Assign tasks from manuscript to publication
A book combines editorial work, design, production and distribution. A publishing service is not automatically a publishing contract or sales promise. Comparable quotes identify included work and rights.
Clarify the project and publishing route
Describe the book, readers and purpose. A privately distributed memoir needs different services from a trade-distributed specialist book. Languages and markets also belong in the brief.
Distinguish support for self-publishing from finding a publisher. Service offers should specify the client’s role, publishing responsibility and funding.
Identify individual work packages
A package is comparable only when tasks are explicit. Work already completed need not be ordered again.
| Area | Service to clarify |
|---|---|
| Editorial | Editing and final proofreading |
| Design | Typesetting, cover and illustrations |
| Production | Print files or digital book |
| Publication | Metadata and technical availability |
| Distribution | Ordering, fulfilment and accounts |
Prepare text and materials
State the readiness of text, images and indexes. Actual word count helps for an existing manuscript; estimates suit a planned book. Images, tables and complex notes affect typesetting.
Agree text approval before final production. Late additions may alter pages, cover and digital editions. Timelines should include revisions and queries.
Separate printed and digital editions
Size, colour, paper and binding determine print production. A run for direct distribution differs from print on demand. Storage, shipping and reprints need separate agreement.
Digital books need suitable files and checks on intended reading devices. A print PDF is not automatically a flexible ebook. Agree samples, file checks and, for print, the possibility of a proof copy.
Clarify rights and metadata
Agree rights to text, images, quotations and translations, and permitted provider use. File handover, editability and later supplier changes should be defined.
An ISBN identifies an edition; it does not provide copyright protection and is not compulsory for every publication. Different formats and languages may need separate numbers. Check the chosen distribution routes.
Define ordering and ongoing service
Publication in a shop does not automatically mean stock or placement in bookstores. Define where orders can be made, who fulfils them and who maintains metadata.
Agree revenue accounts, possible returns and ongoing fees. Marketing, review copies and advertising are separate tasks. Technical availability alone does not establish audience or sales.
Compare the complete execution
Compare editing, necessary print quantity, reserve, transport, shipping and time. Unknown shipping charges and your own work are not free. Quality and deadline determine the cheapest suitable execution.
| Cost | What to include |
|---|---|
| Initial work | Editing, typesetting and cover |
| Production | Format, quantity and proof |
| Logistics | Storage, transport and shipping |
| Distribution | Setup, recurring fees and accounts |
| Later work | File handover, updates and reprints |
Frequently asked questions
Must the manuscript be finished?
No. Describe readiness and expected volume. Production later needs an approved version.
Is a service package a publishing contract?
Not automatically. Roles, funding, rights and distribution should be clear.
Does every book need an ISBN?
Not necessarily. Distribution route also matters. An ISBN identifies a product rather than guaranteeing rights.
Do print and ebooks use the same file?
Not always. They need suitable formats and separate checks.
Can I order a small print run?
Yes, where offered. Compare print runs and on-demand production including logistics.
Are sales guaranteed?
No. Production and ordering availability are services; marketing and actual sales should be evaluated separately.
