Teaching Press Process
How Does It All Work?
Learn about how we create a book, from initial meeting to final printing.
Making a book is much more than writing words and binding pages – our projects go through several stages of work before publication. Get a sneak peek into our process below!
Our Process
The making of a book—from concept to publishing.
Client Meetings
A book begins with meetings between the client, our team and director. We ask, Who is this book for? What is the client's goal for sales? We also make comparisons to other books of this genre, and we explore the client's vision for design.
Developmental Editing
Some clients need help creating, shaping or refining their ideas into words. If this is the case, our team might interview the client to draw out their story, or we make suggestions on their words until we create a manuscript.
Design & Layout
Our designers work on the look of the book: size and dimensions, color palettes, graphics, fonts, tone and feel. Designers assess photos along with the Developmental Editing team, identify pull-quotes, headers and other visual elements. Once the words and design are finalized separately, they are combined into a printable proof.
Copyediting & Fact-checking
For each publication, our copyeditors create a Style Guide full of book-specific names, stylistic patterns and grammar rules. They source photos, check facts and ensure all content is letter perfect at each stage of the book's production, from manuscript to printed book.
Marketing
Our Press provides marketing support for our titles. Our marketing team researches comparable titles, solicits blurbs, conducts author interviews, writes blog entries and press releases and presents options for selling the book.
Prototyping
Whether we print the book at the Teaching Press or contract out, we prototype the proof to ensure the design prints well, assess the quality and color, refine the design and bind and trim the book to size.
If we are printing the book at the Press, we print pages, bind them and trim each and every copy ordered.
Sales
Each author decides how they'd like to reach audiences. Many clients choose to sell or donate printed books on their own. Other projects are sold and marketed through The Teaching Press.
Project Selection
We invite you to embrace our process so your book can flourish, whether we come to you or you come to us.
Acquisitions
Our Press Director approaches an author to take on their project for publication.
Client-Led
A potential client approaches the Press Director with an idea or completed manuscript.
UWGB-Focused
A UW-Green Bay organization or department invites the Press to collaborate on a project.
Imprints
The Teaching Press publishes under three imprints.
Mimi & Rupert Books
Mimi & Rupert Books interlace art and words, voice and image, into finely crafted, collaborative and inspiring stories.
Hard-Penned Press
Hard-Penned Press is a people's press. An imprint of the Teaching Press at UW-Green Bay, we showcase the diversity of lives, ideas and culture in Northeastern Wisconsin.
The Teaching Press
The Teaching Press represents the connections between our students and our community. Our mission is to uplift regional voices and provide publishing experience for student interns.
