A useful publishing brief tells your team what the book is, how far the manuscript has progressed and what you want to deliver. Preparing this information first makes it easier to compare proposals and spot missing production steps.
Use this checklist whether you need one service or a coordinated plan for eBook, paperback, hardcover and audiobook editions. Mark what is ready, what needs a decision and what requires help.
By EbookCorner Publishing · Reviewed 29 October 2026
1. Prepare one current manuscript
- Keep a clearly named working file with a version date.
- State the approximate word count, genre and intended reader.
- Identify unfinished chapters, missing illustrations or other open work.
- Tell your editor whether comments and tracked changes are still awaiting decisions.
A structural edit, line edit and proofread solve different problems. Explain what kind of feedback you have already received and what still concerns you. Our book editing and proofreading page outlines the support you can discuss.
2. Decide which editions belong in the proposal
List the formats you want now and those you may add later. Use the book publishing formats guide to compare digital reading, paperback, hardcover and audio production. An additional edition can require its own files, cover adjustments and review time.
For an audiobook, prepare pronunciation notes and flag footnotes, charts or passages that may need adaptation for listening. Discuss the narration method and the requirements of the intended distributor before recording.
3. Gather book details and permissions
- Confirm the title, subtitle, author or pen name and contributor credits.
- Draft an author biography and a reader-focused book description.
- Identify who controls the text, artwork, photographs and audio rights.
- Keep permissions and source credits together for third-party material you plan to include.
- Decide how the publisher or imprint and any required ISBNs will be handled.
Use the official KDP ISBN guidance when planning KDP editions. For audio, the ACX rights-holder checklist is another starting point; confirm the current requirements directly with the platform you choose.
4. Give the cover designer a clear brief
Provide the genre, tone, intended reader and a few references with an explanation of what you like about them. Include the exact book and author wording. Tell the designer which editions are included, which artwork is supplied and whether any elements must be commissioned.
Ask for a list of deliverables: a digital front cover, a print cover for each agreed edition and any promotional images. Final print measurements depend on the selected production specifications. Explore book cover design and interior formatting together so the files remain coordinated.
5. Agree the scope before production starts
- Name the services and editions included in the written proposal.
- Confirm who supplies the manuscript, images, book details and platform information.
- Set the review stages, revision process and responsibility for final approval.
- List the files you will receive and the handover arrangements.
- Agree a timeline that includes your own review time and any platform checks.
Ask how additional changes will be handled if the manuscript grows, an edition is added or the cover direction changes. A clear scope is more useful than assuming that every task is included.
6. Review the actual files
Read the formatted edition rather than relying only on the original manuscript. Check chapter order, contents navigation, page numbers where applicable, images, links and front and back matter. Revisit the cover wording after the interior is final.
For print projects, use the publishing platform’s preview process and consider a physical proof. For KDP files, the upload and preview guidance explains the available checks. For audio, listen through the production and record corrections clearly.
7. Prepare the release information
Keep your author biography, book description, cover image and publication links consistent. Decide whether you need an author website, launch materials, a trailer or book marketing support. Plan how interested readers will find the correct edition and contact you.
8. Send a concise project brief
Your first enquiry can be simple: “My book is a [genre] manuscript of approximately [word count] words. It is currently at [draft or editing stage]. I want [formats], and I need help with [services]. My preferred release period is [date or range].” Add any existing publication links and the questions you want the team to address.
If you want help with title setup and the publishing workflow, review our Amazon KDP publishing assistance. Confirm platform eligibility and account responsibilities before work starts.
Publishing project brief template
Copy these fields into your own project document before asking for a proposal. Record what is ready and mark undecided items “to confirm”. You can send a useful enquiry even while some production choices are still open.
| Brief field | What to record |
|---|---|
| Book and author details | Exact title, subtitle, author or pen name, language and contributor credits. |
| Manuscript stage | Draft, edited or proofread; word count; current file name and version date; unfinished sections. |
| Readers and genre | Genre, intended readers and the main purpose of the book. |
| Editions and priority | eBook, paperback, hardcover and/or audiobook; which editions should be prepared first. |
| Print decisions | Proposed trim size, binding, colour or black-and-white interior, and any platform requirements still to confirm. |
| Artwork and permissions | Images, illustrations, tables, captions and cover artwork supplied; permissions and credits still needed. |
| ISBN and imprint | Existing ISBNs by print edition, the planned imprint, or questions about the platform’s ISBN options. |
| Services requested | Editing, proofreading, formatting, cover design, publishing assistance, narration, marketing or an author website. |
| Files and handover | The file types and editions to receive, proof/preview files, editable source if agreed, and who will keep the approved versions. |
| Reviews and approval | Who reviews each stage, how corrections are recorded, agreed revision rounds and the final approver. |
| Timing and promotion | Preferred release window, review availability, existing retailer links and launch assets. |
| Budget and separate costs | Your working budget range; identify advertising spend, hosting or other third-party charges to discuss separately. |
| Accounts and future updates | Who manages retailer accounts, publication decisions, later file changes and ongoing website or campaign work. |
Example of a clear first enquiry
Illustrative example: My memoir is approximately 45,000 words and has completed an editing pass. I want an eBook and paperback first, with a hardcover to discuss later. Please quote formatting and cover preparation, identify the files I will receive for each edition, and explain the proof and approval stages. My proposed release window is [month]; I can review files during [dates].
Compare proposals against the same brief so differences in scope are visible. Use our eBook, paperback and hardcover formatting services to discuss edition files, or review Amazon KDP publishing assistance for the title-setup and handoff stage.
Ready to discuss the next step?
Share your brief with EbookCorner Publishing. Your proposal should explain the agreed services, deliverables and review stages for your project.