Publishing process
Every stage has a document, a date and a name attached.
This page describes exactly how a project runs with us — including where you approve, where you can stop, and what happens if something slips.
Principle
No surprises is a process decision.
Publishing projects go wrong in predictable ways: unclear scope, unnamed responsibility, invisible progress and reporting that cannot be checked. Our process is designed against those four failures.
You approve in writing at four points, and you can pause at the end of any stage. Work already delivered is yours; work not started is not invoiced.
Full sequence
The seven stages.
Timings are indicative; your scope states the agreed dates.
Week 0
Enquiry and reading
You send the manuscript or sample and describe your goals. We read it. If we are not the right partner, we say so within ten working days.
Week 1–2
Assessment and rights check
We confirm what rights are free, identify realistic markets and outline the options — fee-based, co-publishing or revenue share.
Week 2–3
Written scope and agreement
Deliverables, schedule, costs or splits, named leads and reporting frequency. Your first approval point.
Week 3–20
Production
Translation, editorial, audio or file production runs in reviewed instalments, visible in the client portal.
Week 8–28
Rights and channel work
Publisher submissions per territory, or direct distribution setup with metadata written per market.
Launch
Publication and verification
Editions go live and are verified: availability, links, pricing, categories and audio compliance.
Ongoing
Reporting and annual review
Statements on a fixed schedule, plus a written review of performance and what we recommend next.
Your control points
Four written approvals.
Nothing proceeds past these points without you.
01
Scope approval
You approve deliverables, dates and costs before any production begins.
02
Translator or narrator approval
You choose from samples and auditions; we advise, you decide.
03
Manuscript or master approval
Final text or audio master is signed off by you before publication.
04
Submission approval
The publisher target list is approved before anything is sent.
If something slips
What we do when a date is at risk.
Schedules move sometimes. What matters is whether you hear about it early and in writing.
Notify within 48 hours
You are told as soon as a risk is identified, not when the date passes.
Written revised plan
A new schedule with the cause and the recovery steps stated plainly.
No unilateral cost change
Delay does not create new charges unless scope genuinely changes, in writing.
Escalation path
If the desk lead cannot resolve it, the Editorial Director takes it directly.
Documentation
What exists in writing.
You should never have to reconstruct a decision from memory or an old email thread.
| Document | Issued at | Owner | Where to find it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment note | After reading | Editorial Director | Email and portal |
| Scope and quotation | Before production | Desk lead | Portal |
| Translation brief | Stage one | Lead Translation Editor | Portal |
| Query log | During editorial | Editorial & Proofreading Lead | Portal |
| Submission log | During licensing | Head of Rights & Licensing | Portal |
| Royalty statement | Each reporting period | Global Distribution Manager | Portal and email |
At a glance
Process in numbers.
0
Documented stages
0
Written approval points
0 days
Maximum reading response time
0h
Notification window for schedule risk
Questions
About the process.
Can I stop mid-project?
Yes, at the end of any stage. You pay for delivered work, receive the files, and owe nothing for stages not started.
How much of my time does this take?
Expect a few hours per stage: reviewing samples, answering query logs and approving files. We batch questions rather than trickling them.
Who signs the contracts with publishers?
You do. We negotiate and advise; the licence is between you and the publisher unless we are co-publishing.
Do you use non-disclosure agreements?
Yes, on request and as standard for unpublished manuscripts. Contributors are bound by confidentiality terms.
Next step
Start at stage one
Send your manuscript or sample and we will return an honest assessment note.