MCRL Overseas Group

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Board Book Self-Publishing. 4 things you need to know
April 22, 2022
  • Book Printing

Board Book Self-Publishing Tips

Tips you need to know! Board books are a popular format for children under five, primarily because of the durability. If you’re considering printing your book idea in this format, here are the basics you need to know upfront. Board Book Design Board books are designed with durability in mind, since children ages 0-4 tend […]
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4 Great Guided Journals
February 4, 2022
  • Journals

4 Great Guided Journals

The practice of daily journaling is helping many people around the world weather these challenging times. There are many benefits to writing down your thoughts and feelings. Studies show journaling helps reduce anxiety and stress, improves productivity, creativity, goal-setting, memory, problem-solving and organization. Even your physical health can benefit from keeping a journal. There’s something […]
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Planner recycling tips. How to recycle MCRL's eco-friendly planners
January 10, 2022
  • Journals
  • Planners

Printed Planner Recycling Tips

MCRL’s Eco-Friendly Planners Are printed planners recyclable? Yep. And more than just the paper can be recycled. If you print Planners and Journals with MCRL Overseas Group, chances are good your Planner’s paper, cover and binding are recyclable. We’ve been recommending clients print with FSC paper, soy ink and Eska® board (a champion in the […]
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Book Storage Tips
November 8, 2021
  • Book Printing
  • Journals
  • Planners

How to Store Books Properly

Book storage tips for self-publishers Updated July 2023 As a self-publisher, your house often serves as office, store and warehouse! You write and fulfill online and book store orders from your humble abode. Because of this…a question authors frequently ask us is: “How do I safely store my books?”. First off, there are two main […]
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Industry Standard Book Trim Sizes | How to save money when printing your book
October 15, 2021
  • Book Printing

Industry Standard Book Trim Sizes

How to save money when printing your book The size of your book may be one of the most important decisions you make as a self-publisher. To help you make a decision early on in the process, we’ve identified the industry standards AND some ways to save money when printing your book. One size doesn’t […]
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Editor’s Checklist: 8 Steps to Successfully Print a Children’s Book
September 6, 2021
  • Book Printing
  • Print

Editor’s Checklist: 8 Steps to Successfully Print a Children’s Book

As an experienced children’s book editor, Brooke offers tried and tested steps to successfully print-a-children’s-book. Before you hit “print” on your next book, check-off these 8 steps: Step 1: Have your book edited, copy edited, and proofread! Step 2: Get your identifiers Step 3: Decide on your trim size, format, and page count Step 4: […]
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Brooke Talks Books
August 12, 2021
  • Book Printing
  • Print

Brooke Talks Books

Many steps go into successfully printing a children’s book. As an offset printing expert, MCRL knows how to print beautiful children’s books. But we aren’t experts in writing, editing and layout. So we reached out to Brooke Vitale. Brooke Vitale spent nearly twenty years as a children’s book editor in NYC, working with prominent publishing […]
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3 ways to avoid snafus when printing custom journals and planners
August 9, 2021
  • Journals
  • Planners
  • Print

3 Ways to Avoid Snafus When Printing Custom Journals and Planners

If you’re building a Planner or Journal business, you have a Vision. A Purpose. A Plan. BUT you may not know exactly how to print a custom Journal or Planner to sell. You’re not alone. Karen Rae, founder of the Balanced Life Planner® and Designer Notebooks, says it best… “When you are new to printing, […]

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POD vs. Offset Printing - what's the best for a children's book?
August 3, 2021
  • Book Printing
  • Print

POD or Offset Printing: Which is Best for a Children’s Book?

You’ve spent countless hours writing, illustrating, editing and re-editing your children’s book. Now you’re ready to show the world! But first you need to get that baby printed. As a first-time or established author, you have a choice between Digital Printing (POD) and Offset Printing your book. Not quite sure of the difference? Digital Printing transfers […]
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5 Mistakes First-Time Authors Make When Printing Their 1st Book (and how to avoid them)
July 22, 2021
  • Book Printing
  • Print

5 Mistakes First-Time Authors Make When Printing Their 1st Book (and how to avoid them)

Are you a first-time author printing your children’s book for the first time? If yes, writing might be starting to feel like the easy part! Don’t fret. Help is here. Learn from those who came before you Sheri Fink is a world-famous, best-selling author of 14 children’s books including The Little Rose, a #1 Amazon […]

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Why Choose MCRL Overseas Group?

Commitment to Quality & Service

Our goal every day is to do a great job so our new and many returning clients keep coming back to us for help. This means communicating regularly with clients and delivering a quality product that meets or exceeds expectations.

MCRL Overseas Group is a member and 5 star rated printer with The Alliance of Independent Authors.

Our Environmental Focus

We believe in producing products with the least environmental impact possible. We're fans of Eska®board, FSC and Tree-free Paper. We plant trees each year through our partnership with Trees for the Future sponsor. Ask us about our eco-friendly materials designed to minimize waste and safeguard both communities and the climate.

Product Safety

A common concern of China-made products is safety. At MCRL we take safety extremely seriously, particularly with our toys and children’s products. Due to this diligence, we are an authorized supplier for Disney and Walmart. Find out what this means for you.

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Welcome to MCRL!

Paper Thickness

Which paper weight is best for your Planners and Journals?

Bindings

Bindings: Wire-O, Concealed Wire-O, Smyth Sewn, Plastic Spiral, Metal Spiral, 3-ring
Bindings: Singer-sewn, Disc-bound, Glue strip

Page Count

How to count pages of a spiral bound book

How to count pages of smyth sewn book

Pocket on the inside back cover

We can generally do any type of inside pocket style. Just send us a picture of the style you like and we can print it.

