The chart below gives a rough estimate of how long some of the main elements of your book’s production may take. All are covered in more detail in the publishing contract, which we suggest you thoroughly read before building your publishing plan. Make sure you plan accordingly for the time each step will take as it relates to your book.
Please note that this chart does not account for how long it takes authors to review and resubmit material for revisions. It only shows our timeline once the material is received.
For a more in depth discussion of the differences between POD and Expanded Distribution, visit our page Which Type of Distribution is Right For Me.
| Service | Timeline # of Business Days |
| Manuscript Evaluation* | 20 days |
| Editing | 10-20 per round |
| Cover Design | 7 days for concepts 5 days per round of cover revisions to chosen cover |
| Interior Layout | 5 days for sample chapter, 3 days for sample chapter revisions 12-17 days for entire manuscript, 5 days per round for revision |
| Back Cover Formatting | 3 days for concept 2 days per round of revision |
| eProof | 3 days |
| Physical Proof | 10 days |
| First Print Run | 7-10 for POD/Short Run 21 for Offset** |
| Ship to Warehouse for Distribution | 7-10 days |
| Registration with Distributor, Retailers, Wholesalers | Books typically appear in systems 2-4 weeks after data upload which is done when book goes to print. |
*Manuscript is read and evaluated by one of our in-house editorial staff members. The evaluation will include a detailed summary of editing, packaging, and marketing solutions to maximize your book’s commercial potential; offer an editing service recommendation based on the developmental and grammatical needs described in the evaluation, a summary of any potential liability concerns, and feedback on your proposed title/subtitle based on comparable books on the market. The evaluation stage takes 20 business days.
** These times are only estimates and can vary based on existing jobs at the printer at time the print job comes in.
Discover more from Mill City Press
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.