Some might think publishing a book is as simple as writing it and putting it on bookstore shelves. The actual process of publishing involves many more steps in between. For a writer, much of the burden is placed on the publisher, and authors can sometimes find themselves questioning why the overall process seems to take so long. The publishing process normally takes anywhere between nine months to two years (not including the time it takes to write the manuscript), and it can take longer in some cases. There are a plethora of other steps and considerations that are taken behind the scenes in order for a book to launch successfully.
As an author, the first step that you need to take is finding the right publisher for your work. This will require much research as every publishing company has rules and requirements that may differ from one another. Many (if not most) publishers will want the manuscript completed before submitting. Not every publishing company accepts manuscripts directly and a literary agent could be a requirement, which would make querying a necessity. After the acquisition process is complete and a publisher has requested to work with you, it will be time for the legal aspect of things. This will be when contracts are negotiated. During negotiation things like expectations, strategy, and payment will be discussed.
To make it to contract signing alone is a major accomplishment for any writer, but the work does not stop there. Following the contract completion the brunt of the work will be done by the publishing company. Multiple rounds of editing the manuscript will take place. The developmental and copyediting phase may require minor or significant changes to be made to your work. While editors are hard at work fine-tuning your story, the marketing and publicity plans as well as the book design process are taking place. The time it takes to complete all of these things can vary depending on the scale of the publishing company.
As accessibility is a vital part of publishing, audio and ebook formats may also be in the works. These go through their own separate rounds of time-consuming edits to ensure they are free from error. Due to all of this work being completed behind the scenes, authors often will find themselves wondering what is taking so long. Rushing the process can lead to errors being overlooked, which will not be beneficial in the long run.
There are so many departments in a publishing company tasked with individual responsibilities that are either dependent on one another or happening simultaneously. Every task is necessary to turn a book into a physical creation. From the moment a book is acquired there is editing, proofreading, print and digital formatting, promotion planning, and more taking place. The publishing industry is an intricate web constantly spinning and weaving through a number of departments and labors. So many more hands touch an author’s work than most realize, and their duties and feedback are vital to a successful launch.
Some best practices for a new author include having patience and trusting the process. There will be times you’ll feel bombarded with tasks such as edits to make your work more cohesive. There will also be times when there is radio silence from your publisher, and you start to believe you’ve been forgotten. The best thing to do is understand a book takes time. So don’t be afraid to communicate with your publishing team, but keep in mind, they are hard at work to bring your book to life.
Written by DJ Borden.