06/06

S I M O N & S C H U S T E R

W H AT TO E X P E C T B E F O R E
YOUR BOOK IS PUBLISHED

The Pre-Publication
planning and sales process

OVERVIEW

Your primary contact

before your book is published
is your editor.

B efore your work appears in a bookstore, a great many people with different but closely related jobs
will have worked together to insure that your book has been properly and accurately prepared and
manufactured for presentation to the public (See the Production Process). At the same time that the
physical book is being prepared, we are also planning your book’s publication.

We focus on the best way to bring your book to the attention of readers right from the start. This
entails a series of meetings designed to gather the ideas of people with different expertise. There
are steps taken for following up on and fine-tuning the sales and marketing ideas proposed at the
meetings, as well as continual reviews as each department -- the publisher's office, editorial,
marketing, publicity, subsidiary rights, advertising and promotion, and sales -- works on achieving
the optimal plan for your book. Each book is considered both on its own merits and within the
context of our entire publishing program. In addition, we are alert to the competition, which helps
us position your book to the best advantage in the marketplace.

Ideally, books enter the publishing cycle 11 or 12 months before publication, allowing the various
sales and marketing departments to thoroughly familiarize themselves with your book and its
potential. Throughout the pre-publication period and beyond, your concerns and suggestions play
an important role. As you will see from the overview below, there are ample opportunities for you
to offer your ideas to your Editor, who will pass them on the appropriate person or department.
 W H A T T O E X P E C T B E F O R E Y O U R B O O K I S P U B L I S H E D

S O M E K E Y D AT E S I N T H E P R E - P U B L I C AT I O N
PLANNING PROCESS

Your publication month is set 12-15 months in advance.

12 months before publication

Your publisher, associate publisher, and editor make a presentation on your book to the sales,
subsidiary rights, marketing, advertising, promotion, publicity, and art departments. Your editor,
often with the help of the Associate Publisher, puts together a package of information that is
distributed to attendees before the meeting. This includes the manuscript or excerpts from it, your
author questionnaire, reviews from your previous books where relevant (unless, of course, you are
a new author), other background material, and a “tip sheet.” The tip sheet includes your book’s
specifications (trim size, page count, price, etc), summarizes the content of your book, highlights
its key selling points, provides publishing and sales histories of your previous books, and provides
a short list of comparable titles. Preliminary sales goals are discussed at this meeting.

11 months before publication

• The sales, subsidiary rights, marketing, advertising, promotion, publicity and art
departments begin to formulate plans for your book.

• Manuscripts to be reviewed by the Legal department will be forwarded by the managing

editor to the Legal department when they pass for press.

10 months before publication

• Preliminary jacket and cover art designs are presented, catalogue copy and editorial audio
presentations for the sales force are created.

• Preliminary publicity discussions and title presentations are made to major national media.
(e.g. Today, Good Morning America).

• Sales presentations are made to membership clubs (e.g. Costco, Sam’s Club, BJ’s).

9 months before publication

• The Subsidiary Rights department is creating materials that will be used to present your
book to book clubs, foreign publishers, and magazines.

7 months before publication

• Projected sales goals and estimated first printings are set.

2
 W H A T T O E X P E C T B E F O R E Y O U R B O O K I S P U B L I S H E D

• Marketing plans are set and sales materials are nearing completion.

• Jacket and cover designs are finalized.

• Publicity plans are set.

• The submission process begins for first serial, book club, British and translation, and
paperback rights sales where appropriate.

• Sales presentations to selected major retail and mass merchandise chains begin.

• The book is added to the searchable catalog on Simon & Schuster’s website,
SimonSays.com.

6 months before publication

• All jacket and cover art, selling materials, and catalogs are complete.

• Sales conference is held, and immediately following the conference, advance reading and
promotional materials begin to go out for sales presentations and bookseller promotions.

• A publicist is assigned to your book.

• Bound galleys, if ready, or other advance materials are mailed to selected media for every
book that has not been previously published in another format.

• Presentations are made to major retail chains, major wholesalers, specialty chains, and
major online sites. Independent retail, online, special sales, and regional wholesale account
sales calls begin. The titles are sold one month at a time.

