How is my book published by the AMS?

Transcription

1 Hw is my bk published by the AMS? Publishing yur bk is a team effrt that starts with the Acquisitins, and invlves the Prductin, and Sales, Custmer Supprt, Print Shp, and Distributin departments. This dcument is meant t give yu a bird s eye view f this prcess frm beginning t end, and a general sense f hw the varius departments interact. Let us knw if yu have questins and we ll be happy t answer these fr yu. Yu can cntact the Acquisitins by at: acquisitins@ams.rg Abut the AMS Bk Publishing Prgram The AMS has an extensive bk prgram which includes ver 2,500 bks in print. Mst bks are published as part f a series, such as Graduate Studies in Mathematics r Mathematical Surveys and Mngraphs. T see a full descriptin f these and the ther AMS series please visit These bks can als be gruped int three general categries based n hw the material was created: authred bks, prceedings, and cllected wrks. Authred bks are written by ne, tw, r smetimes three authrs. Prceedings represent the aggregated writings f varius authrs resulting frm a meeting, ften as a cllectin f articles. Cllected wrks is a gruping f reprints that describes the life s wrk, r sme segment theref, f a specific mathematician, ften accmpanied by cmmentary. Getting Started the acquisitins prcess If yu are writing a bk, it is gd t get in tuch with a publisher early n. An editr can prvide help that will make the whle prcess mre efficient and mre effective. It is usually t early t make fficial cntact if yu nly have an idea fr a bk. Hwever, if yu have an utline and sme sample chapters r if yu already have a rugh draft, it is a gd time t start talking t a publisher. Our Editrs will be very glad t discuss yur bk tpic and/r prpsal with yu (acquisitins@ams.rg). Authred bks mngraphs and textbks (Figure 1): The AMS publishes several different kinds f authred bks: research mngraphs, graduate textbks, lecture ntes, bks fr undergraduates, bks abut the mathematical prfessin. 1

2 Once yu have cntacted us abut yur bk there are sme standard steps that will fllw: The manuscript will be reviewed, bth fr its scientific cntent and fr its expsitin. Fr textbks, the quality f the expsitin is particularly imprtant. Fr mngraphs, the value f the cntributin t the mathematical literature is f primary imprtance. Typically, the review f a prject is dne under the auspices f the editrial bard fr ne f the AMS s bk series. External readers will be cntacted, similar t the prcess fr the refereeing f a paper. Often, ne r mre members f the editrial bard will lk ver the manuscript, t. When a prject is accepted by an editrial bard, an editr frm the AMS cntacts the authr with a frmal prpsal t publish the bk. If there are changes that shuld be made t the manuscript, they will be pinted ut at this time. This is als when a cntract is negtiated and signed. Nw, yu have t finish yur bk. There are always details that need t be dne: checking the references, checking the graphics, prfreading, getting permissin fr materials frm ther surces, adding all the little things that yu have left until the end. Yu will als be asked t fill ut an Authr Suggestin frm which will help ur prmte and sell yur bk. When the bk is finished, it is sent t the AMS, usually via the editr yu have wrked with. It will be checked, t make sure any necessary changes have been made and t make sure that the manuscript is cmplete. The bk is then accepted and frwarded t the Prductin. Cnference prceedings (Figure 2) The prpsal fr a cnference prceedings vlume runs smewhat differently frm a prpsal fr a mngraph r textbk (Figure 2). There is a basic prpsal which prvides an verview f the subject f the cnference, the participants, and the purpse (see Cntemprary Mathematics Publicatin f Cnference Prceedings). Based n this prpsal, a prceeding will be either given preliminary apprval r rejected. If the prpsal is apprved, then the vlume editrs are in charge f lining up the authrs. The vlume editrs have t make sure that the authrs deliver their manuscripts n time and in the apprpriate frmats. Once all (r mst) f the manuscripts are n hand, the vlume editrs versee the peer review prcess fr these manuscripts. There can difficulties r delays here, as the editrs must make sure that the referees reprt n time. Once the papers have been refereed and any necessary changes have been made, the accepted manuscripts are sent t the AMS. Many times, the editrs cllect them all and send them t us, using the nrmal channels (pub-submit, ftp, etc.). Other times, the authrs are instructed t submit their files and hardcpies individually. 2

