Books on Rev [Edited Book]

[Mark Brownell]

Forward from Mark Brownell:

From: Philip Brownell, Executive Editor; Gestalt!; Topdog-g Publishing
http://www.g-g.org/gej/index.html
Subject: Edited Book

Hi Mark,
Here is one way to organize the process of producing an edited book.

Someone suggests the topic/subject.  This can be the executive editor, 
the publisher, or just a number of contributing authors.

An executive editor, or editors, is identified.  The person organizes 
the work, making sure that contributing authors submit chapters that 
make up a cohesive unit, without duplicating one another, and that the 
overall product accomplishes the goal originally set out for the book.  
The ex.ed. also sets deadlines, encourages authors, handles all 
contracts with the publisher, communicating with contributing authors.

Individual contributing authors are recruited/organized and the work of 
writing proceeds to each deadline; an overall rough draft is produced, 
and each contributing author's work is edited by the ex.ed. to make 
sure it's good writing, easy to follow, makes points it's supposed to 
make, etc.  This is not copyediting for such things as spelling and 
style; it's content editing for clarify of thought, elimination of 
examples and metaphors that don't work, guidance into modifications 
that work better, etc.

The finished draft is edited by a copy editor, and this person examines 
the manuscript for spelling, punctuation, style and proper format.  The 
copyeditor may also to the page layout, which is to set the text for 
printing.  Depending on whether or not the book will be printed or set 
up for electronic publishing, the project will have to be put into a 
.pdf or Quark files, or some other formatting for electronic 
publishing.  This all includes the production and use of graphics, 
which involves the use of proper graphic file formats.

All these steps are major categories, each of which can take a long 
time and involved a lot of coordinating among publishers, editors, and 
contributing authors.  The way people are paid for their work is, of 
course, one of the basic and first considerations as contracts are 
worked out near the beginning between publishers and executive editors.

Hope this helps.
Phil
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Mark