Inside Pocket

Ribbon marker

Ribbon can be satin, grosgrain or novelty. Ribbon comes in an array of colours to match your brand palette. You can even print on Grosgrain ribbon!

Ribbons

MCRL uses YAMA Ribbon which is safety certified and tested for hazardous materials. We also offer recycled ribbon made from rPET materials (minimum order quantity of 3000 books or planners).

Ribbons

Elastic band

Elastic closures are a popular embellishment AND easy way to keep loose notes safe and secure. Elastic closures can be produced in different widths and colors.

Journal with elastic

Metal corners

Metal corners add an elegance and additional durability to your Journal or Planner.

MCRL offers various styles & colors in both shiny and matte finishes.

various styles & colors of corners
metal corner

Tabs

Tabs are a great way to organize your content. Tabs can be cut in different shapes and protected with gloss lamination (applied only to the tabs).

Tabs can only be included with Spiral and Wire-o bound books.

It’s easy and inexpensive to include tabs!

  • Most common sizes are 9pt, 10pt, 12pt paper
  • Tabs can be full color, PMS (pantone) color or black printed
  • A pocket can be included in the tab sheet
tabs

Different konds of tabs

Custom Gift Boxes

Telescopic Card Boxess

Telescopic Card Boxes

Sleeve/Drawer Box

Sleeve/Drawer Box

Magnetic Closure Box

Magnetic Closure Box

Mailer Boxes

Mailer Boxes

If you are new to Facebook Groups, here are a few rules of thumb.

  1. It’s best to post a question/request for feedback vs just mentioning your new book. For example, a post like this received lots of marketing ideas
    “My book is now on Amazon but I’m not sure I want to use their marketing services. What are some alternative ways to promote a new book. I’m a newbie and trying to wrap my head around the marketing?”
  2. Show some love. Like and comment on other posts as it builds goodwill so people will take time to share their learnings with you
  3. Be specific with your questions as these tend to get the best response
  4. If you haven’t printed your book yet, post a couple cover options and ask the group for feedback. Those types of posts get lots of comments!

Spot UV

Spot UV

Custom Pens

Custom Pens
Learn More

Foil-Stamping

Foil stamping is the application of metallic foil using a heated die. A custom-made die is heated and, under pressure, is used to fuse foil onto paper, linen or leatherette bonding the design to the surface of your book cover. Foil stamping can add shimmer and texture to highlight specific text or images on your cover.

Foil-Stamping

Heat burnished

Heat burnished
Heat burnished
Heat burnished

Deboss

Debossed pattern is sunken into the surface of the material. It produces an image that’s pressed into the material and indented.

Deboss

Emboss

Embossing refers to a method of pressing an image into paper or cardstock to create a three-dimensional design. Text, logos and other images can all be formed by the embossing method. Embossing results in a raised surface, with the design higher than the surrounding paper area.

Emboss

UV Coating

UV coating, or ultraviolet coating, is a very glossy, shiny liquid coating applied to a printed paper surface and cured on a printing press or special machine using ultraviolet light. The spot gloss UV is normally applied on a matte laminated cover to create a spectacular contrast on the cover.

UV Coating

Quarter bound

A style of bookbinding in which the spine is bound with leatherette or linen, and the rest of the cover is full color printed paper.

Quarter bound

Metallic Ink

Metallic ink is a pre-mixed ink containing metallic particles. It is a PMS color instead of a process colors (CMYK). Common metallic inks include gold, silver, bronze and gun metal. It is commonly used as a highlight feature on many printing and packaging materials.

Gilding

Give your book a gold or silver finish!

Gilt edges on a book. Foil edge gilding on a book speaks of prestige, trust and quality. It’s no longer a finish reserved for leather hardcover books. Now designers are combining the unique finishing process with printed covers to add life to their publications.

Guilding
Guilding

French Flap

The French flaps style is also called a gatefold. They are the extension of the front cover and/or the back cover of a soft cover book. There can be one or two French flaps. Flaps are functional as well as decorative. Additional information can be printed on them, such as the plot synopsis, blurbs and the author’s picture and/or biography.

French Flap

Lamination

Lamination is the process of applying a thin layer of plastic to paper or card sheets to enhance and protect the printed matter. Common types of laminate are gloss, matte and silk. We offer lamination for packaging, book covers, brochures, business cards and other printed items.

Gloss lamination

Fold-out

An oversized page in a book or magazine folded to the same size as the other pages but intended to be opened out for reading. Its particular use is to bend over or double up so that one part lies on another part.

Fold-out
Fold-out
Fold-out

Aqueous Coating

AQ is short for Aqueous Coating. This is a semi-gloss or matte finished, environmentally friendly, water-based coating applied to the printed piece. It provides additional gloss/matte finish and protection; it is not recommended for products you need to write on after being printed.

Aqueous Coating

Die-Cutting

Die-Cutting can provide die cutting for your books and paper products, creating beautiful or functional cuts in the pages or covers. Die-cutting windows or decorative designs are a simple way for your book binding to make a distinctive book product beyond other more standard finishing methods. Die cutting can make your book or paper product unique and different from anyone else’s.

Die-Cutting

Soft-touch Coating

Soft-touch coating adds a velvety-soft feel to print materials. It also allows a printed piece to gain distinction by stimulating the sense of touch. It is sometimes called a “soft-feel” or “velvet” finish. We offer this feature particularly for book covers, presentation folders, and many other types of promotional printing where distinctive qualities are important.

Soft-touch Coating

Lamination

Lamination is the process of applying a thin layer of plastic to paper or card sheets to enhance and protect the printed matter. Common types of laminate are gloss, matt and silk. We offer lamination for packaging, book covers, brochures, business cards and other printed items.