1) What this is
This document describes a publisher operations system that tracks everything that happens to a book from the moment a manuscript arrives until the final royalty statement is paid.
The one “hub” record
Book
Every department connects back to the Book.
Design principle
One timeline
Everyone sees the same status and history.
2) Why it matters
- Fewer handoffs lost: tasks and approvals don’t disappear across teams.
- Faster decisions: acquisition, production, and marketing have shared context.
- Clear financial truth: costs, sales, and royalties reconcile cleanly.
- Better reporting: performance is visible without custom spreadsheets.
3) How it works (high level)
Think of the system as seven connected “work areas”. Each area can operate independently, but they all link back to the same Book.
✅ One Book record
🔁 Status updates
🧾 Costs & revenue
📣 Marketing actions
📦 Distribution tracking
Key idea: A department can do its work without waiting on others, but the book’s overall story stays coherent.
4) The 7 work areas
1
Acquisition & Evaluation
Intake manuscripts, collect reader feedback, and decide what to acquire.
Key records: Submission, Reader Report, Acquisition Decision
2
Editorial Workflow
Assign editors, track edits and revision rounds, keep deadlines visible.
Key records: Book, Editor Assignment, Editing Task, Revision Round
3
Design & Production
Manage cover drafts, layout files, and printing plans.
Key records: Design Brief, Cover Design, Layout File, Print Run
4
Marketing & Publicity
Plan campaigns, manage press lists, and record coverage.
Key records: Marketing Plan, Campaign, Press Contact, Press Coverage
5
Sales & Distribution
Track shipments to channels and record sales over time.
Key records: Sales Channel, Distribution Batch, Sales Record
6
Finance & Royalties
Store contracts, record expenses, pay invoices, calculate royalties.
Key records: Contract, Royalty Statement, Expense Record, Invoice
7
Analytics & Performance
Provide dashboards and periodic reports without manual work.
Key records: Performance Snapshot, Editor KPI, Publisher Report
5) A typical book journey
A simplified timeline that most titles will follow:
From manuscript to money
- Submission is received and reviewed.
- Acquisition decision is made (acquire / reject / revise).
- A Book record is created and editing begins.
- Design and production assets are finalized.
- Marketing runs campaigns and tracks coverage.
- Distribution ships to channels; sales are recorded.
- Royalties are calculated and reported.
6) Automation & AI (optional future)
These are optional add-ons that reduce repetitive work and improve decision quality:
Suggests reader report drafts and highlights strengths/risks, while keeping humans in control of the final decision.
Helps editors spot inconsistencies, grammar/style issues, and suggests improvements per chapter/task.
Recommends categories and keywords that improve search and sales channel performance, using Corpus metadata services.
Predicts likely payout windows and expected ranges based on historical patterns and current sales signals.
7) How it stays in sync with Corpus
This publisher-side system is designed to work inside a publisher, but still connect to the broader Corpus ecosystem.
- Shared identities: authors, agents, and vendors can match Corpus identities when available.
- Shared assets: manuscripts and design files can reference stable Corpus asset IDs (with versions).
- Shared events: key moments (acquired, edited, published, sold, royalty-calculated) can be emitted for cross-app visibility.
- Shared permissions: role-based access can align with Corpus roles for agents/editors/accountants.