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On some projects, we spend more time just trying to collect all of the components of a manuscript from our clients than we do in editing, design, and production. Although the reasons for a late manuscript may be valid, any delay can make a book more expensive. We must spend more time on administering a project every time we get news of a delay. We have to notify the editors and proofreaders, the printer, and our internal staff. When you take all of this into account, adjusting even one schedule can take several hours.

Trade publishers rely on timely delivery for their books or else risk losing sales. For this reason, some chains and wholesalers have very strict deadlines for final delivery.

When we at Marquand are up against a tight deadline, we are forced to spend more on overnight FedEx, local couriers, and ultimately air freight to get the books on time to an opening or press preview. These are wasted dollars, since none of this money goes toward making the publication a better book.

A typical university press requires 12 to 18 months to transform a complete manuscript to a finished and delivered book. Some trade publishers work faster than that. While Marquand Books has a reputation for turning books around quickly, sometimes even within a few months, these accelerated schedules are not ideal, especially when taking cost into consideration.

For clients who can promise and deliver a complete manuscript in one piece, in good shape, and on time, we are able to reduce our prices significantly. So a great place to start looking to save money is with your authors and photographers. With each deadline that is successfully met, you can save yourself a surprising amount of time and money.

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