Every book is a little bit different. But this project timeline template will help you guesstimate how much time it will take to publish your book. It is essentially the same process for all books: fiction, non-fiction, poetry, children’s books, et cetera. But some books will require all the below steps (e.g., non-fiction books require indexing) while others won’t.
Project Timeline Template for Book Publishers (Project Management)
Traditional Project Timeline Template for Book Publishers
Below is the approximate amount of time it takes to publish a paperback book the traditional way. For a 30,000-word non-fiction book, you can expect the entire process to take around four months. If your book is twice as large (e.g., 60,000+ words), then expect to double the amount of time it will take each person to complete his or her duties within the project. Plus, you can add up to another four weeks if you plan to print any books once the publishing process itself is complete.
| Title of the Book: Sample Non-Fiction Book | ||||||||
| Author Name(s): Jane Doe | ||||||||
| Genre: non-fiction | ||||||||
| Format: paperback | ||||||||
| Trim Size: 6″ x 9″ | ||||||||
| Word Count: 30,000 | ||||||||
| Picture Count: up to 10 interior graphics automatically included in each graphic design package | ||||||||
| Colour or B/W Interior: b/w | ||||||||
| WORK-MADE-FOR-HIRE VENDORS | ||||||||
| PPG Publishing Services (Project Manager) | ||||||||
| Copy editor | ||||||||
| Fact checker | ||||||||
| Indexer | ||||||||
| Graphic designer | ||||||||
| Proofreader | ||||||||
| PROJECT TIMELINE | ||||||||
| Order | Vendor/Author(s) | Project Duties | Deadline | |||||
| 1 | Author | Order publishing package (prepay) | June 26, 2017 | |||||
| 2 | Author | Digitally sign publishing agreement and submit to PPG | June 26, 2017 | |||||
| 3 | Author | Send Production Questionnaire to PPG | June 26, 2017 | |||||
| 4 | Author | Submit manuscript and interior graphics to PPG | June 26, 2017 | |||||
| 5 | Author | Submit cover text and graphics to PPG | June 26, 2017 | |||||
| 6 | PPG | Order ISBN & barcode | June 26, 2017 | |||||
| 7 | PPG | Submit contracts to PPG vendors | June 26, 2017 | |||||
| 8 | ALL Vendors | All vendors return signed contracts and initial invoices | June 26, 2017 | |||||
| 9 | PPG | 50% deposits sent to vendors | June 27, 2017 | |||||
| 10 | PPG | Send manuscript to copy editor | June 28, 2017 | |||||
| 11 | Editor | Copy editing | July 11, 2017 | |||||
| 12 | Editor | Return copy edited manuscript to PPG | July 12, 2017 | |||||
| 13 | PPG | Review and send copy edited manuscript to author for approval | July 12, 2017 | |||||
| 14 | Author | Finish reviewing copy edited manuscript | July 18, 2017 | |||||
| 15 | Author | Return reviewed/approved copy edited manuscript to PPG | July 19, 2017 | |||||
| 16 | PPG | Send ISBN and barcode to graphic designer for cover | July 20, 2017 | |||||
| 17 | PPG | Send graphics and copy edited manuscript to designer | July 20, 2017 | |||||
| 18 | Designer | Complete and send two sample cover/interior designs to PPG | July 22, 2017 | |||||
| 19 | PPG | Review and send the two sample cover/interior designs to author | July 23, 2017 | |||||
| 20 | Author | Choose one cover design and one interior design and let PPG know | July 25, 2017 | |||||
| 21 | PPG | Let designer know author’s choice of cover/interior design | July 25, 2017 | |||||
| 22 | Designer | Design cover and interior of book | August 7, 2017 | |||||
| 23 | Designer | Send first round .PDF proofs of cover and interior to PPG | August 8, 2017 | |||||
| 24 | PPG | Check over first round .PDF proofs and then send to author | August 8, 2017 | |||||
| 25 | Author | Complete first proofing round | August 14, 2017 | |||||
| 26 | Author | Send changes (if applicable) back to PPG | August 15, 2017 | |||||
| 27 | PPG | Check author’s comments and send first round changes back to designer | August 15, 2017 | |||||
