On average, it takes our authors around 4-6 months to complete the journey from finished manuscript to published book. This being said, the publishing process is different for all of our authors, making it difficult to predict an accurate timeline.
- Jump to general timelines by package
- Jump to detailed timelines by service
- Jump to expedited timelines
- Jump to production process graphic
The timeline for publishing your book mostly depends on (1) the services included in your publishing package and (2) how quickly you as the author complete each task assigned to you. It can also be impacted by the time of year; for example, the printing timeline can be expected to be longer in November, as orders peak in anticipation of the holiday shopping season.
To ensure that you publish the best possible version of your book, we encourage you to give your book the time it deserves, which means taking time with each step, whether it is carefully preparing your manuscript according to our guidelines, conducting research in bookstores before making design decisions, or carefully proofreading a design file before giving final approval.
If you have an idea of when you would like to see your book published and available to be purchased, be sure to speak with your Project Manager to see if the timeline is realistic. You can also inquire about purchasing expedited design and/or editing services.
- Important tip: always wait until you have a confirmed delivery date of printed books before setting event dates!
- Note: the timelines below do not include when the "ball is in your court," because life happens, and we understand you won't always be immediately available to complete the tasks assigned to you. Timelines are not guaranteed and may vary based on current workloads.
General average timelines by publishing package:
|
Design & Distribution (Standard & Professional Publishing Packages) |
2-4 months |
|
Editing, Design & Distribution (All-Inclusive & Traditional Packages)
|
3-5 months *Dependent on word count and number of editing rounds |
|
4 - 6 months *Dependent on number of illustrations, illustrator availability, and the complexity of your vision/descriptions. |
|
| Printing & Shipping | 4 - 6 weeks |
Detailed timeline estimates for each service in Tellwell's publishing process:
Tellwell tasks are bold & author tasks are in italics
- Author completes Project Start Information task
ISBN Assignment
1 Business Day
- Author submits manuscript and completes book design setup task
- Author completes Project Start Information task
Manuscript Assessment
1 - 3 Business Days (plus the time it takes the author to re-submit if the manuscript does not adhere to our guidelines)
- Author completes editorial questionnaire (if applicable)
Editing (if applicable)
2 weeks per round (under 50,000 words)
or 2 - 3 weeks* per round (over 50,000 words) *may take longer if over 75,000 words
- Author completes illustrations questionnaire (if applicable)
Illustrations (if applicable)
8-16 weeks, variable based on number of illustrations, illustrator availability, and the complexity of your vision.
- Author completes interior and cover design questionnaires
Initial Cover/Interior Design
2 - 3 weeks each
- Author submits interior/cover design revisions
Cover/Interior Revision Rounds (each, up to two included)
1 - 2 weeks to complete each design draft
- Author submits design approval
- Author selects distribution & launch options, sets suggested retail pricing and chooses keywords & categories for publication
Proofreading (if applicable)
1 - 2 weeks (under 50,000 words)
or 2 - 3 weeks (over 50,000 words)
Final Print/Digital Design Files Creation with 2-Step Quality Assurance Process
2 - 5 business days
Distribution Setup
2 - 5 business days
- Your book is officially published!
24 - 72 hours for Enhanced Amazon paperback and/or hardcover and eBooks
1 - 6 weeks for other retailers
Printing/Shipping
4 - 6 weeks
Expedited Services
Purchasing expediting design and/or editing services will reduce the above timelines to the following:
Expedited Initial Cover/Interior Design
5 - 7 business days each
Expedited Cover/Interior Revision Rounds (each, up to two included)
2 - 5 business days to complete each design draft
Expedited Proofreading/Editing (subject to editor availability)
3 - 5 business days (only available for manuscripts under 50,000 words)
Tellwell Publishing Process
For visual learners and lovers of complicated flowcharts, the image below provides a graphic overview of the entire process (right-click > "open image in new tab" to enlarge).
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