Workflows

Track your publishing process with workflows.

What is a Workflow?

A workflow in Pubblish is a way to track a book’s progress through your publishing pipeline. Workflows help you:

  • Track progress from manuscript to publication
  • Ensure nothing gets missed
  • See where each title stands

Workflow Status

Workflows can be in different states:

Status Meaning
Pending Not yet started
Running Currently in progress
Paused Temporarily stopped
Completed All steps done
Failed Encountered a problem
Cancelled Abandoned

Common Publishing Stages

Whether you’re self-publishing or traditionally publishing, most books go through similar stages:

Self-Publishing Stages

  1. Manuscript Complete - Finished draft
  2. Beta Readers - Feedback from test readers
  3. Editing - Professional editing
  4. Cover Design - Professional cover art
  5. Formatting - Interior layout for print/ebook
  6. Metadata - Complete descriptions, keywords, categories
  7. Upload - Send to distributors
  8. Launch - Release day activities
  9. Marketing - Ongoing promotion

Traditional Publishing Stages

  1. Submission - Author submits work
  2. Review - Editorial review and decision
  3. Contract - Legal agreement
  4. Developmental Edit - Big-picture content editing
  5. Copyedit - Line editing for grammar/style
  6. Proofreading - Final error checking
  7. Design - Cover and interior layout
  8. Production - Final files preparation
  9. Publication - Release to market

Best Practices

Tracking Progress

Do: - Update progress regularly - Add notes about issues or delays - Review completed projects to improve your process

Don’t: - Let status get out of sync with reality - Ignore overdue tasks

Planning Timelines

Realistic timeline estimates:

Stage Typical Duration
Beta reading 2-4 weeks
Copyediting 2-3 weeks
Proofreading 1-2 weeks
Cover design 2-4 weeks
Formatting 1-2 weeks

Total time from manuscript to market is typically 3-6 months for self-publishing, 9-18 months for traditional publishing.

Tips for Success

  1. Start Simple - Don’t overcomplicate your process initially
  2. Document Everything - Future you will thank present you
  3. Review Regularly - Update based on experience
  4. Be Flexible - Every book is different; adjust as needed
  5. Track Time - Record actual durations to improve estimates