i wanted to have a manuscript professional bound in a hardcover book format as a gift...?

Question

any idea how much this would cost? it would likely be 100 pages or less. i live in the Columbus, Ohio area if you can even provide a place of business that would do this. Please note that i'm not trying to PUBLISH the book, just get up to five copies of the same book bound.

Answer 1

It really depends on the quality of the binding you want. If it's a gift, and you want it really bound nicely, I'd urge you to NOT visit Kinkos, etc. They are primarily copy shops, and their hardcover binding is not of particularly good quality. (Had one done by a copy shop a few years ago--it was basically just a velo-bind with a hard cover, NOT a good, sewn, library-quality book.) Your best bet for a high-quality, sewn binding with a durable cover is to look in your Yellow Pages under "Bookbinders". Particularly since you live in a state capital (as do I), there's likely to be a bindery which serves the state government--binding legal books and so on. It may cost you a bit more--I'm guessing $40 or so each copy (plus a huge array of covers and binding styles, gold imprinting on the cover and spine, etc.), and it might take them a week or more--but you'll get truly professional quality work that will last, which you won't get at a Kinko's or Office Depot. (And if you have some time, can't find such a place in Columbus, and are willing to mail your book off, there are several possibilities online--again, search under "bookbinders".)

Answer 2

Visit a Kinko's, an Office Depot, or other copy shop business. Show them your manuscript, tell them what sort of binding, cover and end page you want, and they should give you a firm price.

Usually, such copy offices have displays available on types of covers, binding, and other items used in professional binding. If possible, locate one such office that is near a university or a college. They perform this service for students every day.

You can have this done at regular size (11 x 8 1/2 or smaller) and printed on both sides of the paper.

Answer 3

Go to a print shop. For more money, you can to a POD or Vanity publisher, but it will likely cost upwards of $300 that way.