Publication Process

The book undergoes several steps before it is brought to circulation. Below is a step by step overview of how an idea is transformed to be a book by a collaboration of authors and publishers.

Wilton Clarke Academic Publishing publishes the following types of books:

• Textbook: A book designed to teach a subject to students. Written mainly for undergraduate or postgraduate students and explains concepts step-by-step. Often used for courses or training programs.
• Professional book: A book that helps professionals stay updated in their field. Focuses on advanced understanding, recent developments, or practical guidance.
• Handbook: A compact reference guide for quick information. Contains summaries, guidelines, protocols, or key facts.
• Practical record/logbook: A structured workbook used to record practical training.
• Proceedings: A book compiling papers/abstracts presented at a scientific meeting.
• Others: such as Atlas (image based learning material), exam preparation guide, standard operating procedures etc.

Step By Step Process

1. Develop an idea: Developing an idea for research on a topic suitable for book publishing is an important first step. An idea could be generated from:
   – observation around us (what are the needs of your students or peers/ faculty members)
   – from the emerging new concepts or events (e.g. emergence of a new disease)
   – discussion with colleagues and friends
   – guidance by experts and mentors
   – at conferences and CPD/webinar events
2. Researching the suitable options for publication: Knowing the:
   – format (print, eBook, Kindle edition)
   – type of book (textbook, monograph, practical record logbook, professional book, handbook etc.
   – Drafting method (author the book yourself v. editing the book by inviting authors for individual chapters)
   *It is recommended to get in touch with the editorial office for guidance and discussion as selecting the right option is often overwhelming for a new author or editor.
3. Submit your proposal: Use our Book Proposal Submission form available on the “For Authors” page and get in touch with us using the emails provided in the contact section.
4. Book proposal review: This is done by our editorial office and the review is generally completed within 2 weeks. If the proposal is accepted, the editorial office shall ask the proposer to sign a publishing contract.
5. Production cost contribution: Wilton Clarke Academic Publishing operates as an independent academic press and does not receive institutional or grant funding. To sustain the quality of production – including typesetting, plagiarism screening, ISBN registration, printing, and dissemination – a production cost contribution is applicable.
   – The production cost for each book is calculated based on the specific parameters outlined in the accepted proposal (such as the number of chapters, estimated page count, figures, and other production requirements).
   – The total cost is then divided equally among the contributing chapters so that the per-chapter contribution reflects the proportionate cost of producing the book.
   – A nominal additional charge applies for extra print copies where a chapter has multiple authors.
   – The per-chapter production cost contribution is communicated in writing to all authors and editors at the time of signing the publishing agreement, and no additional charges are levied thereafter under any circumstances.
   – Authors and editors are therefore requested to complete the book proposal form carefully, particularly the estimated page range, and to ensure that the final manuscript does not exceed this range by more than 15–20%.
   – Acceptance for publication is determined solely on the basis of independent peer review and editorial evaluation – not on payment. A manuscript that does not meet the required quality standards will not be published regardless of whether a production contribution has been agreed upon.
   – Kindly note that the production cost contribution shall be communicated upfront at the time of signing the publishing agreement for transparency reasons. However, no contribution is collected prior to the acceptance of a manuscript.
   
6. Manuscript drafting: The authors are provided an approximate timeline within which the manuscript is expected to be drafted and submitted for further processing/ review. For edited books, the editor recruits suitable authors and gets the manuscript drafted from them within the agreed timeline. The manuscripts are then received and reviewed by the editor and transmitted to the publisher for independent, third party peer review.
7. Peer review: The submitted manuscript is evaluated through independent peer review. The manuscript is typically sent to one or more reviewers who are experts in the relevant subject area. Under normal circumstances, the peer-review process may take approximately 30–60 days, depending on reviewer availability.
   – All submitted manuscripts undergo plagiarism detection screening using commercial similarity-checking software licensed to Wilton Clarke Academic Publishing.
   – Any significant revisions, concerns or feedback raised during peer review are communicated to the authors and/or editors for appropriate revision and clarification.
   – The publisher reserves the right to decline a manuscript at this stage if it fails to meet the required scholarly and editorial standards or if the identified issues are unlikely to be satisfactorily resolved.
   – Plagiarism detection reports are generated and provided by the publisher through its licensed software. Recruitment of peer reviewers is ordinarily coordinated by the volume or book editor, except in cases where the editor requests assistance from the publisher in identifying suitable reviewers.
8. Manuscript acceptance, typesetting: Once a manuscript has successfully completed peer review and is formally accepted for publication, it is transferred to the production team for processing.
   – Authors will be requested to submit the production cost contribution at this stage.
   – Upon confirmation of the contribution, the manuscript will proceed to typesetting and layout preparation.
   – After typesetting is completed, galley proofs will be sent to the author(s) and/or editor(s) for review and approval prior to final publication.
9. Allocation of ISBN and publishing: Upon completion of production and final validation, the book will be assigned an ISBN and formally published.
10. Post publication author support: Authors will receive post-publication support in accordance with the terms of the publishing agreement.
    This generally includes:
    – Complimentary copy of the book
    – PDF of their individual chapter(s)
    – Book author publication certificate
    – Marketing kit comprising of promotional banner and images suitable for dissemination through social media.
    The publisher will also support the dissemination of authors’ work through its communication channels and, where appropriate, by sending complimentary copies to selected Universities and libraries in accordance with the publishing agreement.