In the second place, choose a printer who is accustomed to genealogical work. This is always preferable. Only thus can we obtain the facilities and the experience our book deserves. When the manuscript is in the hands of printers untrained to the peculiar kind of work needed, one of two results generally follows. The book is inaccurate in matter and slovenly in appearance, or we may have to insist that much of the work be done over. A printer often trains himself at our expense, his bill piling up far above his estimate, while the book comes forth at last with an unmistakably amateurish touch everywhere apparent.
But it is not sufficient to choose a printer accustomed to genealogies. We know of some who have done this kind of work for many years, yet scarcely ever have done it well. Their books are many, but in wretched taste, some of the volumes being a disgrace to the book-maker's art. Genealogy is worthy of better things!
Choose a printer and publisher who has taste and enthusiasm, who is unwilling to resort to cheap material, ordinary type, and careless labor for the sake of a wider margin of profit on his contract. It is not difficult to select the right man. Examine samples of his book-work, and see if all are attractive, the lowest-priced as well as the expensive editions. If he is the right man, a touch of taste and excellence will appear in all his work.
Ascertain, if possible, the character of proof-reading you will receive. The author, of course, will read his own proofs, but even if he is an experienced writer, and has carried several books through the press, he will be saved many a mistake by good proof-reading. It is a peculiar fact that a mistake which our own eye has once passed over in the manuscript is likely to escape our notice many times. But the fresh eye of an expert proof-reader, versed in genealogical work, will detect many of these mistakes, and we will find ourselves deeply indebted to his habit of questioning doubtful points for our reconsideration.
If the reader is not himself an expert genealogist, or is printing his first work, the services of the right kind of proof-reader are still more indispensable. But, in fact, all writers are largely dependent upon the printer and proof-reader for the systematic carrying out of a correct style of punctuation, capitalization and spelling. How satisfying is the book which receives expert attention in all these details!
Finally, choose a printer and publisher who is a book-making genius. The author is dependent upon the printer for the best suggestions for style of book within the limits of cost decided upon. There are masters of the art of making books who, having learned the author's mind as to price, have an ability almost amounting to genius for suggesting the perfect thing within the limit named. They have the character of the work in mind, and they suggest an ideal combination of type, size of page, illustrations, paper, margins and style of cover. Such book-makers are readily recognized by the books they turn out. The author cannot do better than to follow their suggestions.
In a word, let your genealogy appear in the most attractive dress which you feel you can afford, and you ought to feel that you can not afford anything which is unscholarly or unsightly. Do you want a book which will give you pleasure to the end of time, or one which you cannot hand to a friend without an apology? We repeat again the maxim, that the stage of printing is no place for injudicious economy!
Have we any "practical help" to offer in this chapter? Yes, dear reader, if you desire the kind of printer's service herein described, it is offered to you by the publishers of this little book. Let the reader satisfy himself as to the quality of workmanship by examining the books which bear the stamp of The Grafton Press. If these do not tell the story, nothing can. This is the true test in every case.
We may add, however, that the Genealogical Department established in connection with The Grafton Press was organized expressly to bring together the expert co-operation necessary in order to lift every feature of genealogical work to a higher standard of excellence than now generally prevails. The supervision of this department extends to all the genealogical printing done by The Grafton Press.
In submitting manuscripts in order to obtain estimates of cost of printing, a general idea of the style expected should be given. For example, let it be known which of the following three kinds of book is desired: