Steps to Publication- part two: Going to Press

In my previous blog on this topic I covered the process of having a book published from the initial acceptance of the unprepared MSS to the point at which the publisher actually commits to going forward with producing a printed copy of the book as it will appear on the bookstores’ shelves. Before a book goes to print it passes through many people’s hands, each doing their part to get the book into the stores. First the publisher will almost certainly scrutinize the book to be sure that it is publishable material but once it has been accepted for printing it is certain to go ahead. Following this the publisher will appoint people to write a blurb for the book, another to design the covers and more to decide on the typeset and formatting of the printed book. At the completion of each stage the author is consulted and has to decide if the work is done to his satisfaction. In my own experience the work done by all of these people met or mostly exceeded my expectations and the results produced a very professional volume of my novella Loot. The blurb writer will want a snappy synopsis of the book so it is probably a good idea to spend some time composing one that you will like when you see it on the back cover of your book. Similarly, the cover artist will want some input into what ideas the author has for the cover design. This aspect of book design is something that many writers may not have given much thought to but the greater that the author’s input is into this part of the book the more likely it is that the cover will be evocative of the style and atmosphere in the book. The other very important job that goes into the preparation of the printed book is the typeset and formatting of the text which can make a book either easy of difficult to read. When the typeset is complete a copy, the galley proofs, will need to be inspected by the author to ensure that they are accurate and that he is satisfied with the work before the whole thing will be sent to a printer to be made into a book (or books).