We gulped when a company called to publish its corporate history book by June. The global systems integrator asked us to squeeze into six months what normally takes one year.
What goes into a year of publishing a corporate history book?
- 6-9 months = Content development (interviewing, writing, editing, proofreading, approving)
- 3 months = Graphic design (formatting, cover design, enhancing images, revising proofs)
- 3 months = Offset printing (approving proofs, fulfilling book orders, shipping globally)
Thankfully, a rockstar team rallied to make possible the impossible:
- The writing team modified the format and churned out a manuscript in a record three months.
- The design team worked nights and weekends to pull together a great layout in two weeks.
- The company’s marketing team gave quick feedback and approval despite their full workloads.
When a print proof arrived on my doorstep, I sighed with relief and joy. The corporate history book order will be ready by the company’s June anniversary.
Bottom line: You can make the impossible possible with a rockstar team. But if you prefer not to white-knuckle it, allow yourself at least one year to publish your corporate history book.
Ella Ritchie is the founder of Stellar Communications Houston, a nonfiction book publishing and business communications team that works with nonfiction authors, business leaders, and federal government agencies. Connect with her on LinkedIn, subscribe to the blog, or find out more on the website.