What we do
We are Taylor and Francis HSS's team of research experts, assisting editors and authors by ensuring that their book projects meet market demands and needs and that we stay abreast of trends and changes in the HSS disciplines. We liaise with sales, marketing, and production departments to ensure book projects stay on schedule and that sales reps and marketers have the tools they will need to effectively identify adoption opportunities and communicate the unique selling points and key features of our textbooks.
In addition to editorially-based research, the team conducts valuable business-based research to provide Routledge's stakeholders with important information about the competitive landscape, publishing initiatives and opportunities, and key markets. We also support editorial staff with guidance and training on how to conduct their own reviews and research, most visibly through our mentoring program.
Our research varies according to the needs of the project, the editor, or the business. We provide this service in a variety of ways depending upon the goals of the research task. Through the research done by the development team, we help grow sales revenue of premium and premium plus textbooks, support commissioning efforts, and provide insights into issues and trends in academic publishing for the business.
How to get a project into development
Subject area research (SAR)
Timeline: 3 months from briefing meeting to delivery of report
Context
- For when an Editor wants to ascertain the need for a new textbook, digital project, or series in a specific subject area in which Routledge currently has little or no publishing history
- For when an Editor has a proposal in hand for a 1st edition text and they want to market-test the proposal and get a better overview of the course market
- For when a textbook is in decline or is not likely to be revised and the Editor would like to see if there is an opportunity to publish something new in the area
What You Get
- Report which provides a detailed overview of opportunity, or risk, for proposed project
- Possible author leads from reviewers
- Outline of key items that a new product must include to be successful
- Possible adopter leads from review panel of 15-20 instructors
- Estimations of market size
- Overview of course market and current trends in the research and/or teaching of that subject
- Competitive overview of targeted market (identifies sales targets)
- Identification of any online resources that should accompany the proposed text and suggestions for integrating website and textbook
- Examination of international opportunities for text to be adopted into courses
Benefit
At present, the DE team has conducted 123 SARs since 2009 which have resulted in the commissioning of 53 new projects, and still counting (projected value of over £4.7M). Our team allows editors to get on with their other tasks as we conduct the time-consuming research, which eventually will provide them with commissioning leads and opportunities.
Revenue per Year from Book Projects Resulting from SARs
Current edition review (CER)
Timeline: 3 months from allocation to delivery of report
Context
- Done in advance of a new edition of a premium or premium plus textbook to ensure book addresses current trends in discipline and fixes any perceived weaknesses in text
- Investigation of possible causes for decline between editions (if needed)
- Market test author's proposed changes to the new edition
- Provides feedback from adopters and non-adopters in appropriate markets across the globe
What You Get
- Report outlining key strengths and weaknesses of current edition (and proposed revision plan, if included with review materials)
- Recommendations for improvement, including additions to the text, content that should be edited down or removed, pedagogy, level, and organization (whole book and chapter level) to ensure it's in alignment with instructors' course needs
- Recommendations for online resources to accompany the text and how they could be better integrated with printed text (based on reviewer feedback and user history of any previous or similar companion websites created by Routledge)
- Competitive insight and summary based on non-adopter feedback
- Identification of key regional markets for text based on feedback from authors across multiple regions
- Adoption leads and contact names for sales/marketing/editorial (the 10-20 reviewers plus any other contacts we found in our research)
Benefit
Our goal is to increase book's revenue over previous edition by at least 10% by providing authors with the key recommendations for improvements and providing a clearer picture of the competitive market and the key books sales and marketing should target for take-aways. The undertaking of a CER doesn't automatically qualify a book for full development; full development is only recommended if there's sufficient evidence in the report to indicate that extensive changes need to be made. A discussion with the Textbook Manager on completion of the CER will assess the next steps.
Textbook development
Timeline: Varies (see Development Tab)
This is a service reserved for titles expected to generate significant revenue (i.e., premium plus textbook) and could use extra assistance to ensure the market is seeded, the content matches course and instructor demands, the book is pitched to the appropriate audience, its key unique selling points and features and benefits are inherently visible, and that the appropriate online ancillary materials are created to support the text.
What we do
- Review revised (or new) content in batches of 3-5 chapters, making recommendations for revision after each batch—some of which must be implemented in next batch of 3-5 chapters before they're sent off for review
- Author management throughout development process
- Recommendations regarding online resources to accompany text
- Hiring and management of freelancers hired to create content (for text or website), do photo research, or for permissions.
