The Direct Workflow

In some cases your book may be selected to follow the Direct workflow. This is a very fast production cycle and is not recommended for books which require thorough copy editing or proofreading, contributed volumes or complex books. Your Press editor will discuss this option with you at the outset, if it is appropriate.

If your book is proposed for the Direct workflow, you must be aware that it will be quite demanding of your time and you will be expected to respond to all queries promptly. If you have other commitments which may make it difficult for you to respond promptly during production, you must tell your Press editor and your book will be produced via the XML workflows or LaTeX workflows, as appropriate.

Direct workflow books follow greatly simplified production stages with very tight turnaround times for each stage. All communication is largely via email.

• Technical evaluation
• Transmittal meeting
• Copy editing
• Page proofs
• The cover and/or jacket
• Final stages
• Advance copies, publication and publicity

Technical evaluation

Your Press editor will pass your final manuscript to the production department. The Copy Editorial Controller will review the manuscript and decide if it is suitable. (In some cases a book may be deemed unsuitable and will therefore follow the usual XML workflows or LaTeX workflows.)

Transmittal meeting

Your book will be submitted to a transmittal meeting where the strategy is discussed and publication schedule planned. Your book formally passes into the production phase and a Production Editor is assigned.

The Production Editor engages a typesetter who also project manages the production process.

The Production Editor will contact you and any co-authors to introduce him/herself and tell you the production schedule for your book.

Copy editing

The level of copyediting is minimal. Queries are generally marked in the proofs and we would ask you to ensure that you answer all queries before you return your marked proofs to the project manager.

The time allowed for copy editing and production of page proofs is generally 4 weeks, but may be less.

Page proofs

The first-named author (main author) will be sent 2 sets of page proofs. One of the sets is to be treated as the master which is to be returned to your project manager; the other set is a duplicate for your records.

Co-authors, if any, are sent one set of proofs and generally send their comments/corrections direct to the project manager.

The page proofs show you the final layout of your book with all figures incorporated at the correct size and in the final position. Any queries that arose during the copy editing and typesetting of your book will be listed at the end of each chapter.

We will ask you to prepare an index from the proofs unless we have agreed in advance that this will be undertaken by a freelance indexer.

It is essential that you follow your project manager's instructions and return the master proof by the deadline you are given. The turnaround time for checking proofs is usually a maximum of 14 days but may vary depending on the individual book schedule.

You can return your master proof hardcopy by post or fax to the project manager or if corrections are minimal, an email message outlining the necessary changes may be sufficient.

The cover and/or jacket

Cover image

You may be asked to provide an image for the cover of your book. This might be a high resolution electronic file you already have or just some suggestion of what you would like to see on the cover. CUP branding and series design governs the look of the cover, so please consult your Press editor before you begin searching. Please also let us know if you feel you do not have a suitable image for the cover.

We welcome your ideas, but please note that the Design department will have the final say on cover design.

Your Press editor will send you a cover visual for comment.

Once your book is fully in production, your Production editor will email you a pdf proof of the front and back cover of your book. You will be asked to check this carefully and let your Production editor know if there are any problems.

If everything is correct, then simply email your approval to your Production editor. If you need to mark corrections, please print out the pdf and send a marked hardcopy back to your Production editor.

Your Production editor will send the pdf to all co-authors, but the main author will be asked to coordinate the comments so that only one response is provided back.

See images for the jacket or cover

Final stages

After you have returned your page proofs, you will be sent a revised proof via email to check.

When all final checks on your proofs have been completed, your Production editor orders the printing pdfs and your book will go to press. Generally it takes about 2-3 months from page proofs to ordering the printing pdfs.

Advance copies, publication and publicity

Stock will come into our warehouse approximately 5 weeks after your book is sent to press. Copies will then be distributed to relevant areas of the world in batches. Your Press editor will send you your advance copies at this time.

The advertised publication date for your book may be up to 6 weeks after we receive copies from our printer. This allows time for stock to reach our warehouses and then be sent on to accounts who have purchased copies so they have stock in advance of the publication date. We need to allow a few weeks from stock date to publication date also so that we are able to cover any contingencies and unexpected delays and be well organised to promote your book on its publication date.

Your Press editor will have notified you about the price of your book and your Production Editor will keep you informed of the expected stock date. As the time of your book's projected publication date approaches, you will be sent an outline of the marketing plans for your book by your Marketing Controller.