Reference Material

Make sure that you provide copies of any reference material you have used along with the hard copy of your manuscript. This might include texts and extracts, charts, diagrams and any helpful information about the page layout or the way to go through the material.

Artwork Brief

You will need to provide a brief for artwork as a part of your manuscript. This might include suggestions for illustrations, photos or realia, and also an indication of where diagrams should be inserted. Use italics to pick out your artwork suggestions and number each piece of artwork in sequence. Captions should be clearly shown.You will also need to list all artwork separately on an artwork brief. The editor or publisher will tell you roughly how many pieces of artwork have been budgeted into your project. Try not to get overambitious with your artwork requests; lots of tiny cramped pictures are not easy to teach with and not especially nice to look at either!

Artwork Types

Photos

To request a photo, give a simple, clear description of what is required. Do not include unnecessary detail as this makes photos hard to source. Provide references or the source of any photos you request along with the artwork brief.

Illustration

Keep the artwork briefs for illustrators simple and clear. Avoid unnecessary detail as this will distract from the main focus of the picture and add to the expense. If you need a technical or very specific illustration, include a sketch or a reference and label it with the number on the artwork brief.

National Curriculum

If it is relevant, make sure your identify the objectives or the part(s) of the national curriculum which you are targeting throughout your manuscript.

Writing to length

It's a good idea to ask your editor or publisher how many characters or words you should be writing per page, and make sure you know how many pages you have at your disposal. Most authors overwrite and this can mean having to make heavy and unwelcome cuts to the material.