• Basic bibliographic information about your book is fed to retailers and book distributors
and online booksellers. Your book begins appearing and is searchable on those sites
typically 2 weeks after this initial feed.

5 months before publication

• Hardcover jacket flap copy or paperback cover copy is written.

• Catalogues are mailed to the media.

• Bookstore events begin to be set.

3
 W H A T T O E X P E C T B E F O R E Y O U R B O O K I S P U B L I S H E D

4 months before publication

• Bound galleys are mailed to book review editors and other media.

3 months before publication

• First printing is set based on the advance orders from retailers and wholesalers.

• Publicity press materials are finished and sent to the printer.

2 months before publication

• Bound books generally arrive in the Warehouse six to eight weeks prior to publication.

• Final jacket, cover copy about your book, your author photo and bio (if available) and
other “assets” are posted on Simon & Schuster’s website, SimonSays.com

• Final jacket or cover copy about your book, final price, other specifications, and other
“assets” are transmitted to online booksellers.

• Your publisher conducts a final review of the publishing plans for your book with sales,
marketing and promotion, publicity and subsidiary rights.

• Publicity mails finished hardcover and trade paperback books and press material to book
review editors and the media.

• The sales department reviews account advertising and marketing plans.

1 month before publication:

• Your book ships to stores.

• Excerpts are posted on Simon & Schuster’s website, SimonSays.com, and transmitted to
online booksellers. We do not post nor transmit the excerpt, however, if it will conflict
with the first serial sale.

• Publicity mails finished mass market books and press material to the media.

• All marketing plans are being executed.

• The publisher continues to monitor progress of the plans.

4
 W H A T T O E X P E C T B E F O R E Y O U R B O O K I S P U B L I S H E D

Publication month:

• Your book is in stores and appears on SimonSays.com web site.

• All plans are proceeding and initial sales are being reviewed.

The schedule outlined above is the ideal. The schedule for a book may be condensed to take
advantage of specific media or publicity opportunities. Shortening the process, however, can
diminish some of our publishing efforts unless the author is well established with a strong sales
performance history.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

PLANNING

When is the publication month established for my book?

The publication month for books we publish is set 12-15 months in advance. Each title is assigned
to one of three selling seasons: Spring (February-May), Summer (June-September), or Fall
(October-January). For mass market titles only a month is designated.

What factors influence the publication date?

Your book’s publication date can be influenced by a variety of factors. These factors may include
seasonal retail promotional themes (for example, back-to-school, summer reading, and annual
celebrations like African-American History and Women's History months); holiday interest or
appeal (such as Christmas, Kwanzaa, or Passover titles, or books suitable for gift-giving on
Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, Father’s Day and other holidays); and notable anniversaries and
other significant dates. The timeliness of a book about current events or late-breaking news, as well
as forthcoming books from us and other publishers on the same or a similar topic, frequently
mandates (and sometimes changes) the publication date and may dictate an accelerated publishing
schedule.

When are publication plans made for my book?

The planning process begins 12 months before publication date. Plans are completed 6 to 9 months
before publication in time for sales conference.

Will I have a chance to offer my ideas about my book’s promotion?

We welcome your ideas. You should share them with your editor as early as possible and through
your author questionnaire so that these ideas can be taken into account when plans are being made.
Your author questionnaire is included in the material that is distributed prior to the first planning

5
 W H A T T O E X P E C T B E F O R E Y O U R B O O K I S P U B L I S H E D

meeting. We understand that completing the questionnaire can be a lengthy process, but we urge
you to do the best job you can, as early as you can. The people who sell, market, promote, and
publicize your book will read your questionnaire, and a thoughtful and information-rich
questionnaire becomes an important aid and resource for them.

Is there anything else I should do to help the publication process?

Before your manuscript goes into production, you will have to clear permissions. We urge you not
to delay this process. Failure to clear permission and obtain the right to use material in this and
other editions of your book before a manuscript goes into production will only delay production of
your book. We urge you to clear as many rights as possible at the beginning of the process.
Insufficient rights clearance can hinder the efforts of the subsidiary rights and publicity
departments. (See The Permissions Clearance Procedure.)

