What does the production process involve?

The production process begins with the acquisition of a manuscript by a publisher or commissioning editor. The manuscript is then developed through a structural edit – this can be done by the publisher, the in-house editor who will look after the title and author throughout the production process, or a freelance editor chosen for their skills in that particular genre.

Often, the publisher/editor/freelance editor will discuss the edit so that there’s agreement on the approach to take. The edit is then sent to the author, who will consider the comments and suggestions made, and come up with their own solutions to problems raised.

The author then sends the revised manuscript to the publisher/in-house editor, and the manuscript is then sent to a copyeditor, who does a line-by-line edit to examine language, expression and grammar to help eliminate errors. The copyedit is then sent to the author to peruse. This is the author’s last chance for minor changes (as all major changes should have been completed at the structural stage).

The author sends the manuscript back to the in-house editor, and the manuscript is then typeset (designed into book format). The ‘first pages’ as they’re called, are sent to a proofreader, and these proofread pages are then sent to the author to check over one final time. Then the in-house editor checks the ‘second pages’ to ensure all the proofreading corrections were completed, and the final file is then sent to the printer.

The book cover is worked on from the outset of acquisition, as is the blurb, which is a key point of sale. Typically, covers need to be finalised six months before the publishing date. The publisher (or in-house editor) briefs a cover designer with their (and the author’s) vision for the book, and the designer presents concepts that are then taken to the broader team of sales and marketing, so that there’s agreement about the best possible cover for the title.

Copyright © Alexandra Nahlous 2019