ASTD Book Production Process

ASTD needs an average of five to six months to take a completed final manuscript and turn it into a printed book.

However, before the manuscript enters this five-to-six month production period, the acquisitions editor evaluates the manuscript to ensure that it reflects the promise of the original book proposal. The acquisitions editor may ask the author to add material, delete material, or make changes to the final manuscript based on an initial reading of the manuscript and/or on comments provided by an SME or other internal/external experts. This process normally takes one month. It is important to note that it is the author’s responsibility to deliver an acceptable manuscript. Our contract states that if an author is unable to produce an acceptable manuscript within a specified time, it will be the author’s responsibility to pay an outside editor to rework the manuscript or opt not to continue with the project.

Once the acquisitions editor deems a manuscript complete and accepts it, the acquisitions editor passes the manuscript to the development editor who, along with a copyeditor, works with the author to further develop and copyedit the manuscript. Development and copyediting the manuscript takes one to two months and often requires further work by the author to finely hone sections of the book or to provide more information if needed. In addition, it is the responsibility of the author to collect permissions for quotes or any other materials from previously published works.

Prepress work (typesetting and proofreading) and printing/binding the book takes three months. During the prepress stage, the author may be called on to verify information or answer content questions to ensure complete accuracy of the manuscript.

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