USA Magnum Print Shop · Softcover Books
The $20 Author Proof.
Print one copy of your book before you print fifty. The Author Proof is $20.00 — and that price does not change with your page count. Upload your pages, get a printed copy, hold it in your hands, and only then commit to a run.
One copy. Small softcover, 5.5 × 8.5 in finished, black-and-white interior.
What you get for $20.00
One printed book
A single finished softcover copy of your interior, bound with a glued solid spine and a wrapped, scored cardstock cover — the same construction as the run you order next.
The same price at any length
The Author Proof price does not change with the page count. Your book can be short or long; the proof is still $20.00.
Nothing printed until you approve it
You approve a proof before anything is printed. Your print run does not start, and you are not charged for it, until you say so.
How the Author Proof works
- Order the proof. Upload your interior PDF, choose your page count, and check out the single $20.00 copy.
- We print one copy. It is bound and covered exactly like a finished run.
- Hold it and mark it up. Check the trim, the margins, the text, the images, and the page order.
- Approve, then order the run. Once the proof is right, order your run with confidence. If it is not right, fix the file and order another proof.
The Author Proof is the cheapest way to catch a mistake before you pay for a whole run. It is also the only way to know how your book actually feels in your hands.
Then order your run
When the proof looks right, order a short run. Every price below comes from the same pricing engine that quotes your order at checkout, so what you see here is what you get.
| Quantity | Per book | Run total | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 copy (Author Proof) | $20.00 | $20.00 | Order a proof | |
| 10 books | $14.99 | $149.90 | Order 10 books | |
| 20 books | $13.99 | $279.80 | Order 20 books | |
| 50 books | $12.99 | $649.50 | Order 50 books | |
| 100 copies or more | Custom quote for your exact configuration. | Request a quote | ||
Shipping is calculated for your delivery address and charged separately. The prices above cover the paper, the printing, the binding and the cover.
Questions about the Author Proof
Is $20.00 really the same for a 40-page book and a 300-page book?
Yes. The Author Proof price does not change with the page count — it is a flat $20.00 for one copy.
What size is the Author Proof?
The proof is the small softcover book: 5.5 × 8.5 in finished, with a black-and-white interior. If you want a different size or a full-colour interior, the proof ordering page will let you choose it and price it live.
Do I pay for shipping on the proof too?
Shipping is calculated for your delivery address and charged separately, and it applies to the proof the same way it applies to a run.
Can I skip the proof and order a run directly?
You can. The proof is not a required step — it is the cheapest way to catch a problem before you pay for ten, twenty or fifty copies.
How long does it take?
Turnaround is quoted for your order. You will see it before you pay, and nothing is printed until you approve the proof.
What if my proof is wrong?
Change the file and order another proof. That is the whole point of spending $20.00 before spending $649.50.
Ready to see your book?
Start with a single $20.00 proof copy. Upload your pages, see the price, and approve before anything is printed.