm
I WILL BE AVAILABLE TO HELP OUT BY EMAIL IF YOU HAVE ANY DIFFICULTY THROUGHOUT THE WORKSHOP.
DETAILED WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION
Part 1: (OCTOBER 7) What is a Chapbook and How to Decide What to Publish?
Workshop 1 (of 3)Why do you want to publish? (A discussion about living “The Artist’s Way”)
What is your book about? (What do you write about and care about and why it’s important.)
How do you know if you’re ready? (Overcoming fear and self-esteem issues.)
How to decide what ends up in your chapbook? (How many poems have you identified as ready for publication?)
How do you pick the order of your poems/pieces? (Is there a process that will help decide?)
Tips for picking a Title that attracts attention.
Part 2: (OCTOBER 14) Learn Professional Layout and Book Design
Workshop 2 (of 3)Using examples, James will explain how text and images are placed into the Microsoft Word Chapbook template.
He will guide poets and writers through the key elements of professional layout and design:1. essential elements of aesthetic page design
2. layout fundamentals
3. inserting page numbers and excluding them from blank pages
4. headers and footer options
5. solving the problem of dividing your book into sections
6. obtaining a publisher name, ISBN number and downloading pricing barcodes for the coverOther aspects covered:
• How are the first, last, middle and other segments selected?
• How is the ideal title chosen?
• How important is the cover? (a template will be provided, but James does not prepare book covers in the workshop. Sie Reynolds offers professional book cover assistance for an additional fee.)
• How to find cover designers? (and dealing with copyrighted images)
Part 3: (OCTOBER 28) How to Manage Print Options (Hard copy, Print-on-Demand & E-book)
Workshop 3 (of 3):To Print or Not to Print:
1) How to prepare your manuscript and book cover files for printing.
2) The difference between perfect bound, stapled and other formats.
3) How to talk to print houses like a professional.
4) Controlling the proof copy and final print run process.
5) Balancing cost and expectations when ordering your first shipment.Preparing your Template to sell as a Print on Demand:
1) How to change the Layout for uploading to a Print-On-Demand provider.
Preparing your Template to sell as an e-book online:
1) Adapting the Layout so it converts to the (free) Kindle Create app.
2) Uploading and checking your ebook on the (free) Kindle Previewer app.
3) How to prepare your book to upload to Amazon as a kindle e-book.
4) How to price your Print-on-Demand and e-books.
FOLLOW-UP 30 Minute Review:
Once you have created your interior and cover pdfs for printing, James will review them and address any issues that might pop up as you finish your layout. He will ask for your Word version, repair it, and email it back to you if it can be fixed easily.
If the problem is more substantial and he cannot achieve this in under 30 minutes, he will advise you of the problem, provide an estimate at his normal rate of $70/hr + HST, before asking if he should proceed.
NOTE: Our Piquant Press and Stones Throw Publications’ books have been printed with a reputable Toronto Printer who offers special pricing for small books in small print runs. Hume Media Inc has offered a flat fee of $150 + GST to print 25 copies of your chapbook in high quality cover stock and interior page paper as long as the page count is 30 pages or less.