- Text and cover design memos
- Collaborates with editor to create back cover and other sales and marketing copy
- Handover of textbook manuscript to production
- Launch meeting (includes creation of ABI for book, reviewer and leads lists)
- Handover of companion website content
- Sales and IC tracking for published titles over 3-year period
- CIP data application
- Updates to GT with respect to CIP data, copy, author bios, table of contents, endorsements
- Collection of endorsements
- Work with production, sales, and marketing departments throughout the process to ensure product is delivered on time and to market standards
What the EA does
- Costings (P&L)
- Creates GT records (ISBN, price, etc.)
- GT transaction
- Pays any permissions invoices
- Seasonal and subject catalogues
- Sends out author copies/reviewer copies/permissions copies
Benefit
Author(s) get more consistent attention and guidance to ensure their product meets market demands. Multiple rounds of reviewing helps secure adoptions and seed the market. Developed titles outperform non-developed titles in terms of revenue by 36% as compared to signings targets.
Business insight research
Timeline: 3 months from allocation to delivery of report
What We Do
Competitor Report
- Overview of key competitors on a yearly basis
- Examines strategic partnerships, digital initiatives, financial performance, acquisitions or restructures, key areas of strength, company strategy, eBook and monograph/short form publishing programs, emerging markets
Other reports have included topics such as eBook pricing, competitor pricing, short-form publishing programs, and librarian purchasing behavior.
What You Get
- Report outlining key changes since previous year's report for 10 key competing companies (and starting in 2015, some key U.S. university presses)
- Examines differences between U.S. and U.K. branches of company where relevant
- Identifies strengths and weaknesses of each competitor
Benefit
Provides company with research and data upon which to base decisions regarding future investments, pricing strategies, and potentially beneficial partnerships.
Research for digital products
What We Do
For editors wishing to explore the opportunities and competitive landscape of digital publishing, Development can offer both exploratory research into subject areas or review proposals that have already been submitted for digital products.
Either piece of research would take 3 months from the briefing meeting to final report. For editors that have already had a proposal in, or waiting for one, we also recommend getting some sample entries so that reviewers can assess some actual material and provide feedback on what the standard entry should feature and how long this should be.
How to get the research started
The process follows that of a typical piece of subject area research except there should be an initial meeting with the Head of Digital Development and Head of Textbook Development before the formal briefing meeting.
The process is as follows:
Campus calling
What we do
- Each Development Editor visits six campuses each academic year
- Appointments with a minimum of six individuals (instructors, librarians, bookshop managers) at each university/college
- Target instructors teaching courses for which we have books publishing or where an SAR is being conducted (i.e., courses in which we soon hope to publish a book)
- Speak to instructors about the course they are teaching, the books they use, technology and online resources they use in class, and any other relevant topics we've been tasked with researching (e.g., short-form publishing, flipped/hybrid classroom environments, etc.)
What You Get
- Campus calling report with notes from each meeting calling attention to sales and commissioning opportunities circulated to relevant editors, directors, marketing, and sales reps
- Contacts/meeting notes are added into CAS/GT
- Research reports examining key themes from campus calling including feedback from both U.K. and U.S. markets (e.g., librarian purchasing behavior, short form publishing)
Mentoring scheme
- Typically requires a three or four month commitment, but there is flexibility depending upon the mentee's schedule, travel, and scope of the project. It requires a manager's approval and engagement.
- Mentee is assigned a project and Development Editor provides guidance, support, and professional insights into how the development team goes about identifying the key research questions, developing a strategy for answering those questions, finding appropriate instructors to provide feedback, developing the research tool (questionnaire, survey), collating and summarizing reviewer feedback, and creating a report that summarize the research findings and makes recommendations based on that feedback.
- Mentee learns about the development process and the role of the Development Editor at Routledge.
- Mentee acquires skills and resources they can then apply to their own reviewing and research projects.
- The scheme is open to anyone who has an interest in development and is looking to broaden their experience or gain a deeper understanding of their subject area. Typically, mentees tend to be EAs, but we have mentored people from marketing, production, and sales.
- If you have a project in mind for a mentee to undertake on your behalf, please contact Liz Burton or Rebecca Pearce to discuss.