| 28 | Designer | Complete changes and send next .PDF proofs to PPG | August 22, 2017 | |||||
| 29 | PPG | Check over .PDF proofs and then send to author | August 22, 2017 | |||||
| 30 | Author | Complete second proofing round | August 28, 2017 | |||||
| 31 | Author | Send changes (if applicable) or approval back to PPG | August 29, 2017 | |||||
| 32 | PPG | Check author’s comments and send second round changes/approval back to designer | August 29, 2017 | |||||
| 33 | Designer | Complete changes and send next .PDF proof to PPG | September 4, 2017 | |||||
| 34 | PPG | Check over .PDF proofs and then send back to author for approval | September 4, 2017 | |||||
| 35 | Author | Review and send approval back to PPG | September 5, 2017 | |||||
| 36 | PPG | Send approved .PDF interior to Indexer | September 5, 2017 | |||||
| 37 | Indexer | Complete index of the interior | September 18, 2017 | |||||
| 38 | Indexer | Send index in Word.doc format back to PPG | September 19, 2017 | |||||
| 39 | PPG | Review and forward index to designer to insertion into the .PDF | September 19, 2017 | |||||
| 40 | Designer | Insert index into .PDF | September 20, 2017 | |||||
| 41 | Designer | Return print-ready .PDF of interior and .jpeg of cover to PPG | September 20, 2017 | |||||
| 42 | PPG | Submit print-ready files to printer and order hard copy proof | September 21, 2017 | |||||
| 43 | PPG | Order hard copy proof for proofreader (Can take up to two weeks to receive this from the printer.) | October 5, 2017 | |||||
| 44 | PPG | Send suggested retail price to author for approval | October 5, 2017 | |||||
| 45 | Author | Reply to PPG with chosen retail price for book. | October 6, 2017 | |||||
| 46 | Proofreader | Complete professional proofread of hard copy proof | October 18, 2017 | |||||
| 47 | Proofreader | Return proofread hard copy proof to PPG | October 19, 2017 | |||||
| 48 | PPG | If more changes, submit to designer to complete changes and mail hard copy proof to author | October 19, 2017 | |||||
| 49 | Designer | Complete proofreader changes and submit updated .PDF proof to PPG | October 23, 2017 | |||||
| 50 | PPG | Review and send .PDF to author for review along with hard copy proof | October 23, 2017 | |||||
| 51 | Author | Compare hard proof to new .PDF proof and send final sign-off to PPG | October 25, 2017 | |||||
| 52 | PPG | Request all final-approved working and finished files back from designer | October 26, 2017 | |||||
| 53 | Designer | Send all final working and finished files back to PPG | October 27, 2017 | |||||
| 54 | PPG | Send author all final working and finished files | October 27, 2017 | |||||
| 55 | PPG | Submit final files to printer/online distributor(s) | October 27, 2017 | |||||
| 56 | PPG | Organize one book signing event at a local book store for author | October 27, 2017 | |||||
| 57 | Author | Print books (Depending on how many copies are being printed, this can take up to four weeks.) | November 17, 2017 | |||||
| 58 | Author | Submit book copies to Legal Deposit at Library and Archives Canada | October 27, 2017 | |||||
| 59 | PPG | Update PPG Facebook page | October 27, 2017 | |||||
| 60 | PPG | Update PPG blog | October 27, 2017 | |||||
Project Timeline Template for “Rapid Release” Publishing
In 2018, I discussed the many merits of “rapid release” publishing (e.g., releasing a new book every six weeks). Obviously, the above traditional project timeline template won’t work for independent authors who wish to self-publish an SEO-friendly book series like that. They will require a different approach as outlined in this mini ebook series. But for those of you who wish to produce only one book at a time the traditional way, you can use the above template as your guide.
Does “rapid release” publishing appeal to you more than the traditional publishing process does? If yes, here are 7 Tips to Help You Write a Book FAST!
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