How do I find out what the publicity and marketing plans are for my book?

Your editor will tell you about the overall marketing plan for your book. Your publicist will be in
touch with you three or four months prior to publication date to review the details of the publicity
campaign for your book.

What is the process for developing the publication plans for my book?

We have a series of meetings in preparation for each publishing season. Every book we publish is
discussed at each of the meetings described below.

Positioning/Launch Meeting 11-12 Months before Publication

Once we have assigned a publication month to your book we will discuss it at a meeting
attended by the publisher’s office and the editorial, publicity, subsidiary rights, managing
editorial, art, sales, and marketing departments.
After studying the reading materials, tip sheet, and the editor's oral presentation, the group
discusses your book and, focusing on specific distribution channels (chain superstores, mall
stores, online retailers, independent booksellers etc.), develops ways of positioning it within the
marketplace. Title, format, and cover price are discussed; preliminary publicity, subsidiary
rights, advertising, and promotion ideas are covered; and preliminary sales goals are set.

Post-Positioning/Brainstorming Meetings 10-11 Months Before

Publication
One or two months after the Positioning/Launch meeting, the publisher and associate publisher
meet with the marketing, advertising and promotion, and publicity departments to review each
department’s recommendations for your book’s publication plans. A preliminary plan and a
marketing budget are set at these meetings.

The Pre-Sales Conference Meeting 8-10 Months Before Publication

Eight to ten months ahead of pub date the senior members of the sales, marketing, publicity,
subsidiary rights, managing editorial, and art departments meet with publishers and staff. The

6
 W H A T T O E X P E C T B E F O R E Y O U R B O O K I S P U B L I S H E D

purpose of this meeting is to confirm the plans that will be listed in the catalog, to acquaint
sales with the tools they will have to assist them in their sessions with the accounts, and to
make certain that the plans adequately support the sales goals.

Sales conference 6-9 Months Before Publication

Sales conference is the largest corporate meeting at Simon & Schuster. Held three times a year
by video conference, the sales conference marks the formal presentation of the seasonal list by
the publisher to the sales division. All the titles on the list are presented to the sales division,
which encompasses sales forces that are organized according to sales channel: National
Accounts, Field Sales, Online Sales, Warehouse Clubs, Wholesalers and Mass Merchants,
Canada, International Sales and Special Sales (e.g. catalogs, corporations, direct mail, retailers
of specialty goods). The subject matter of the book, the package (including jacket or cover
design, trim size, and other aspects of the physical book), and marketing plans are discussed,
with special attention paid to the marketing plan and sales goals for each title.

The Marketing/Publishing Meeting

Marketing meetings are held every week. Generally, your book will be discussed just as it is
shipping to stores. Members of the publisher and associate publisher’s offices, the editorial
director, your editor, and key members of the sales, marketing, advertising and promotion,
publicity, and subsidiary rights departments attend this meeting. Sales and publishing plans are
reviewed and if necessary, adjusted.

SALES

The U.S. Simon & Schuster Sales and Distribution Division works to optimize distribution for
every title published in a complete range of retail, wholesale, online and specialty accounts. Our
sales division is renowned as one of the most aggressive and successful in the trade book business.

What does the sales division do for every book?

The sales division strategizes with the publishing team from each imprint, as well as publicity,
marketing, and subsidiary rights, to identify the potential target readership for every book we
publish and, with the accounts to best determine how such readership is reached. Eight to ten
months of planning and refining of the package, of the sales message and of the publicity and
marketing effort are expended before a sales representative sells the book to an account.

For each title, sales personnel:

• Read the editor’s tip sheet, sample manuscript, and other material

• Discuss the editor’s material with sales colleagues and offer feedback to the
publishing team

• Plan the account marketing effort with the imprint staff and editor

7
 W H A T T O E X P E C T B E F O R E Y O U R B O O K I S P U B L I S H E D

• Estimate potential initial orders for the book in each sales channel

• Listen to editor’s audio presentation

• Absorb and react to the book as presented at sales conference and other meetings

• Sell the book to accounts

• Solicit re-orders from accounts for books that are selling

How does sales estimate the initial orders for a book?

