How Long Does It Take to Publish a Book?

And what actually needs to happen along the way?

This is one of the most common questions we hear at Odyssey Books - and it’s a good one.

The honest answer? It depends on your book, your goals, and how you choose to publish. But one thing is consistent across the board: publishing is not a single event. It’s a thoughtful process that is just one step in a carefully sequenced journey. When the steps are rushed or skipped, even a strong book can struggle.

Our role at Odyssey Books is to help you move through this process with clarity and confidence, so your book has the best possible start.

Below is the framework we use and teach:

A note on timing: The timeframes below reflect best practice. Some projects move faster. Others take longer. First books, especially when done well, often take longer than expected.

The Phases of Publishing

A successful book launch moves through six distinct phases:

Writing and Development
Editing
Production
Pre-Launch
Launch
Post-Launch and Growth

Each phase builds on the one before it. When we honour the sequence, we protect both quality and results.

Phase 1: Writing and Development

Up to years before launch.

This phase is about creating a book that is truly ready for the world.

Key milestones include:

Completing the manuscript
Self-editing and refining
Beta reader feedback
Developmental editing
Structural revisions

This is also where we encourage you to begin thinking strategically:

Who is this book for?
What genre does it sit in?
How does it compare to other titles in the market?

Strong publishing decisions begin here, not at upload.

Phase 2: Editing

Editing is not a single step. It’s a process.

Depending on your genre, you may work with more than one editor. This can include:

Line or copyediting
Revisions
Proofreading after layout

At Odyssey Books, we never move a manuscript into production until editing is complete. Formatting an unedited manuscript costs time and money and can compromise the final product. Editing is an investment in credibility.

Phase 3: Production

Four to six months before launch.

This is where your manuscript becomes a professional product.

Key production steps include:

Interior formatting for ebook and print
Finalising cover design
Completing front and back matter
Assigning ISBNs
Establishing your publishing imprint
Finalising metadata such as title, description, keywords, and categories

Phase 4: Pre-Launch

Two to six months before launch

Pre-launch is foundational. It is where long-term success begins.

This phase includes:

Setting a firm publication date
Uploading your eBook for preorder
Preparing print distribution
Activating your ARC team
Securing reviews where appropriate
Beginning content marketing and visibility efforts
Growing and engaging your email list

We encourage authors to begin marketing well before launch day. If readers do not know your book exists, it cannot gain traction.

Phase 5: Launch

Two weeks before to three weeks after publication

We also ask how significant do you want your launch to be? A quiet release and a large-scale campaign require very different levels of preparation.

Publishing a book is a meaningful undertaking. It deserves care, intention, and a clear plan.

Launch is a focused window of activity.

During this time we prioritize:

Reader and ARC reviews
Email campaigns
Consistent social content
Podcast interviews and features
Outreach and publicity

Retail platforms respond to momentum. Consistent activity and engagement help your book gain visibility.

This is why preparation matters.

Phase 6: Post-Launch and Growth

The next five years of your life.

This phase focuses on:

Continued audience growth
Long-term marketing
Optimizing metadata
Expanding into additional formats
Leveraging partnerships, speaking, or related offers

Books that sell steadily over time are supported by systems and strategy, not constant hustle.

A Realistic Publishing Timeline at a Glance

Based on industry best practice:

12 months or more before launch: Writing completed
8 to 12 months before: Developmental editing and revisions
6 to 8 months before: Copyediting
4 to 6 months before: Production complete
2 to 6 months before: Preorders live, marketing underway
Launch window: Two weeks before through three weeks after publication
Post-launch: Ongoing growth and optimization

Before You Set a Timeline

Before establishing any schedule, we always come back to a few key questions:

Why are you writing this book?
What do you want it to achieve?
How do you plan to publish it?

At Odyssey Books Press, we walk this journey with our authors step by step. You do not have to navigate it alone. With the right structure in place, publishing becomes so rewarding, and the impact can be huge.

We have a small team that will guide your book through all the necessary steps to publication.

Your book is published under the imprint Odyssey Books.
You will be given a quoted fee for the services.
You may be offered a hybrid deal in which Odyssey Books will share in the costs and revenue of the book if we view it as a marketable book with a strong readership.
The author covers the production and printing costs of the book, while we share the journey of making your book a success.
This option suits authors with a finalized, high-quality manuscript who want a closer working relationship with a team to support you getting the best possible book out to market.
You'll have your book in your hand, as well as access to print-ready files, eBook conversion, and distribution services, including print-on-demand options through Amazon. Additional services like AIS sheets for marketing and book images enhance your publishing experience.

It may be published on a digital platform only, or you may want a printed version. You can also opt for POD (Print on Demand), which is excellent for international sales.

Our publishing estimate has been based on the supplied words and our estimation of pages (excluding the cover but including preliminaries), calculated at 300 words per page. The final cost may change if the final word count, page count, or job specifications are altered.

Our tight and supportive team will guide you through each step in the complex publishing process.

As the author, your involvement is crucial at every stage of the process.

