What do Commissioning Editors do?
Once you have compiled your proposal, please send it to the contact below for your general area. They will refer your proposal to the Commissioning Editor for your specialist subject area.
- Higher Education / Professional / Reference & Research Content: Form Submission
- Consumer / Trade: publishing@pressmagazine.com
Press’s Commissioning Editors decide what we publish. They travel internationally to meet current and prospective authors and editors to discuss new publications or business projects. And they help authors turn great ideas into great books.
How the Commissioning Editor decides what to publish
Commissioning Editors take various factors into account when making their decision.
- Your book proposal (the most important piece of information).
- Market research – whether there’s a market for the book.
- Cost analysis – whether it makes financial sense to publish it.
The Commissioning Editor takes this information to the publishing committee meeting. They’ll consult with external advisers and our own local and international marketing and sales colleagues, who’ll work on the book if we decide to publish. This meeting is generally where the decision on how to proceed is made.
Once a decision is made to publish, the Commissioning Editor will offer a contract. The contract will define the publication, how and when it will be delivered, and outlines yours and the publisher’s rights and responsibilities, as well as confirming your remuneration.
Before you sign the contract: key things to consider
Reproducing copyrighted material?
Unless your contract says otherwise, as the author, you are responsible for obtaining permission and paying any fees to use any third-party copyright material that your book and supporting website resources contain. So, it’s worth getting a sense now of any third-party copyright material that you’re likely to need.
If you are an editor, you will need to ensure that your contributors understand the requirements in these guidelines and provide proof of permission obtained at the same time they send you their contribution.
Press’s Commissioning Editors decide what we publish. They travel internationally to meet current and prospective authors and editors to discuss new publications or business projects. And they help authors turn great ideas into great books.
Once you’ve signed the contract, it’s time to get to work on your manuscript.