The sales division’s estimates of the initial orders in each sales channel are influenced by several
factors. These factors include the sales of the author’s previous books; sales of other books in the
same category, publicity and marketing commitments, subsidiary rights sales, the known ability of
an account to promote a certain kind of book, strong advance excitement for a book, and personal
enthusiasm.

What role do the sales representatives have in this process?

Sales representatives review initial house and cooperative advertising, promotional and publicity
plans with their accounts. Throughout the selling cycle, they keep booksellers updated on any
changes and additions that might have an impact on the booksellers' own sales and marketing
efforts.

When will my book be sold to bookstores?

Simon & Schuster sales representatives visit national retail and wholesale accounts as many as nine
months prior to seasonal publication dates. Preliminary discussions are held with a few accounts
even earlier. Generally, however, books are sold six months in advance of publication, one month
at a time.

What are the various sales channels and when are they sold?

• Membership and Warehouse Clubs—A club sales team sells selected titles to discount
retail clubs like Costco, Sam’s, and BJ’s, which carry best-selling frontlist and fiction.
AMS (the main wholesale supplier to the clubs) and other accounts serving the club market
are sold approximately ten months in advance of pub date.

• IDs/Mass Merchants—A group of sales representatives sell selected retail accounts like
Target, Walmart, and K-Mart that sell bestselling front list and selected fiction. They also
sell to national distributors like Anderson Merchandisers and Levy, as well as regional
distributors. These accounts are sold six to seven months in advance of pub date

8
 W H A T T O E X P E C T B E F O R E Y O U R B O O K I S P U B L I S H E D

• National Retail Accounts—Each imprint is sold by a sales representative who sells that
imprint to a particular national retail account. These accounts include: Barnes and Noble,
including B. Dalton and bn.com; BGI, which includes Borders and Waldenbooks; as well
as Books-A-Million, Hastings, and Musicland. The chain buyers are buying by category
for all locations. The buyer knows how distribution will be weighted across stores, with
higher volume stores getting higher quantity of any given title. Barnes and Noble is sold
five months in advance of pub date; Borders is sold five to nine months in advance of pub
date.

• National Wholesale Accounts—The largest wholesalers carry all books. Each national
wholesale account is covered by a dedicated sales rep. Wholesalers service retail and other
accounts, e.g., Baker and Taylor services library accounts. The national wholesalers are
Ingram, Baker and Taylor, Bookazine, and Brodart.

• Field Accounts—a team of sales representatives and telemarketers sell all imprints to
independent booksellers, college stores (including Barnes and Noble college stores), and
regional wholesalers. These accounts are sold seasonally, in a single sales call. Most books
are sold to these accounts five months ahead of pub date.

• Online booksellers—Amazon.com and other independent online booksellers are included

among our independent accounts. Amazon.com is sold five to six months ahead of
publication date.

• Special Sales—An entire special sales team works to identify potential sales outside the
book retail channel: specialty retail outlets, specialty wholesalers, catalogs, premium sales,
bulk corporate and/or author sales. These non-book store outlets are generally sold one to
two months before publication month. Mail order, catalog, and other specialty accounts are
usually sold no earlier than one month before publication, as these accounts prefer to make
their purchases after seeing finished books. Editors can be instrumental in helping sales
and authors to exploit special sales opportunities.

PUBLICITY

When and how is the publicity plan created for my book?

Working closely with editorial, marketing, sales, and the publisher's office, and guided by the
nature of the book as well as budget considerations and sales goals, the publicity departments
devise the most effective strategy for promoting each book. Over a period of months prior to
publication, the publicity director presents the list to key national media outlets, lecture venues,
book fairs, and consumer shows. Working with the department, the publicity director draws on his
or her own experience to create an appropriate campaign. Publicity plans, as well as other

9
 W H A T T O E X P E C T B E F O R E Y O U R B O O K I S P U B L I S H E D

marketing plans (see below) are reviewed and revised as necessary at marketing meetings held
shortly before and at the actual time of publication.

What may be included in the publicity plan?

