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Edited texts: Chasing contributions

When starting: Set firm deadlines straight away and try to pick a day or date that will stick in the contributors mind (i.e. the last day before the Christmas break) Be organised: keep a spreadsheet of all contributors, their contact details, and their latest agreed deadline Give a clear brief (word limits, features to include, referencing style, etc) and circulate this even if you have a sample chapter available it needs to be short so the contributor doesnt feel overwhelmed by the task Make sure the contributors have an editor assigned to them and full contact details Create a sense of team could you share the completed proposal or an early sample chapter, or even set up a developmental website? Be prepared to chase regularly and make a point of prompting the team at least a fortnight before their final document is due Dealing with a non-deliverer: Set stages - could you ask your contributor to show you parts of their chapter, if not the whole thing? Shorter deadlines can sometimes encourage people to prioritise Get back to any queries promptly the contributors should sense the urgency and reciprocate Use the phone or, better, visit in person - it's much harder to let someone down face-to-face or in conversation than via email Sharing delivered chapters - if everyone felt comfortable with this, it could be a good way of inspiring those yet to complete Support from the publisher if you have any queries or are having particular trouble with a contributor do contact your editor who may be able to offer further suggestions or help. It's probably also worth explaining the impact of not sticking to schedule, as contributors often feel unrelated to the bigger project: Impact on other contributors: the longer a project stalls, the more material already produced will date. This is frustrating for the contributors who have delivered, as they won't receive payment for their work, and will face a big task to revise at final stage

Palgrave Publishers Ltd Brunel Road Houndmills, Basingstoke Hampshire RG21 6XS UK Tel +44 (0)1256 329242 www.palgrave.com

Registered office: as right Registered number: 968619 England

Impact on book reception: obviously, if the chapters don't appear on time, the book won't appear on time and this can cause problems. We run the risk of the market changing and competition publishing, and that affects sales potential Impact on publishers: we have the book slated for a particular year, and sales and marketing efforts start early. For a major title, marketing budget and plans are allocated from the signature of contract - slippages affect whole campaigns, and it can be hard to rearrange these at short notice Impact on booksellers: although this is only relevant later in the process, it's another indication of the chain of events that underpin sales efforts. Advance information about the book is issued to bookshops, about six months before it publishes - they take stock on a monthly basis and allocate shelf space for that month based on the products that are due to come in - any movement therefore affects the potential for in-store displays and, in the worst case, presence on the bookshop floor at all

In short, you should take a reasonably tough stance with your contributors. Once theyve made a commitment to supply material, it's important that they realise the problems that non-delivery can cause. Although a few weeks here and there may seem quite trivial, in actual fact it can have a long-term impact on the project - putting extra pressure on you the editors to make amendments quickly, on the publisher to rush changes through or risk missing important publishing windows, and on the book itself, which may ultimately end up publishing into a very different market than that planned. At the extreme end, if you're facing one serial non-deliverer, then don't be afraid to threaten to (or actually) cut their contribution completely. Of course, there are often very good reasons why reliable contributors need a little extra time to complete, so it'll be up to you as editors to make that call and, if you decide that they will deliver, devise plans to work around them accordingly. You shouldnt hesitate to ask me for advice about this should the situation arise. Best of luck!

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