FAQs for the
Editorial Process
What Press personnel will be working with me
to edit my book?
When will my
book be book be published? How long will it take?
May I send digital
copy?
My acquisitions
editor said I need to submit a "complete package." What's that?
How do I send
illustrations (photos, drawings, maps, charts)?
When may I see the
cover?
When will I review
the edited manuscript?
How do I get permission to use material copyrighted or owned by others
(text, poetry, song lyrics, illustrations, photos, etc.)?
How should I prepare my manuscript for editing?
Can the Press send me an electronic version of page proofs (for
proofreading, indexing, etc.)?
How will the Press market my book once it's published?
What Press personnel will be working with me to edit
my book?
Up to now, you have
primarily been working with an acquisitions editor: the person who
acquired your manuscript, arranged for the publishing contract, and worked with
you to finalize the form in which your book would be published. Now, your
manuscript goes to a project editor, the in-house editor who will guide
your manuscript through the various stages of copyediting, design, and
production. From now until the book's release, the project editor will be your
primary Press contact, and will serve as the coordinator for all the other
professionals interacting with your book. The project editor will likely send
your manuscript to a contract copy editor, who will go through the
manuscript line by line, making sure that it conforms in content, style, and
form to our house standards. When the time comes for your
manuscript to go to a copy editor, the project editor will provide an
introduction and contact information for this phase of the process. Once the
manuscript has been acceptably copyedited, it is ready to go to design and
production, where it will receive page layout, cover design, and other final
preparations for printing and binding.
When will
my book be book be published? How long will it take?
Your manuscript will be assigned to a copy editor when all
materials (complete text, along with all illustrations and permissions, if any)
are received by the Press. If there are no unusual delays in editing or
production, it takes between nine and twelve months from the time a manuscript
is accepted for copy editing for finished books to be available. We usually
work several seasons (spring or fall of a given year) ahead, taking into
consideration the unique requirements of each book and its intended market, as
well as other projects currently underway. Because of this, your book may be
assigned to a season earlier or later than indicated by the time of its actual
acceptance. This decision will be made by the Press and your editor will keep
you informed.
(back to top)
May I send
digital copy?
You may send archived ("stuffed" or
"zipped") files as well as CD-ROMs, but the Press still requires two hard
copies of each manuscript submitted. For digital submission of photographs and
other illustrations, see "How do I send illustrations?",
below.
(back to top)
My acquisitions editor said I need to submit a "complete
package." What's that?
To see a list of items required for
final submission to editing, click here.
Additionally, please understand that any items missing from your manuscript
package will delay the processing of your book, both in copyedit and in
design/production. It is very important, therefore, that all the elements,
including illustrations, permissions, and, of course, a complete, properly
formatted manuscript, be present in the package you send to your editor.
However,
a sense of proportion is also useful here. Sometimes, authors delay sending a
large or complex manuscript because of lacking a single illustration, credit
line, or permission. This, too, can unnecessarily postpone other work on the
project and result in avoidable delays. If you are missing one or two minor
items and you wonder whether you should send the rest without it, talk to your
acquisitions editor. He or she is in the best position to judge whether the
missing item can be sent later or should be secured before sending the package.
(back to top)
When
may I see the cover?
Your editor will normally send an
advance copy of the front cover, usually as a digital ("pdf") attachment to an
e-mail. Sometimes, because of time constraints or production delays, this is
impossible. Most authors also receive an advance copy of the jacket or
paperback cover of their book, just before final printing and binding. While
the Press welcomes suggestions from authors about cover illustrations or
design, according to the terms of your publishing contract, all final decisions
regarding cover and book design are made by the Press.
(back to top)
When
will I review the edited manuscript?
After your manuscript has been
assigned to a copy editor, it will be sent to a contract copy editor. The copy
editor will go through the manuscript to make sure grammar, syntax,
documentation, and punctuation are all in conformity with our house style. The
editor may also contact you from time to time to resolve questions with the
manuscript. At the end of the editing process (usually about four to six
weeks), you will receive a copy of the edited manuscript. At this time, you
will work with the copy editor to resolve any questions or differences before
the final edited manuscript is returned to the Press for production.
(back to top)
How
do I send illustrations (photos, drawings, maps, charts)?
Generally, you must submit either
original hard copy (not photocopies) or approved digital files (JPEGs or TIFs
saved at the highest possible resolution). For complete technical instructions
on submission of illustrations, see our illustration guidelines,
as developed by the American Association of University Presses.
(back to top)
How
do I get permission to use material copyrighted or owned by others (text,
poetry, song lyrics, illustrations, photos, etc.)?
For complete instructions on
permissions, see our guidelines
for rights and permissions. For additional guidelines, see the AAUP Permissions FAQ.
(back to top)
How
should I prepare my manuscript for editing?
For complete instructions on
manuscript preparation, see our manuscript
submission guidelines.
(back to top)
Can
the Press send me an electronic version of page proofs (for proofreading,
indexing, etc.)?
Because of the wide variety of page
layout software, we do not send electronic page proofs. For specific or unusual
needs, please contact your editor.
(back to top)
How will the Press
market my book, once it's published?
The Press promotes books through advertising,
publicity, direct mail, exhibits, online, and trade sales programs, supported
by national and international sales representation. We also enter books in
appropriate award competitions.
Once the manuscript is approved and a contract is
under consideration, authors will receive an author information form from the
marketing department. Authors should give prompt and careful attention to the
items on the author information questionnaire. Detailed responses on this form
not only help the marketing staff as they prepare promotion plans but also
serve as a reference for the house editor and the Library of Congress.
There are also many things authors can do to
promote their own books. Our marketing department can give you more specific
guidelines, but some basic ideas include the following:
· As
appropriate, authors may elect to use their own books as texts in classes.
· Many
of our authors are active as lecturers and speakers. If the Press is notified
(usually at least 6 weeks in advance of the event), we can often assist in
making books available for purchase at or near the event. Audience members are
most easily converted to readers when autographed books are immediately
available after an informative and interesting presentation by the author.
· Cultivate
good relationships with the bookstores in your vicinity; many bookstores make a
special effort to maintain inventory of works by local authors. Also,
bookstores are frequently eager to offer booksigning events by local authors.
· Make
sure the book review editors of local broadcast and print media are aware of
your book's release. The Press can usually make review copies available.
· Utilize your professional network; favorable mentions
by influential persons within your field promote wider awareness and sales
of your book.
(back to top)
