Much like a football game, you need a strategy to win with publishing. Without a plan, you lack focus, and you create loose threads that could've been avoided with a written-down approach. Even so, if you want to sell, your plan should be impeccable with detail.
Here's how to start...
Your Communication Strategy
First should be your communication strategy, as this determines the overall proposed delivery of the work. It is integral to your writing that you make these decisions early on before embarking on your publishing journey. Without this defined, your writing is likely to end up unread.
Topics covered should include:
Overall purpose of the work
Designated audience
Delivery mode (i.e. print or screen)
Budget and timetable
Identity and compliance aspects (e.g. sponsoring company)
How to achieve effectiveness
Your Management Plan
Your management plan is what carries you professionally. Through it, you are able to manage your tasks, your budget, your time slots, and your clients. By preparing it in advance of editing your project, you are able to prepare for potential set-backs, refer back to it if any changes need be made (or just proposed), and it ensures you're time efficient.
Topics covered should include:
Resources confirmation
Team meetings and job allocation
Schedule creation
Procedure monitoring
Document management system
Your Guidelines for Document Development
Here, is possibly your most referred to part of a publishing plan: the guidelines. If you've been studying for a writing degree, or have any interest in the dynamics behind good writing, you will have heard of some of these elements. Here is where you jot down your editorial style sheet and your content outline. These may be fiddled with quite a bit depending on your project --- but this is what saves time and keeps your editing consistent. Without it, mistakes are likely to dribble through.
Guidelines covered should include:
Contents and structure
Editorial style sheet
Design
Layout templates
Screen-based (if opting to have a screen-based publication)
Work Cited:
Snooks & Co. (2002). Style Manual. Milton, QLD: John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd