The role of the editorial department is manifold. Essentially we take a manuscript directly from the author and guide it through many different stages to develop it into a presentable and readable format.

We are responsible for commissioning a designer to produce a suitable cover or jacket: a design brief is issued, requesting two or three different cover roughs, which are circulated in-house for everyone's comments and opinions. We write cover copy, which is also circulated to ensure that the most suitable and detailed blurb appears on the back of the book.

Depending on the subject matter and on our schedules, we may copy-edit the manuscript ourselves, or engage the services of a freelance copy-editor who may have a more specialist knowledge of a certain subject. While the copy-editing is in progress we would commission a designer / typesetter to produce some sample spreads of the inside pages.

If it is felt that the text could be complemented by the addition of a number of relevant images then we contact picture agencies for photographs, illustrations etc. and request quotes for usage fees to ensure that our budgets are not exceeded.

Following the copy-editing, any suitable pictures are sent to the designer, together with the completely edited text, and the first page proofs are set. These are proofread in-house or sent to a freelance proofreader. We return the corrected first proofs to the typesetter and wait to receive second proofs. When the jacket / cover, inside text and illustrations have been designed and corrected to the highest possible standard, disks containing the files are prepared and sent to the production department. The editorial department then checks and double-checks the digital proofs, cromalins and ozalids prior to printing.

We are also a highly creative team that researches and develops ideas for potential books, and suggests new titles to fill gaps in the market, to appeal to existing and new customers.