A publicity plan, which, of course, varies from book to book, may include any combination of the
following:

• A print campaign that focuses on securing review attention or off-the-book-page coverage

• A radio campaign that features interviews or pre-recorded spots about the book

• A national television campaign that is designed to capitalize on the controversial or news-

making aspect of a book

• An author tour to markets where radio, television, newspaper, and/or local magazine
coverage can stimulate sales

• Bookstore readings, talks, and signings, arranged when both the account and the publisher
are confident there is sufficient interest for a successful event

• Online features, interviews, or chats

• A campaign built around an author's own lecture schedule, to take advantage of local or
professional interests or angles

When is a publicist assigned to my book?

A publicist is assigned to work on your book shortly after sales conference and generally begins to
execute the publicity plan four or five months prior to publication. Under his or her supervision,
news about the book is distributed through a variety of means and may include one or more of
these elements:

• Between 500 and 900 seasonal catalogs are sent to an extensive and diverse media list
(magazines, newspapers, columnists, freelance writers and reporters, radio and television
hosts and producers, and editors at online sites), as well as to professional groups,
associations, and organizations

• Bound galleys are sent to the book editors of major newspapers, prominent monthly
magazines, trade publications, and the major online book selling sites for reviews, features,
and short notices about the book. Depending on the subject matter of the book, anywhere
from 10 to 100 bound galleys will be sent

10
 W H A T T O E X P E C T B E F O R E Y O U R B O O K I S P U B L I S H E D

• A press package, consisting of a press release, biographical information about the author,
and other relevant materials is readied to be sent out with finished copies of the book

• Interviews and other public appearances by the author may be arranged to take place after
the book is published

MARKETING AND PROMOTION

When is the marketing and promotion plan developed?

Like the publicity department, the marketing and promotion department begins its work many
months before the publication date of your book. Following the Positioning Meeting, marketing
opportunities are thoroughly explored at planning meetings attended by editorial and publishing
staff, and the publicity, advertising and promotion, and art departments. Everything is discussed—
from catalog presentation to marketing to both the book-selling industry and to consumers. Out of
these discussions, a plan for promoting the book, both prior to and post publication is finalized.

What kinds of activities may be included in the marketing plan?

The marketing plan which of course varies from book to book, may include several of the
following activities:

• Distribution of advance reading material to buyers, booksellers, and people within the
publishing industry who can start talking about the book. The materials range from "teaser"
postcards, personalized letters from the editor or publisher, and brief excerpts from the
book, to bound manuscripts with a color photocopy of the cover, bound galleys, and
advance reader editions that feature the cover or jacket art and highlight marketing plans.

• Efforts to reach niche markets. After considering the book's subject, its regional appeal,
and the interests and affiliations of the author, the marketing staff works with publicity and
sales to identify and target accounts that exhibit special interest in particular titles. Online
opportunities play an increasing role in this effort.

• Academic marketing: Simon & Schuster is represented in a combined book exhibit at most
major professional and academic exhibitions and conferences.

• The creation of in-store display materials: Posters, special signage, reading group guides,
and bookmarks may be given to stores at publication time to bring attention to a title or
groups of related titles. Freestanding floor or counter display pieces are produced for some
titles, depending on the sales department's assessment of the number of accounts that will
make good use of these costly items.

11
 W H A T T O E X P E C T B E F O R E Y O U R B O O K I S P U B L I S H E D

• An advertising campaign: Our advertising plans concentrate on the print and/or radio and
television media most suitable for a book. In our experience, very few books benefit from
consumer advertising.

• Special online promotion: All our books and their assets (jacket/cover art, format
specifications, author information, and chapter excerpts) are listed on www.simonsays.com
at the time of publication. In addition, book-specific sites (which can be linked to an
author's own site) offer more thorough coverage of selected titles. All the major online
booksellers receive book assets approximately 6 to 8 weeks prior to publication. Our
marketing department also works with different general interest and niche websites, online
communities, blogs and technology providers to promote our books.

• Every book is described and pictured in the seasonal catalog, which is mailed to accounts.
In addition, the sales representatives receive a kit containing catalogs, audio presentations
prepared by the editors, special sell sheets promoting one or more titles, and additional
reading materials from or about the books.

