Development Editor

Bloomsbury•New York, NY

19h•Hybrid

About The Position

Fairchild Books, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing and the leading US publisher in Fashion and Interior Design academic textbooks, is seeking a textbook development editor to join its New York team. This role involves communicating expectations and requirements regarding manuscript preparation, artwork, and schedules to authors, ensuring adherence to contracts and publishing plans. The Development Editor will guide authors through the delivery of manuscripts, working closely with the production team to bring titles to publication. Key responsibilities include analyzing manuscript quality, accuracy, and currency, monitoring project variables to stay within budget, arranging reviews for market feedback, and preparing development plans for authors. The editor will advise authors on necessary changes, evaluate and suggest pedagogical enhancements, and collaborate with the Art Editor on the art program. Additionally, the role involves preparing transmittal documents for production, drafting promotional copy for marketing, briefing the production team, reviewing sample design pages and page proofs, participating in cover discussions, and tailoring ancillary resources. The Development Editor will also work with the Digital team and Editorial Assistant/Assistant Editor on online resources, attend editorial meetings, and provide support to marketing and sales teams.

Requirements

3-5 years of publishing experience in textbook publishing and/or content development editing.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office (specifically Word and PowerPoint); basic skills needed in Adobe PhotoShop.
Adaptable to new learning new software (Biblio, Collection Point, etc.)
Excellent schedule management and ability to multi-task and juggle multiple projects (typically 15-20 per year) simultaneously at various stages of development.
Able to sensitively and clearly convey edits, information, and recommendations to authors across a range of disciplines and experience levels.
Excellent written communication skills in a positive and professional manner.
Adaptable communication skills to accommodate author needs, including but not limited to, email communication, phone communication, and video call communication.
Scheduling and maintaining regular author meetings as needed.
Attention to detail is essential.

Responsibilities

Communicate the expectations and requirements regarding manuscript preparation, artwork, and schedules to authors in agreement with contract and publishing plan.
Ensure that author meets interim schedule for delivery of 1st draft through final manuscript adhering to approval title proposal or revision plan.
Work closely with production team to bring titles through publication.
Analyze manuscript quality, accuracy, currency, and progress from 1st draft to final manuscript regarding organization, topical coverage, consistency of presentation, reading level, illustrations, pedagogical features, and up-to-date references.
Monitor length, art counts, and all other variables that affect project goals to ensure assigned project stays within the approved budget.
With support from Editorial Assistant, arrange reviews to provide market feedback for first draft and final manuscript for new titles.
Analyze comments, prepare development plan to guide authors in the writing and revising stages.
Advise authors on making necessary changes to ensure that each title will satisfy the quality, accuracy, currency, and content needs of the market to the fullest extent possible.
Evaluate and/or suggest suitable pedagogy from an overall assessment to actual creation of chapter-by-chapter features that will enhance the main strengths of the text and meet the needs of the specific target audience.
Work closely with the Art Editor to evaluate the art program to ensure recommendations enhance the text and represent a mix of photographs and drawings with reasonable pacing throughout text and, if necessary, make recommendations for replacement or additional art.
Prepare all documents for transmittal to production, including style sheets for copyediting, cover copy from author, design template.
For Marketing, draft promotional copy based on Author Marketing Questionnaire and Competitive Grid.
Brief full manuscript and complete art program to production.
Review sample design pages, ensuring that design includes all text and art elements listed in design memo and that design interprets design memo in a way that achieves the goals established by the Publisher and Acquiring Editor.
Review each stage of page proofs from first page proofs to final page proofs.
Participates in cover discussions, including but not limited to selections, title treatment, essential cover information, and ensuring the final cover mechanical is complete, including all Fairchild Book front cover, spine, and back cover information, accurate, and provides final approval.
Tailor ancillary resources to address specific content and market needs of each title, including instructor and student resources the publisher has selected for each title.
Work closely with the Digital team and the Fairchild Books Editorial Assistant/Assistant Editor to review, assess, ensure quality, and upload of online resource materials for student and instructor resources.
Attends, participates, and presents at a variety of editorial meetings.
Provide information and support as necessary to marketing/sales to introduce new titles and revisions and maximize the title’s sales potential in the marketplace.