Production Process
The following checklist and timeline are intended to show you the process of preparing and publishing your book, as well as the approximate amount of time required for each step. Release times vary and depend on whether a title is to be included in an Ingram seasonal catalog. These times are shown as a guide, not an absolute.
Title Preparation
3-4 weeks
- Signed and executed contract
- Author Questionnaire (author photos, cover samples)
- Manuscript formatted according to Koehler Books style guide
- Welcome & Creative Call
Creative Production
2-5 months
- Front cover design
- Marketing Program
- Editing
- Copyediting & Proofreading
- Text Layout
- Cover wrap and text layouts
- Client approval of all layouts
- Tip Sheet (sample tip sheet)
Printing & ARCS
5 weeks
- Advanced Review Copies (ARC) – Digital PDF provided
- ARCs – Author optional purchases
Distribution
- Online print pre-sales 2-3 months prior to launch
- Ebook 3-4 weeks prior to launch
Total publishing time
9-11 months
Title Preparation
During this period the author and/or agent/attorney will make changes to the contract so that all parties are in agreement. The author may sign and mail the contract or sign it electronically via approved methods.
Author Questionnaire
The Author Questionnaire is one of the most important documents created during the publishing process. The Author will provide basic contact information; an author biography and photo, back cover marketing text, BISAC categories, sales hook and other marketing information. See Author Questionnaire sample.
Manuscript formatted according to Köehler Books style sheet
Authors must prepare their manuscript according to the Köehler Books Style Guide, which will be provided. It will give exact formatting rules for preparation of the manuscript so that it complies with the formatting needs of the editor and design team.
Welcome and Creative Calls
The Welcome Calls will introduce the author to the Köehler Books timeline and provide a chance to go over the entire step-by-step process of developing the title for publication. This will include discussion of the technical marketing aspects of the book including pricing, target audience and release. The call will also include the creative process and include a discussion about the cover design.
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