The Book Production Process at Mascot Books
First Contact
Once the contract comes in, the project is handed off to one of our two project managers (PM). The PM will contact the author asking some of the same questions each time (do you have a deadline or date to have books in hand), but many are specific to each project as no two are the same.
FAQ: How long does the production process take?
Answer: It depends. There are many individual factors within each project that alter the timeline (illustration details, licensing, etc). However, we have found that on average a book takes about 4-5 months from when the contract comes in to when the author will have books in hand.
Script
Children’s Book – The PM will also be your editor. This is when any suggestions for changes are made. Proofreading here is also a focus, but that is something that will also be done throughout the rest of the process. Once the script is finalized (though this doesn’t mean set-in-stone), it will be split into the spreads that will correspond to the illustrations.
Novel – The PM will contract one of our freelance editors to work on your script. The edited script along with a message from the editor will be sent to the author for their review.
FAQ: Can I make changes to my script throughout the process after it’s been determined final and we’ve moved on to the illustration stage?
Answer: Yes, but only minor edits and only they do not affect the illustrations.
Illustrations/Cover Design and Photo Insert
Children’s Book – If the author is providing their own illustrations, the PM will provide them with the required specs. If illustrations are being done through Mascot Books, the author will then provide descriptions of the characters as well as descriptions of the spreads. The illustration process consists of a test sketch, storyboard, and final illustrations. I will go into this process in great detail at a later date.
Novel – With any guidance provided by the author, our design department will create a couple cover options to select from and edit. Once all the photos for the insert are provided along with captions, the designer will lay it out for your review.
FAQ: How long do illustrations take?
Answer: This timeline varies on the number of illustrations, level of detail, and kind of illustrations that are being created. For example, watercolor paintings will take much more time than digital images. On average, illustrations take about 6 weeks from the time the artist is contracted to when final illustrations are received.
Layout
Once all materials are obtained, the project will be put in the design queue to be laid out from cover to cover.
FAQ: Can the designer start laying out my book with some of the illustrations to save time?
Answer: No. We cannot proceed to the next stage of the process until the previous stage is complete.
PDF
This is a fully laid out version of your book from cover to cover. Three versions of the PDF will be created that will include any edits the author requests and any edits found by the PM that are correcting errors.
FAQ: Will I get to see the final version of my book before it’s sent to the printer?
Answer: Yes. We will only send your book to the printer once you have reviewed and approved the final version.
Licensing
Not all projects require this stage. If so, the PDF will be provided to the licensing company or directly to the school as soon as it’s approved by the author. After any changes have been made that the school requested and we have received their approval, the PDF will be sent back to the author for a final review and approval.
FAQ: How long does this process take?
Answer: It depends on the school or professional team, the time of year, and the amount of content for them to review. On average, it takes about 4-6 weeks.
Printing
Once the final PDF is approved by the author, the files will be sent to the printer. Our office receives a physical proof from the printer (unless otherwise agreed to with the author) to check color and layout. All children’s books are read a final time in this stage. All novels will have their covers and dust covers read a final time in this stage, and the interior will be briefly reviewed for overall layout.
FAQ: How long does printing take?
Answer: This depends on the printer and the time of year as each printer has busy seasons. On average, it takes 4-5 weeks.
Shipping from the Printer
The author will be contacted with their estimated ship date and information to help them decide how many books to have shipped to them, and how many to ship to our warehouse.
FAQ: How much does shipping cost?
Answer: This depends on the number of books being shipped, where they are going, and what time of year. Once the author has been contacted with the estimated ship date, they can request estimates on shipping to know what to expect on the invoice for shipping.
In my post next month, I will go more in depth on the First Contact part of the process. Feel free to contact me with any burning questions you’d like answered about the production process.