Publishing is a complicated industry. Most of it is controlled by a few companies. At the same time, self-publishing is more popular than ever. A new author with a beloved manuscript can be overwhelmed by all of the choices.
We want to empower you to make the best choices for your book, so we're going to explain some of the professional roles involved in the book publishing process. We’ll discuss what you might want to do yourself and what you might want to do with someone else.
Developmental Editor
The first process a manuscript goes through is developmental editing. This editing process focuses on the big elements in a manuscript, like pacing, structure, and themes. In fiction, character development will be a part of this. In non-fiction, idea development will be part of this instead.
You can do this yourself if you have significant editing experience or are working with a pre-existing structure, like an academic textbook or how-to guide. You should work with someone to do this if you lack experience with editing or your project has a more complex structure.
Line Editor (occasional)
Some authors or publishers will include line editing as a separate stage and some will blend it with developmental editing. Line editing focuses on consistency, tone, voice, writing style, and grammar. Sometimes this is accomplished with the developmental editor, and a good copy editor will pick up on these sorts of details, but it really is a different skill set.
Copy Editor
The next step is copy editing. This focuses on smaller elements in a manuscript, particularly spelling and punctuation. If you are writing for the American market, this is when you will have to switch Canadian terms and British spellings for their American counterparts.
You can do this yourself if you have experience with grammar and style guides, and are picky about small details. You should collaborate with someone if you are less confident with grammar or have trouble catching errors.
Cover Designer
The cover is the first thing most readers will see when looking at a book they want to read. A good cover designer can make a reader buy a book right away. A bad design can put readers off. A book’s cover needs to be appealing and relevant to the book’s genre, so making a cover is both an art and a science.
You can make your own cover if you have graphic design experience and can identify the traits that appeal to readers of a particular genre. You should hire a cover designer if you’re not familiar with visual art or design or are unsure of trends in the genre.
Layout Designer
A layout designer is the person who puts an edited manuscript into its final form. They make sure every page looks good and can format the book for e-readers. Readers may not notice good layout design, but they will notice bad layout design.
You can design a layout yourself if your book is in a very simple format or if your book will only be in one format. You should hire a designer if your book is more complex, has pictures, or if your book will be in multiple formats.
Proofreader
The proofreader is the last line of defense to check for errors. The proofreader goes through every page to check for typeos, layout mistakes, and other small inconsistencies. That effort results in a high-quality final product.
You could DIY this step, but at this point, you have read your manuscript so many times that you may not be able to spot the tiny mistakes. A fresh set of eyes will catch more errors. (For example, the error in the above paragraph. Did you catch it?)
Marketer
Once you have your book, you’re going to want to give it to readers. In most cases, that will be by selling it. A marketer can create social media posts, arrange interviews with TV shows, podcasts, and radio programs, and more.
You can do your own marketing if you have experience with sales or marketing or if you already have a platform of people interested in your book. You can get help from a marketer if you are unfamiliar with the process or want more reach.
Publisher
A publisher ties all the above roles together. They organize the other contractors, coordinate schedules, and ensure that every step is done to their quality standards. They make sure that the book is one you will love.
You can self-publish a book if you want more control over the final product and are okay with the extra administrative work. You should find a publisher if you trust a third party or want an experienced partner.
Some publishers will have trusted contractors with whom they work. Others will let you select your own collaborators. Each book is unique, and the collaborative process that brings it together will be unique too.
Wondering who you need on your publishing team? Not sure what your next step should be? Book a call with Colleen McCubbin to talk through your questions.
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