Development of Your Products

The type of work we do as development editors varies greatly with each editor and publisher. Although our job description seems to change with each project we take on, we've created a list of the types of work we do on a regular basis. Of course this is not a comprehensive list – if you have a project in mind that doesn't match any of the descriptions below, chances are we've done it or something similar. If not, we love expanding our experience and adding to our list of services.

 

Full Development – This can include all (or much of) what is listed below, but it also offers more comprehensive attention to a title and a more hands-off experience for you. This is our preferred approach to any text because it allows us to conceptualize a book's target market, organization, and goals from proposal to publication. It also allows us to work directly with authors and get a better understanding of what you and your authors want from the text.

Data Mining – Although peer reviews are often thought of as the beginning of the development process, high-quality reviewers often need to be found as markets change or as new markets develop. Searching schools for potential reviewers (checking school websites, book stores, etc.) can bring in new perspectives and even new adoptions. These searches often involve seeking out instructors who teach appropriate courses/subjects, instructors who use specific products, or both.

Review Questions/Guidelines – Extracting relevant information from reviews and keeping reviewers focused is key to a successful review process. Some projects require questions tailored specifically to a discipline or directed at a specific need. We’ve had a lot of experience writing review questions in a variety of subjects, so we can produce effective questions on your list.

Reviews – These are often the first step in a revision or new project. We conduct a lot of reviews either as part of full-development projects or as stand-alone projects. We solicit the reviewers, support them throughout the process, and submit the finished reviews to you in an organized, user-friendly format.

Review Synopses/Analyses – Ranging from a simple compilation of the reviewers' comments into one document to a thorough analysis of all the comments, a well-crafted synopsis or analysis provides direction for you and your authors in an easily digestible format.

Surveys/Focus Groups – Due to the large number of participants, surveys show a big-picture snapshot of the market's overall preferences while incurring minimal costs. Focus groups can be large or small and provide a special opportunity to explore a market’s needs in depth, especially when venturing into a new market or medium. We have experience writing questions, soliciting participants, and analyzing data, as well as organizing and leading focus groups.

Competitive Analyses – These break down and compare various aspects of two or more books which dominate a given market. Common points of comparison include the subjects covered, art, figures, tables, graphs, pedagogical features, etc. These analyses enable you and your authors to see where your product stands in relation to others—for example, if it has more or less coverage in general or specific areas, or if it lacks pedagogical features compared to your closest competition.

Content/Book Maps – This is a more involved version of a competitive analysis wherein we compare two or more books in every detail, including how much space (text, photos, figures, etc.) is devoted to each subject. A map indicates exactly how your product compares to the competitors in every aspect of content coverage. This information can be used to build a revision plan or as a marketing tool to show instructors what your product offers that the competitors do not. The author can also use it as a checklist throughout the revision/writing process.

Revision/Book Plans – Writing a revision/book plan involves analyzing one or more sets of market research data to discern trends in the target market's preferences/needs. You and your author may then use this as a basis for conceptualizing, writing, or revising your product. The plan serves as the project's main reference point and helps all involved parties keep track of their respective roles and responsibilities. When your author submits his/her final product for publication, the revision plan serves as a checklist to ensure that the final product matches all the points in the plan.

Model Chapters – This is an edited/developed chapter showing key elements of the revision/book plan in place. This is often the easiest way to get your authors started in the right direction, as it shows how their plan’s goals may be manifested. Model chapters may be used to exhibit appropriate chapter organization, transitions between topics, pedagogical features, and the proper manuscript formatting required for submission. If your plan includes a brand-new element that you've conceptualized but the author needs help envisioning it, a model chapter (or a model of the element in question) can be an effective tool.

Line Edits – This is a much more involved, hands-on approach to development editing. This can be done as part of a sample chapter or on an entire manuscript depending on the author’s writing experience. When an author is very knowledgeable and well-known in the field but needs help writing or tailoring the writing for a new audience, it is well worth the time spent.

Marketing Copy – Finding a way to fit everything you want customers to know about your book on the back cover or in a short blurb on your website can be an interesting challenge. However, with years of experience in various markets, we've found this to be one of our favorite tasks.

Market Analyses – If you are looking to publish in a new market or medium, we can conduct extensive research to assess the market’s needs and the state of existing products to determine the viability of entering that market as a new competitor. Analyzing this large array of information enables us to make recommendations on the types of products/services you would need to offer in order to succeed in the new market.

Art Manuscripts – Gathering all the photos, graphs, diagrams, charts, and other pieces of art and keeping them organized is as important as having the art itself. We can either help authors with this task or assemble all of the pieces ourselves so that everything is properly prepared for submission to production.

Alternate Text Descriptions – Art is included in your products because it’s essential to student learning. It is important that everyone who uses your products can benefit from these visual elements. While many students with visual impairments use screen readers to read text, alternate text descriptions allow them the opportunity to benefit from the visual elements as well.

Permissions – Requesting permission from copyright-holders for borrowed materials to be included in a book is all about organization, persistence, determination, and meeting deadlines. We can either guide authors or work independently to get the permissions you need to keep your product on schedule.

Final Manuscript Preparation – Finalizing all the details of a finished manuscript before it enters production often involves a significant amount of organization and preparation. We can work with your authors and production department to gather and finalize the manuscript, art, permissions, and any other pieces that need to be assembled for submission to production.