What Does a Traditional Publisher Do? – Book Production

In this week’s blog post, we will be examining the role of a traditional publisher and how they will help you and your book. There are a number of ways that they can do this, from the initial editing of your book to post-launch marketing. In this blog post, we will be focusing on the actual production of your book from your original submitted manuscript, which will require some editing, formatting to get the layout right, and the cover design. We will then look at some of the tasks that publishers can do after the book is complete in a later blog post, such as making sure it is distributed to major booksellers and creating a marketing plan.

Editing

One of the primary roles of a publisher is to take a manuscript and edit it to make it ready for publication. There are multiple stages to this process, starting with some big-picture editing such as a manuscript critique or developmental editing. The manuscript will then go through all subsequent levels of editing, finishing with a proofread. All of these types of editing have a different purpose and should add more to your book.

For example, the big-picture editing (manuscript critique and developmental editing) that you start with should help to correct any major issues with the manuscript like plot holes, lack of characterisation or poor pacing. It will also look at the structure of your novel, the viewpoints used, and what tense you have written in. Some or all of this might be changed to better fit with what they think works best and will sell.

The next step is some narrower editing, such as line editing, which looks at sentence style, pacing, and flow. It will improve dialogues and make sure characterisation is consistent. After this, a publisher will arrange for copyediting. This still looks at a sentence level but is focused on the more technical side of things, such as consistency and order of chapter headings, punctuation, and spelling.

Finally, the edited manuscript will need to be proofread. This is the last stage before it heads to the printers, so a proofreader will do another check for spelling and grammar, as well as checking that it looks right on the page. For example, making sure words aren’t broken across lines, ensuring page numbers are correct, and heading styles are consistent.

It may also be worth asking who will be editing your book. Do they use in-house editors or hire freelancers? It is highly likely that at least some of the editors will be freelancers, especially if you use a smaller publishing house. Either way is fine as long as there is a way for you to communicate with them and answer any questions they might have. However, if they are using freelancers, you may want to ask how they are chosen. Is there a test they take before they are added to the publisher’s lists? Do they get training or resources to ensure that they edit in a way that is consistent with the house style?

Formats

Before your book can be published, the publisher will decide what formats it will be available to buy in and when they will be released. If the publisher is a smaller one, it is possible that they will only release it in an ebook format. However, most will at least also publish a physical copy to be sold online and in bookshops. Major publishers will release books in hardback, ebook, and audio at launch, then release a paperback version a year or so later. They should consider what format is likely to appeal most to your readers and plan accordingly, as well as figuring out the best time of year to launch your book.

Do ask what exactly your publisher will do. Some will tell you in advance anyway or you will be able to tell from their book listings. Alternatively, your agent may already know, so make enquiries. Nevertheless, don’t be afraid to ask for any specific details you want, such as when certain formats will be released and what sort of prices they sell for. They may also pay different royalty percentages on different formats, so this is definitely worth asking about!

Cover Design

Another thing all publishers will do is design the cover for your book. This is a crucial step in the production process to ensure your book attracts potential readers and encourages them to buy it. Think about when you go book shopping, without any particular title or author in mind. Chances are you will look at book covers to make your choice, evaluating how well it fits your favourite genre and whether it piques your interest. Your potential readers will do the same thing, so you want your book to catch their eye.

A good cover design will be tailored to your target audience, making sure you can tell at a glance which genre it falls into. Look at the covers of other books released by your publisher and consider whether you would be happy with a similar one for your book. Bear in mind that, with a traditional publisher, you might not have much say in the final design.

Wrapping Up

I hope that you now know more about what to expect from a traditional publisher. In my next blog post, we will be looking at how a traditional publisher organises selling and marketing, so come back in two weeks for that!

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