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The Changing Role of Authors and Editors Start With XML January 13, 2009 Evolving ^
The Changing Role ofAuthors and Editors
Start With XMLJanuary 13, 2009
Evolving
^
Hachette Book Group• Phil Madans, Director of
Publishing Standardsand Practices
• Hachette Book Group isthe North Americandivision of Hachette Livre
• Publish 600+ titles a year– General Trade– Juvenile/Young Adult– Business– Christian
Adapting to a content-centric editorialapproach
• Expand the editorial vision beyond the printedpage
• Plan for all appropriate formats of the content atthe beginning of the creative process
• Implement a standardized digital productioneditorial workflow
• Incorporate contextual xml tagging into theeditorial process
• Extend editorial mark-up to XML
3Start With XML -- January 13, 2009
Extensible Markup Language (XML) is thedigital equivalent of the traditional mark up of a
paper manuscript
KeyMarking
Chart
Standardized list ofelements
Chapter One
My Book
I am Born
Title
CN
CT
=
=
=
Manuscript
Defines style for eachelement Page Layout
Chapter One
My Book
I am Born
Traditional
4Start With XML -- January 13, 2009
Start WithXML
<title>My Book<\title>
<chapter_number>\Chapter One<\chapter_number>
<chapter_title>I amborn<\chapter_title>
XML
Chapter One
My Book
I am Born
Page LayoutChapter One
My Book
I am Born
Dedicated Reader
My Book
ChapterOne
I am Born
Phone
Chapter One
My Book
I am Born
Large Type
<title>My Book<\title>
<chapter_number>ChapterOne<\chapter_number>
<chapter_title>I amborn<\chapter_title>
XML
Multiple formatsfrom onemaster file
Web
5Start With XML -- January 13, 2009
Challenges presented by Start With XML
• Traditional editorial workflow– Paper-based– Non-standardized digital editing on a fraction of manuscripts– Digital editing skills varies widely– Standard key-marking charts in use
• Control of key processes, but no ownership– Most copyediting work outsourced to freelancers– Most design work done by compositors or freelance designers– Standard design templates for interior no yet adopted– Lack of file tagging expertise
6Start With XML -- January 13, 2009
Digital workflows work best withstandardized processes
The goal is a process asordered as seven card studpoker.
The reality is commonly somethingcloser to fifty-two pick up.
Start With XML Pilot Program
• Production Editorial– Tested several combinations of manual and
automated copyediting and structural tagging• From current manual process to delivering digital copyedited
and structurally styled Word docs to the compositor
• Editorial– Piloted digital copyediting using MS Word track
changes• Authors were asked to work digitally• Editors testing pen editing on tablet pc’s
8Start With XML -- January 13, 2009
Pilot Findings: Editorial Production
• Editorial Production– Delivering fully corrected and structurally tagged
manuscripts will result in cost savings and increasedefficiencies
• Design templates for text interiors crucial
– First Pass Pages cleaner than current practice• Workflow unaffected after ms goes to compositor
– Limited number of freelance copyeditors workdigitally
• More expensive
– Tagging structure in Word a tedious process• Not an effective use of PE talent• MS Word Templates not currently an option
9Start With XML -- January 13, 2009
Pilot Findings: Editorial
• Content-centric approach calls for contextualtagging which should be done by the editor– Not a radical shift in process
• Editor still shaping content
• Need standard vocabulary for context tagging– Editorial tagging of files call for better tools
• XML editors are too complicated• Need ease of use of Word
• Track changes produced mixed results– Dependent on author’s willingness to use and/or
learn Track Changes– Difficult to standardize
10Start With XML -- January 13, 2009
Pilot Drove Implementation Roadmap
Print Centric Content Centric
DesignTemplates
Roll out XMLProd
Workflow
Digital Editing,Structural and
ContentTagging
Content CentricDesign
StandardContextualVocabulary/Taxonomy
Editorial Taggingof Content
Complexity--Time to Implement
11Start With XML -- January 13, 2009
In Conclusion• Structural tagging is not an issue
– How much is outsourced or kept in-house dependson what works best for the Publisher
– Move towards a digital standard is an evolution, not arevolution
• Editorial must adapt to new environment– Changing point of view from print-centric to content-
centric is the key• Books are not defined by their medium
– In digital world, formats do not need to mirror eachother
• Simple, straight forward tools for taggingcontent are needed for transition
12Start With XML -- January 13, 2009