• We participate in most book-related trade shows, including the national Book Expo
America (BEA), smaller regional shows, and school and library conventions. The sales and
marketing departments select titles to be featured, and representatives are available to
discuss all the books on the seasonal list.

T H E A RT D E PA RT M E N T

When is the jacket or cover for my book designed?

As part of our dedication to ensuring the success of your book, the jacket or cover designing
process begins a full year before the scheduled publication date for your work. The art director
works closely with your editor and publisher while your manuscript is in production to ensure that
an appropriate and effective final jacket or paperback cover is designed for your book. If you have
suggestions or ideas about your jacket or cover, you should communicate them to your editor once
you hear that a publication month has been established, since that is when jacket design begins. If
you have strong feelings or prohibitions, the clearer you are at the outset, the likelier it is we’ll
produce a design that will please you.

The art director devotes months of careful planning and working with freelance designers and
artists, who specialize in this field, to create a design concept that is both attractive and
appropriately reflective of your book’s topic. Designs are reviewed in regularly scheduled meetings
that include the publisher, associate publisher, editorial director, the editor, the art director, and the
marketing director. After a design is selected, your editor may send it to you for consultation.

At our seasonal sales conference, the sales force has the opportunity to offer their responses and
occasionally provide suggestions for improving the design.

12
 W H A T T O E X P E C T B E F O R E Y O U R B O O K I S P U B L I S H E D

Approximately 14 weeks before bound book date, the jacket flap copy and/or back cover copy is
prepared by your editor, who will review it with you.

SUBSIDIARY RIGHTS

When are subsidiary rights sold?

We begin to lay the groundwork for subsidiary rights sales well in advance of publication, often
more than a year before publication and sometimes when the book is just signed up. Our staff
attends several book fairs all over the world to raise interest in our books. The actions of the
subsidiary rights department can also influence booksellers’ initial buys on a book—sometimes
increasing orders significantly.

What does the subsidiary rights department do for each book?

Every season the Subsidiary Rights Department creates a guide to forthcoming titles that is used to
present our titles to a wide range of potential purchasers. These outlets include:
General interest book clubs (The Literary Guild and Book of the Month Club) special
interest clubs (such as The History Book Club, The Conservative Book Club)
Newspapers and magazines that might be interested in publishing an excerpt
Online sites that might be interested in publishing an excerpt
British and foreign-language publishers, if we control those rights
U.S. paperback publishers, if one of the Simon & Schuster paperback imprints is not
publishing the title.

Phone calls or meetings to explore further interest follow this initial announcement. Depending on
their expressed interest, individual requirements, and schedules, book clubs, periodicals and other
outlets will be sent manuscripts and/or galleys as they become available. Some magazines may
choose to publish excerpts from a book after publication (second serial), in which case they are sent
a bound book. The majority of domestic subsidiary rights activity, however, is concluded within
the two months before publication, but the sale of foreign rights often continues for approximately
six months or more after publication. (For more information about the subsidiary rights process see
“Subsidiary Rights Department.”)

ONLINE MARKETING

When do Online marketing plans begin to be developed?

Plans for Online marketing begin with the Positioning Meeting.

13
 W H A T T O E X P E C T B E F O R E Y O U R B O O K I S P U B L I S H E D

What are the online activities for every book?

We provide online services via our web site at www.simonsays.com for all books published. Our
goal is to provide web services for consumers, booksellers, and media by making title assets
available and providing title specific information. The web site functions as an Internet home for
our publications and our authors, as well as a vehicle to promote books. This includes an asset
library that is used aggressively to position books on the Internet.

In September 2005, we began selling our books directly to consumers via Simon & Schuster’s own
website, SimonSays.com. We hope to utilize this ecommerce capability, in addition to other new
technologies to the benefit of all our authors.

When will my book appear on the company web site?

Basic bibliographic information about your book will appear and be searchable on Simon &
Schuster’s website, SimonSays.com, approximately seven months before the publication date.
Other marketing content, called “assets”, are posted on SimonSays.com two months prior to the
publication date. Assets include:
Jacket/cover image
Jacket/cover flap copy
Author biographical information
Author photo (optional)
Book excerpt (This is usually a chapter or table of contents chosen by your editor that
does not conflict with any serialization deal.)

