Editorial Strategies and Developments

Richard DelahuntyManaging EditorPolitics and International RelationsUKSG Seminar, Oxford, 21st JanuaryWeb: www.tandf.co.uk/journals Email: Richard.Delahunty@tandf.co.uk

Overview

• Introduction

• Starting a new journal

• Publishing a society journal

• Journal review and development

• Conclusions

Introduction - Readership• The customers – the library and the readers• Focus

• Content• Ease of use and ease of access to content• Disseminate research to serve academic

community• Strategy and Development

• Inward – must be inline with company objectives

• Outward – must meet the needs of the end user

• A journal needs a good reputation

• Captures key authors

• Grows impact of the journal

• Increases dissemination

• Increases subscriptions, grows the journal

• How?

• Good editor and editorial board

• Quality papers via stringent peer-review

• Well-presented, well-marketed, well-priced

The Journal

Starting a new journal - 1

• Know your subject

• Generate ideas• Research

• Contacts

• Current publishing

• Identify key players in the field

• Put together proposal and draft terms

Starting a new journal - 2

• Put together a business plan • Circulate internally, gain input from directors,

marketing, and production

• Consult at all times with Editor(s) and/or Society

• Consult at all times internally

• Launch!• Marketing campaign including call for papers,

announcements, conference display, advertising

Starting a new journal - 3

• Now the hard work begins…• Welcome letter to the editors with contact details for

T&F staff

• Cover design, leaflet, set up free list, stationery, publicise aims and scope to the right people, editorial board, submission info, pricing

• Monitor reactions in early stages, attend as many conferences as possible, mention the journal at relevant meetings, gauge reactions

Publishing a Society Journal

• Identify the society

• Make contact (and maintain contact)

• Project goes to tender/invitation

• Proposal stage

• Negotiation

• Publication

Publishing a society journal – Society Interests

• Priorities for societies are different• Financial return• Serving membership• Dissemination of members’ research

• Members’ benefits• Return needs to allow society to develop as a

business• Special society rate/ web site/ merchandise/

conferences• Journal and society need to be marketed together

Journal Review and Development

• Anticipate market needs

• Conduct performance reviews• Internally

• Externally – talk to editors and editorial board

• Outcomes• Are we publishing in the correct way? Should the

journal be online only, an online database, fewer issues, more issues

Conclusions

• More collaboration between publishers, libraries and academics than ever before

• New developments continue to enrich the experience of the reader

• Technology offers faster publishing and opportunities for pre-print viewing of articles