chapter sixteen

16 Production preparation for Manning books

 

Preparing your manuscript for production is a crucial step in the publishing process. This guide brings together the essential information, checklists, and best practices to help you finalize your book for handoff to the Production department at Manning. By following these guidelines, you’ll ensure a smooth transition from manuscript to finished book, with all required elements in place and ready for copyediting, layout, and printing.

Understanding the production process

Once your Development Editor (DE) gives the go-ahead, your book enters the Production phase. Here’s what to expect:

Release to production (RTP) checklist

What goes where in a Manning book?

Inside covers

Front matter

Main manuscript

Back inside cover

Core concept graphics

Part openers

Sample front matter

Foreword authoring guidelines

Finalizing graphics and code

What happens after production?