How to Commission a Work in Publishing

The commisssiong process allows editors to publich new and established writers.

The commissioning process is the means by which books get published. Undertaken by commissioning editors, the process involves selecting and managing publications from conception to print. Commissioning editors work across all types of book publications, from literary fiction and children's books to academic texts and instruction manuals. Whether an editor works for a small publishing house or a large multinational company, the commissioning process is essentially the same.

Instructions

1. Analyze the market. Commissioning editors analyze trends in the book market and try to predict future ones.

2. Find a project. Commissioning editors use a number of means to find books to publish. They may identify a gap in the market and approach a suitable author to write the book. They may review a manuscript or book proposal that an author or literary agent submitted to the publishing house. Another option is buying a book that already written from an agency.

3. Prepare a publishing proposal. A commissioning editor must get the approval of senior management to go ahead with a publishing project. He will compose a report detailing the cost, projected print run and sales figures, and reasons for publication. If the editor wishes to publish an academic manuscript, he will send it for peer-review, where it is assessed by academics that specialize in the subject of the book for legitimacy and plagiarism.

4. Agree to a contract with the author or agency. This will detail the fees, any royalties accrued and territories in which the publishing house has license to publish. The signing of a contract signals that the book has officially been commissioned.

5. Manage the completion of the manuscript. Whichever method an editor commissions a book through, and once it is approved, she oversees the production of the manuscript; agrees to a schedule with the author; meets with the author regularly to monitor progress and discuss any structural changes; and is responsible for liaising with book designers to formulate a jacket design, as well as copyeditors and proofreaders to ensure the accuracy of the text.

Tips & Warnings

• Commissioning editors do not only commission new titles, they also approve reprints of previously-published titles -- known as the "back list". They will analyze sales performance to check the viability of a reprint. They may also re-publish books that have been out of print for some time.

References

• Kogan Page: Publishing Process
• Manchester University Press: The Review and Commissioning Process
• Next Step: Commissioning Editor