If you’ve never written a book or published an article, it could seem magical to consistently see writers worldwide produce excellent manuscripts that are approved for publication. The question that most people have is how can a plain piece of writing become a work of art that people want to buy and keep on their bookshelves.
You won’t be surprised to learn that publishing is a complicated, multi-step process that can take at least a year to accomplish. If, however, you already work with a book publisher or book publishing company and they show some interest in your work in advance, this period may be shortened. If they are relatively unknown, first-time authors will have a difficult time getting through the acquisitions stage. The length of the publication process will, however, lessen for your next project once you have successfully published and sold one book.
However, another way to publish your book is through the self-publishing process. A self-publishing company uses technology, services, instruction, and other methods to assist authors in self-publishing their books. Publishing platforms, author services, and self-publishing education businesses are the three primary categories of self-publishing businesses available today. A self publishing agency guides the author through each step of the procedure. Although the author continues to have creative control, the self-publishing business offers additional support.
Authors may publish their writing and tell their stories to the world through self-publishing. They can leave a lasting legacy through their book if they can carve out time for writing, carry out a publishing plan, and invest in the caliber of their work.
The possibilities for self-publishing a book are endless, whether you want to write a non-fiction book, a novel, or a children’s book. To become an author, you don’t even need to get past the traditional publishing gatekeeper.
However, the publishing process is remarkably intricate and appears as puzzling as any black box to those outside the industry. But in reality, it works like any other process to produce the things we see around us. So let’s lift the curtain and examine all the steps involved in turning an idea from a writer’s head into a book.
Stages of Publishing
Acquisition and Editing
The acquisition and editing phases of publishing are the first steps. Although acquisition can happen in a variety of ways, authors typically send a proposal or a draught of their manuscript to many publishers. A publisher will schedule a meeting with their acquisitions team to go over the advantages and disadvantages of your work if they are interested in it. The acquisitions team includes more than just editors. It also involves representatives from the marketing, sales, and publicity divisions to assess how well your book will sell in the current marketplace. They will make you a contract if they like your proposal or content.
Once you have created a contract, either on your own or with the aid of publication support services, and signed the contract, your book will begin its journey through the editing process. The editing process can be summed up in three steps: structural, content, and technical. The main focus of structural editing is on the organization and logic of your manuscript.
You will be asked to examine and accept or reject significant change proposals by the publishing house editors or internal publication support services. Following the final approval of your manuscript’s structure by all parties, content editing begins. This analyses your book’s flow, transitions, language, and other elements for factual accuracy.
Design, Typesetting, Printing, and Proofreading
Next, you will collaborate with the publisher or their internal publication support services to ensure that your book looks professional when printed. You will select a typeface and a cover design, and someone will typeset the book, so it looks eye-catching for you.
To ensure no overlooked errors were missed during the editing process, a test print will be made, and then the document will be proofread. Finally, it is time to move on to the latter stages of the publishing process once you have collaborated with the publisher to get a stunning draft of your book published.
Sales, Marketing, and Publicity
Even the best-written books require marketing and promotion to reach an audience that will find the book interesting. Your new book will not be an exception. Major publishers and publication support services market and publicize promising new publications to increase sales. In the modern world, marketing can take many different forms.
You can be asked to promote your book via podcasts, interviews, and among well-known authors, in addition to placing ads in journals or newspapers to raise awareness of it. Your publishing team’s publication support services will promote you while they attempt to persuade their network of book distributors to buy and sell your book. Your book will be printed soon and available for purchase.
A strong marketing strategy ensures increased sales of your book. A book marketing company is skilled in identifying the target audience, which is the first step in developing a plan. To establish which promotional tactics would be most advantageous for the author, they also assess the book’s market size and examine marketing for similar books.
ACCEPTANCE AND PRICE QUOTE
After peer review, if the manuscript is officially accepted, you will get a formal Notice of Acceptance and a pricing estimate.
Your IntechOpen Compacts, Monograph, or Edited Book’s Open Access Publishing Fee will vary depending on the volume of the publication and will cover project management, editorial and peer review services, technical editing, language copyediting, cover design, and book layout, as well as book promotion and ISBN assignment.
We’ll provide you a pricing quote, and once it’s been approved (by the publisher and the author), both parties will sign a Statement of Work obligating them to abide by the terms of the agreement.
INVOICE PAYMENT
Usually, the author, the author’s institution, or the funder pays the invoice. A credit card from your Author Panel, which will be allocated to you at the start of the project, or a bank transfer, as specified on the invoice, may be used to make the payment. Currently, we accept the following methods of payment:
Credit Card
PayPal
Bank Transfer
Conclusion
In conclusion, being well-informed about the stages of publishing a book makes the process easier for new writers and helps them avoid major mistakes.