Production
You've sent us your manuscript. What happens next?
This page takes you through the steps of turning your completed manuscript into a published book. Not sure where you are in the process, or have any questions? Just get in touch with your Managing Editor or Content Refinement Specialist.
Assessment
Once your finalized manuscript arrives with your Managing Editor, we put it through a final assessment process, so it can be formally accepted by Wiley and production can begin.
- Your manuscript will be assessed for completeness by your Managing Editor. They’ll check that all text, figures, and ancillary material are present and that you’ve provided the necessary permission for the use of third-party copyright material in your work.
- We may send your manuscript out for review to ensure quality and content. If your book is in a series with a series editor, they may also be sent a copy.
- We’ll check the number of words and estimate the number of pages in the final book. This will be compared against the specifications in your publishing contract, and final costings will be assessed.
How you can help: We’ll likely need to contact you with queries to resolve during the assessment process.
What to expect next
- Once accepted, your manuscript will be assigned to a Content Refinement Specialist, whose job is to oversee all the production processes from unedited manuscript to final files for print and electronic publication. The Content Refinement Specialist will be the primary contact during production and will be in touch with you soon after the manuscript is delivered to production.
- The first stage of production is copyediting. We copyedit the manuscript for style, consistency, grammar, and nomenclature. Depending on our workload and availability of a copyeditor, it may be two to four weeks before a copyeditor starts working on your manuscript. Your Content Refinement Specialist will let you know when to expect any questions or edited files.
- The copyedited manuscript is sent to the typesetter with Wiley's standard design specification for the text layout. Illustrations are checked and prepared for reproduction.
- Page proofs arrive from the typesetter for you to check. These are usually supplied as editable PDFs onto which you can markup corrections or via an online proofing system that you can be given access to in order to complete your page review. You can also compile an index from these proofs if not already prepared.
- Once you’ve returned your proofs, your corrections will be sent to the typesetter for them to incorporate.
- The index is also sent for setting.
- Your Content Refinement Specialist then ensures that all proof corrections have been accurately made.
How you can help at proof stage:
- Proofs are your last chance to make sure that the book is as you want it, but the page proofs are for correction of typographical errors only. There should be no major changes at this stage.
- You can check out our full list of proofreading tips here.
You’ll be working to a schedule agreed by you and the Content Refinement Specialist. So that we can avoid any delays to your publication date, if you are having problems meeting this date, please talk to them throughout the process.
- Once the content is final, the typesetter will create and supply digital formats. These will be checked by the Content Refinement Specialist.
The book is now ready to be sent for printing and binding.
- When your book arrives from the printer, it is quality checked. Then our distributors are instructed to release the book, allowing orders to be fulfilled.
- Once the book has been printed, your copies will be on their way to you!
How to publish with Wiley
Everything you need to publish your research or book with Wiley.
"Wiley is very professional to work with and very knowledgeable, always kept completely up to speed with the publication process, always in contact in a timely fashion - you never have to wait for emails to be responded to, friendly and helpful."
- Carole H.
Ready to submit your book idea?
Contact one of our publishing editors in your discipline to discuss your proposal.