Prospective Author Information

The Garbely Publishing Company actively solicits and encourages new and interesting publications by both up-and-coming and established authors. Typically, these publications are realized in the form of books of various lengths and topics.

The Garbely Publishing Company typically does not charge authors for the editing, formatting, and publication of their books. We prefer a profit-sharing agreement that allows us to recoup our printing and distribution costs without taking a single penny out of our authors' pockets. Click here to view our standard author contract and see how our typical financial arrangements would benefit you.

Photo Guidelines

Our books are professionally printed from digital files, which means that all images need to be scanned to a computer and included in the book at print resolution, which is 300 dpi (dots per inch). The question of how to properly achieve a printable photo resolution is one of the issues we deal with on a regular basis.

The easiest way to determine the minimum scanning requirements is to work backwards from the final printed size of the image. For example, if a 35mm negative (which measures about one inch across) is to be printed at a width of eight inches in the book (eight times its original size), it would need to be scanned at a minimum of eight times the 300 dpi print resolution, or 2400 dpi, so that it can be printed at that size at a 300 dpi resolution. If a 4”x5” print photo was to be printed at a width of 10 inches (twice its original size), it would need to be scanned at a minimum of twice the 300 dpi print resolution, or 600 dpi.

In order to achieve the proper print resolution, scans of the original photo sources (slides or negatives) are preferred and often necessary. Below are some common photo mediums and the minimum scanning requirements for the images to be used in our publications:

  • 35mm slide or negative - 3600 dpi

  • 2”x3” print photo or negative - 1600 dpi

  • 4”x5” print photo or negative - 900 dpi

  • 8”x10” or larger print photo - 600 dpi

Keep in mind that the above specifications are the minimum requirements; higher resolutions are always better!

If you are unsure what the final printed size of the image will be in the completed publication, it is best to scan at a resolution that is higher than those listed above to allow flexibility in layout and formatting. In this case, please make sure that the computerized dimensions of your images are at least 3600 pixels in length on the longest side, as photos smaller than this are typically unfit for printing on a full page. There is no way to enlarge or enhance a digital image of a smaller size to be suitable for printing.

We have the capability to produce our own high-resolution scans of your negatives, slides, or prints. If we digitize your photos in conjunction with a dedicated or specific book project, there will be no charge for our digitization services.

Text Guidelines

Authors are encouraged to prepare their manuscripts as text documents with minimal formatting, as the GPCo staff typically handles the typesetting for best presentation. GPCo accepts manuscripts in a variety of digital formats, including Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx) and Google Docs (which is useful for collaboration). In rare instances, printed or handwritten manuscripts will be accepted, but this practice is discouraged if the author has access to a computer.

Good railroad publications should be of interest to and understandable by those who are not familiar with railroad history or railroad-specific nomenclature. Railroad history should always be, at the very least, properly contextualized within the broader scope of American history. The text does not need to be formal, but it should uphold a basic level of journalistic quality and language. The use of photos is highly encouraged and suggested, and organized diagrams or charts are also recommended where possible.

Authors that have a book idea, but don’t have everything required for a quality publication (images, maps, drawings, etc.), are encouraged to contact us. The Garbely Publishing Company has a large collection of these items, as well as access to several public and private collections. In short, a lack of supporting materials should not prevent authors from writing and publishing their work. If you have an idea that you need help publishing with the GPCo, send us an email, and our staff will work with you to develop your idea.

If you are ready to move ahead with your publication project, please do not hesitate to contact us at sales@garbelypublishing.com or at 801-896-GPCO (4726). We're happy to hear from you!