Editing your Manuscript

Your book must undergo professional editing. We will not proceed with a book unless this is agreed. The only question is this: how senior an editor do you need? We'll advise if it requires a substantive, line-edit, or copy edit, each differing in the level of editor involvement. The editing process, spanning 4-6 weeks, may include multiple rounds of comments and changes.
Developmental Editing: A senior editor handles structural improvements, suggesting changes, additional topics, or large revisions.
Substantive Editing: Focuses on enhancing readability and flow, revising aspects of the text for better presentation.
Copy-/Line-Editing: Corrects spelling, grammar, punctuation, and syntax, ensuring consistency throughout the manuscript. The manuscript is prepared for layout.

Book Interior Template and Stylesheet Setup

We design the interior look and layout of your book, setting up templates and style sheets for text formatting. This crucial step ensures efficient typesetting, uniformity in design elements, and a professional appearance. The quoted cost is based on estimated pages.

Professional Typesetting and Layout

After setting up the design template, your book undergoes professional typesetting. You'll receive page proofs in PDF format for review, with commenting enabled for direct feedback. Final page proofs must be approved before sample book printing begins, ensuring your satisfaction before the main print run commences.

Cover Design

For e-books, a front cover suffices, but printed books require a back cover and spine. We match a designer to your genre, who will engage with you to explore ideas and provide two design options for review and revision before finalizing a design.

To guide our designer effectively, we request a series of images and covers you favor. We utilize provided artwork, originate our own, or commission an illustrator if necessary. The service includes:

Creating a unified artwork piece comprising the back cover, spine, and front cover.
Incorporating all text, such as the back cover blurb and spine text, and refining typography.
Adding supplementary elements like barcodes, QR codes (if needed), social media icons (if desired), and author bios with photos (if required).
Providing author proofs and implementing necessary author corrections.
Generating a final print-ready PDF complete with spine, trim marks, and bleed.

Proofreading

Proofreading occurs post-layout and entails checking and rectifying:

Punctuation and text errors that may have slipped through from editing.
Ensuring no errors have occurred in typesetting and production.
Ensuring consistency in formatting and treatment of graphical elements.
Verifying that TOC page numbers match actual page numbers in the book.
Checking for orphans and widows.
Last minute changes.

ISBN Number and Barcode

We will handle the application for an ISBN on your behalf if your book is to be printed. The ISBN serves as a global identifier for your book, essential for ordering and sales purposes by retailers worldwide.

A barcode, which we will also generate, is necessary for selling your book at any point-of-sale equipped with a barcode scanner. Stores and distribution centers typically require a barcode for inventory management.

Document Prep and Print Ready PDF

Before pushing play to print, your book undergoes various pre-press checks to ensure compliance with all printing standards. Subsequently, a print-ready PDF file is generated, and final specifications are confirmed with the printer.

Since you have covered full production costs, you own all print-ready files. Furthermore, you retain copyright to these files, allowing you to reprint the book anywhere globally, as necessary.

Remember at this stage that the printing quote will be redone, and the payment to the printer is direct. That means you don’t pay BIB, you pay the printer we select directly.

Printed Sample Book

Before we press play on your main print run, you will get a printed sample book for sign-off. This sample represents precisely how your book will appear. Once you have approved the sample, the production phase technically concludes, and your project is prepared for printing.

E Book Conversion and E-Publishing

We collaborate with an external team on this to prepare and convert your book into Kindle (Amazon) and ePub formats (for other retailers). This process involves several steps, such as removing blank pages, page numbers, and headers; updating print-edition information to suit the ebook edition; embedding interactive table of contents links; adapting cover artwork; and optimizing content for ebook readability. Subsequently, we convert the file into ePub and Kindle formats. We work with

Amazon, Takealot, Apple, Google, Barnes and Noble, De Marque, Ebooks.com, Fable, Gardners, Glose, Hummingbird, ITSO, Libreka, Libri.de, Kobo, Perusall, Publica, Redshelf, Spoonread, Vitalsource, WOOK, Check.

The ebook distribution service entails:

Creating an account in your name on distribution sites.
Uploading your ebook files.
Setting metadata such as book details, pricing, royalty options, sales regions, copyright information, description, BISAC code, and keywords.
Optionally completing the US Tax Interview form on your behalf.
Proofing the file online to ensure proper functionality as an ebook.
Making your book 'live' and providing you with backend details to monitor sales, adjust pricing and payment options, etc.

Once all aspects are configured, you will receive all income generated from the sale of your book after deducting bookstore discounts and US taxes.

Print on Demand

Print-on-Demand through Amazon and Takealot.com

We offer the convenience of print-on-demand for international distribution of physical copies. Upon your behalf, we establish an account and upload the print-ready files. Books are printed as orders are placed, eliminating the need for bulk printing and storage. As all accounts are under your name, you receive direct payment and retain the full profit after deducting printing costs and any applicable bookstore discounts.

Distribution

Book launch and distribution

We do not distribute your books into bookstores, but can advise you of distribution options. Books are delivered to a single location. We would love to support you in the launch.

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