3 When the manuscript fr the vlume is cmplete (meaning all the articles have arrived, as well as the preface, the list f cntributrs and any ther material that cmes frm the editrs), it is launched int prductin. The authr suggestin frm, which is used by the marketing department, is filled ut by the editrs f the vlume. If there is mre than ne editr, then it is sent t the AMS by the crrespnding editr. Editrial prductin The AMS Prductin includes Prductin Editrs, Graphic Artists, and Technical Supprt staff. It is here that the text and images fr yur bk are checked fr technical suitability. Will we be able t prcess the files electrnically? Are there any hidden prblems such as missing fnts in the images, r macrs that cnflict with the prcessing scripts? Our Prductin Editrs will als read yur manuscript and query yu n passages that may nt be clear, images that wn t reprduce well and ther such issues. One area that traditinally slws dwn the prcessing f a bk is the absence f permissin t use materials reprinted frm ther surces. This happens mst frequently with regards t images, tables, and large segments f text that are quted verbatim. Yur bk will mve mre quickly thrugh the Prductin if yu submit permissins alng with yur cmpleted manuscript. The Graphic Artists in the Prductin design cvers fr bks that have custmized cvers and, n ccasin, help ut with prblematic images. Once yur manuscript has been prcessed and apprved, it is readied fr the Print Shp. Manufacturing and Distributin The staff at the AMS Print shp will first check the files received frm the Prductin and then create film and plates fr yu bk. It is frm these plates that yur bk will be prduced. The flat sheets are printed, then flded and gathered ( F&Gs ) t frm signatures. Prir t binding, a set f cllated signatures is inspected by the Print Shp staff and the Prductin Editr wh wrked n yur bk. If the bk has a sft cver, it will be bund at the AMS facility. The F&Gs fr hardcver bks are sent ut fr binding. It generally takes fur weeks frm the receipt f the final files by the Print Shp t the release f a sft cver bk. Hardcver bks take abut six weeks ttal time. The final bk is again inspected/apprved by the Print Shp staff and Prductin Editr prir t releasing fr distributin. Apprved bks are sent t the AMS Warehuse where the Distributin ships the bk ut t custmers. AT this time yur bk is fficially published. 3

4 and Sales The and Sales becmes invlved with yur bk very early in the publicatin prcess (see Figure 1). The staff reads the Authr Suggestins frm, and cnsults with the Acquisitins regarding the descriptive text t be used t prmte yur bk. Questins that may cme up are: Is ur descriptive text fr yur bk accurate? What makes yur bk unique r suitable fr a specific audience? Are there curses in which yur bk can be used? Are there particular cnferences where we shuld exhibit yur bk? A gd prtin f this infrmatin cmes frm the authr frm yu sent us earlier. But since we want t make sure we market and prmte yur bk as best as we can, we may be tuching base with yu again. Our and Sales als psts yur bk t the AMS Online Bkstre ( exhibits bks at varius AMS and nn- AMS meetings, places advertisements in the NOTICES OF THE AMS and ther venues, sends bks ut fr review, des direct mail marketing f bk clusters, and wrks with agents and bk dealers. These and ther activities are aimed at giving yur bk the best pssible expsure thus increasing sales. Custmer Services Our Custmer Services staff wrks with thse interested in buying yur bk. A bk buyer may have a questin regarding hw t btain multiple cpies f a title fr a curse. Or the buyer may need t change the address t where the bk is being shipped. In additin t these, ur Custmer Services staff wrks with libraries and librarians, bkstres, distributrs, and ther bk sellers. All these activities are aimed at making sure yur bk reaches the readers and custmers. 4

5 Figure 1: Schematic representatin f hw my bk is published by the AMS (mngraphs and textbks) 1. AUTHOR Acquisitins Prcess Prpsal Cntract Manuscript questins 2. Acquisitins Infrmatin Manuscript questins? Accepted manuscript 3. Prductin Editrial Wrk, Prmtinal Activities, and Manufacturing Manuscript, F&Gs, cvers 4. Print Shp PROMOTIONAL ACTIVITIES Exhibits at meetings Display advertisements AMS Catalg AMS Online bkstre Bks fr review Direct mail marketing Brchures Bks 5. Warehusing and Distributin places rder Sales, Distributin and Warehusing Bk Shipping Infrmatin Custmer Service receives bk AMS Bkstre 5

6 Figure 2: Schematic representatin f hw my bk is published by the AMS cnference prceedings 1. VOLUME EDITOR Vlume prpsal 2. Acquisitins Prpsal is accepted Chapter authrs Acquisitins and Peer Review Prcesses Accepted manuscripts 3. VOLUME EDITOR 3A Referees 4. Acquisitins Infrmatin Accepted manuscripts 6. Prductin Editrial Wrk, Prmtinal Activities, and Manufacturing Manuscript, F&Gs, cvers 7. Print Shp PROMOTIONAL ACTIVITIES Exhibits at meetings Display advertisements AMS Catalg AMS Online bkstre Bks fr review Direct mail marketing Brchures Bks 8. Warehusing and Distributin places rder Sales, Distributin and Warehusing Bk Shipping Infrmatin Custmer Service receives bk AMS Bkstre 12 Mar 03 H:\PERSONAL\Strategic planning s.l\hw is my bk prduced by the AMS FINAL Mar 03.dc 6