All assets are created from the final book to ensure that correct specifications are listed on the web
site and are correctly distributed to affiliate sites online.

How can I find my book on Simon & Schuster’s website, SimonSays.com?

Use the general site search tool that allows visitors to search our catalog by title, author
name, series, or ISBN
Use the “Browse Books” and “Find an Author” tools to view groups of titles by
category, price, format, and author
Visit the “New Releases” section of the website

What if I have my own Web site?

SimonSays.com can link with author web sites. Your editor can assist you in making this
arrangement.

14
 W H A T T O E X P E C T B E F O R E Y O U R B O O K I S P U B L I S H E D

How is title information and marketing content (jacket images, descriptions, excerpts, etc.)
distributed to Online booksellers?

In addition to the bibliographic information supplied to retailers and distributors, we begin

supplying other marketing content (jacket images, descriptions, author photos and bios) 2 to 6
months before publication depending on when that information is finalized

How will my book get listed on the Internet?

Approximately 6 months prior to publication, title specifications or bibliographic information is

supplied by Simon & Schuster to online retailers either directly or through book distributors like
RR Bowker, Ingram Book Co., Baker & Taylor Book Co., etc. Information supplied to these
companies includes:
• Title name
• Subtitle name
• ISBN
• Author name(s)
• Publisher/price/page count/month of publication
Once supplied, these companies typically take 2 weeks to update their systems fully
with this title information and display it on their public facing websites.

How do I get listed on Search Engines?

Search Engines are a critical vehicle through which users arrive at the site. Search Engines (like
Google, Yahoo and MSN) crawl the web, indexing and logging sites so that webpages can come up
in search results. Following guidelines for the Search Engine in turn helps to improve our ranking
in search returns. Google considers two factors when ranking results: the page’s relevance to the
words and concepts in the query, and overall link popularity, or what they call PageRank™.
PageRank™ takes into consideration both the quantity and the quality of links to a web page. Links
from high quality sites are weighed more heavily and help to make a site more “important” to
Google. The pages of SimonSays.com are continually reviewed to make sure they are optimized
for each search engines. Another way to improve our ranking in Google’s search results is to get
other high quality sites to link to us. We encourage all online publicity and marketing efforts to
link back to our author and book pages. Search Engines we work with regularly include:
www.Google.com
www.Yahoo.com
www.msn.com
www.ask.com

15
 W H A T T O E X P E C T B E F O R E Y O U R B O O K I S P U B L I S H E D

How do you alert Booksellers and the Media to new books?

Weekly emails are sent to over 800 media and bookseller contacts highlighting selected new
releases and special themes (e.g.: Mothers Day, Valentines Day, Holidays, etc). The email also
notifies recipients of content available for the titles—for example, jacket scan, chapter excerpt,
publicity information, and reading group guides. Online publicity is handled directly by the
Publicity Department.

How do you alert Consumers to new books?

Regular emails are also distributed to consumers who have signed up to receive information for
specific categories of books such as:
Mystery
Romance
Business
Star Trek
Cooking
Crossword Puzzles
History and Biography
Reading Groups
Fiction
New Releases (SimonSays what’s new!)

Do you publish electronic books?

An exciting new development is the creation of the electronic book – often referred to as “eBooks”
— which enable a consumer to purchase an electronic version of your book by downloading it
from one of the online booksellers to be read on either a desktop platform or a handheld device,
like a PDA, your cell phone, or one of the new dedicated devices that are coming out. We currently
work in the electronic book formats Microsoft Reader, Adobe, Palm, Mobi, and Sony. Although
this market is currently small, we expect it to grow as the cost, availability, and designs of devices
improve and as the download and general reader’s experience is improved.

We have worked diligently with the technology creators to try and insure that copyright is
protected. We continue to strive to both protect your rights as well as to make your title available in
as many electronic formats as possible to grow with technology.

EBook editions are published either simultaneously with or shortly after the publication of the
printed edition and occasionally in advance of it. If you are interested in having your book
published as an eBook, your editor can work with our digital publishing group to start this process

16