The Manuscript

Planning the manuscript
It is essential that you have a very clear idea of what you want to write about and in what order it should appear. As with building a house, unless you have the plans and know what the house should look like when finished it is unlikely that you will get what you want let alone something that will stand the test of time.

Planning the outline and direction of the manuscript is therefore essential and can be done before the writer is appointed. At Focus we prepare a Writer's Brief for the client to review and approve so that we can ensure that the plans for the book are clear from the outset. This does not mean that they cannot be altered only that the vision is captured from the start.

Selecting a writer
Selecting the right writer for your book is yet another critical decision and there are many factors you need to consider. Some of the key things you need to think about are:

• their writing credentials
• their writing style
• do they have a track record in delivering on time
• will they relate well to the people in the company that will be working on the project
• what style of writing do you want-friendly, traditional, academic, colloquial..
• what are their other commitments
• how much will they cost, and is this in your budget
• how well will they take reworking of their text
• can you trust them,

and much, much more.

Talk to us if you want to avoid costly mistakes in this area. Many a project has come undone because the writer has not been selected properly, managed effectively or given the proper guidance. Other projects have flowed as planned because the right writer has been selected for the task.

Some of the writers that have worked with Focus include:

• John Arbouw
• Edna Carew
• John Cokley
• Michael Gill
• James Halliday
• Alex Kennedy
• Glenda Korporral
• Helen Meredith
• James Murray
• Dr John Stocker
• Michael Zekulich

Take the time to consider just what messages you want to deliver and how you want them written. Focus focuses your thoughts on these issues to obtain the answers at the outset

Helpful Hint
Give yourself enough time to create the best possible book. The more you plan upfront the better/more effective the end result. Talk to Focus Publishing - we take the guesswork out of creating your book and you get the benefit of our experience.