Dan Foster – Editor

Work with numerous authors and editors and oversee content development from raw manuscript to printer-ready files while adhering to demanding book production deadlines. Manage book production processes and schedules; direct authors, editors, compositors, and indexers; edit, rewrite, and proofread non-fiction books for multiple prominent book publishers.

House of Collectibles, The Crown Publishing Group, Random House
Managed all editorial and production processes for a well-known book imprint devoted to antiques and collectibles
• Oversaw production and ensured timeliness and quality of all books
• Assumed principal role for building strong editorial and production personnel, resources, and services
• Established and negotiated pricing for all editorial services
• Created budgets and cost estimates for PL statements
• Reduced plant costs by more than 30% while improving book quality and timeliness
• Developed and approved new book designs
• Worked with numerous authors, editors, and freelancers to develop, copyedit, and proof manuscripts
• Examined and approved all digital printer proofs

In the computer book division of a fast-paced, rapidly growing publishing company, lead and supervised the editorial department and oversaw its workflow to ensure the timeliness, quality, and cost-effectiveness of the production of more than 100 academic and instructional books on computers and technology.
• Hired and supervised all editorial staff
• Planned project timelines and allocated resources for the division
• Developed author guidelines and established quality standards for editing, design, and composition
• Wrote and edited cover copy, catalog copy, sales tip sheets, and other promotional materials
• Established and negotiated pricing for all editorial services
• Resolved author and editor concerns

In the computer book and non-fiction trade book divisions, oversaw the production of more than 100 titles from manuscripts to bound books
• Trained new editors and took on multiple roles, including developmental editor, copy editor, technical reviewer, project manager, and more
• Copyedited, proofread, and prepared manuscripts for print in a wide variety of subjects, including computers and technology, biography, current events, cooking, health, self-help, and other non-fiction

Coordinated the efforts of authors and editors during developmental editing, technical review, copyediting, indexing, page layout, and proofreading of numerous non-fiction books
• Edited and corrected manuscripts, page proofs, and bluelines, and critically evaluated all elements to ensure accuracy, consistency, attractiveness, and functionality
• Conducted printer press checks when necessary

In the editorial department of a publisher of scholarly scientific and technical books, coordinated all stages of book production from hard copy manuscripts to bound books
• Prepared manuscripts for typesetting, including copyediting, instructing freelance copy editors and reference editors, and monitoring art preparation
• Checked page proofs to ensure adherence to specifications, incorporated editorial and author corrections, and assigned cost responsibility for alterations
• Corresponded with numerous authors and volume editors
• Obtained copyright permissions for reproduced material
• Initiated and developed production-tracking schedule forms that were instituted company-wide