Editorial and Pre-Press Services

Prepress Services

Experience New Automated Workflows, Methodologies, Efficiencies and Growth

diacriTech provides prepress services (editorial and composition) for books, textbooks, journals, and periodicals to publishers worldwide. We help publishers address the many challenges of an increasingly digitized content industry by keeping pace with ever-changing consumer needs and technologies. We leverage industry leading practices, customized tools, and skilled resources to handle even the most demanding schedule with ease. Here is an overview of our prepress services.

Prepress Services

Project Management Services

To ensure that all projects are skillfully coordinated and managed, diacriTech provides different levels of project management services suitable for projects of all sizes and scopes. Project Management involves all the prepress services from overseeing the production of titles and the receipt of manuscript to final deliverables, transforming disorganized work into a well-structured process that will ensure quality results.

Our project management services help maintain a synchronized workflow between the authors, production teams, and customer contacts through the operations. Whether you are considering outsourcing project management work for your organization or simply require support to manage a publishing project or publication, we will lay out a detailed editorial strategy to help you build a path for positive business outcomes. From initiating and planning to executing and then tracking the project progress until receiving the final sign-off, we take care of it all.

What we offer:

  • Experienced project managers handpicked with an editorial background.
  • Experienced in liaising with authors, editors, typesetters, etc.
  • Expertise in managing both print and digital workflows.
  • Work in multiple shifts aligning to customer time zone.
  • Ability to oversee multiple projects across all phases of development.
  • Ability to monitor workflow and make timeline adjustments as needed.
  • Vendors/freelancers/in-house teams management.
  • Assisted by a full-blown ERP to manage projects and production control.
  • Project managers are accessible by US/UK/Australia local numbers and Skype.
  • All project managers have running mates as a backup.

Typesetting Services

An eye to page layout, design, and the ability to meet deadlines reliably are what contribute to publishing success. With several years of experience in various typesetting publishing tools and related services, diacriTech’s workforce of highly qualified staff is time-efficient in their practice and skilled to handle any aspect of typesetting work. We adhere to strict formatting guidelines and use the best software to maintain formatting consistency. We provide typesetting services through LaTeX and InDesign to create and structure content in a captivating format for eBooks and print books. All composition projects are tracked through automated publishing tools and workflow in a cloud-based platform.

Typesetting services in Macintosh and Microsoft Windows platforms include the following:

  • Page makeup and development of proofs including correction and placement of assets
  • Front-end XML workflow into InDesign
  • Non-XML workflow for QuarkXPress and FrameMaker
  • Latex
  • InDesign Design/Template creation (including Typefi Systems)
  • QuarkXPress Design/Template creation
  • FrameMaker Design/Template creation
  • 3B2 Template creation
  •        Generate Latex to print PDF
  •        Converting Word to Latex and vice versa
  •        Converting Latex to XML/HTML
  •        Latex Template creation
  •        Generating PDF/XML/HTML from 3B2
  •        3B2 Template creation

If you are looking for someone to create a unique, compelling, and visually evoking layout structured with customized and fascinating illustrations for your books, you must avail of our typesetting services. We offer interactive typesetting services for eBooks and print books in all formats, layout, MOBI, ePub3, and ePub as per requirements.

Copyediting and Proofreading Services

Copyediting and proofreading are essential elements that lay the foundation for high-quality publications. diacriTech’s editorial team has a group of highly skilled copy editors and proofreaders from various disciplines, such as medicine, life science, social science, engineering, law, humanities, etc. to deliver the best quality editorial services. The team of specialty editors is familiar with the nuances of perfecting and provides the best copy editing services. They have extensive experience in editing to achieve style consistency, clarity, accuracy, and improved readability throughout a publication.

Besides the processes mentioned earlier, our editorial services also include textbook editing services, (PPR) professional proofreading services or (EPR) editorial proofreading services. This helps to detect and correct production errors of text/art and ensure the document is accurate in all copyediting, proofreading, and typesetting aspects. EPR involves checking for spelling errors, wrong labels, misnumbering, style maintenance, collation of author corrections, and verifying whether author corrections are set as per style and updated accordingly. Moreover, the copyeditors strictly adhere to quality control (QC) and turnaround time (TAT).

Digital Conversion Services

To meet multichannel audiences’ soaring requirements and demands in a print-to-digital world, diacriTech provides a wide range of conversion services using industry-leading practices. We have the capability of converting files virtually from any format to another. The most popular among them are as follows:

From: Paper, PDF, PS, SGML, TEX, FrameMaker, Quark, Ventura, Word, INDD, FrameMaker, PageMaker, Databases, etc.

To: Word, ePub, XML, MathML, Database, or other customer-specific format.

We are also proficient in XML package creation for JSTOR, HighWire Express platform, PMC (PubMed Central), and NIMAS XML conversion.

We provide ePub/ePub3 conversion services and formatting services pertaining to IDPF standards and specialize in

  • Creation of EPUB from Word and other application files
  • Conversion of Word files to reflowable/fixed-layout EPUB (including widget placement)
  • Conversion of PDF files to reflowable EPUB (including widget placement)
  • Conversion of HTML/Word/XML to EDUPUB

Artwork and Graphics

Art and image processing is an essential constituent in the composition process. diacriTech has provided professional art development and end-to-end design services to global customers in the PreK-12, Higher Ed, and ELT segments for over a decade. We offer art and design solutions for various vertices, from brand logo designs, custom website designs, image optimization and vectorization, magazine design, and book layout designs.

We have a custom-built art studio that works 24x6 with a staff of different backgrounds specializing in Illustrator, Photoshop, 3DMax, ChemDraw, etc. Artists can redraw artwork and work from conceptual briefs and convert photographs into illustrations. Our creative artists conceptualize art considering the requirements of various standards on racial diversity.

Our art workflow includes an input QC (Quality Control) analysis process to identify and segregate art that needs redrawing or retouch. Art output QC analysis is independent and does technical profiling of art in order to ensure that the artwork is consistent in terms of stroke width, thickness, resolution requirements, and color space requirements. Exhaustive preflight checks are done before passing them on to page makeup.

Types of artwork done (well-customized technical, situational, and medical art)

  • Mechanical drawing
  • Medical illustrations
  • Science illustrations
  • Map drawing
  • Situational drawing
  • Infographic
  • Icons
  • Book design—covers and interiors, etc.

Our Art services include

  • Concept art
  • Character design (for animation, games, advertisements)
  • Cartoon art
  • Creative illustrations
  • Creative redrawing
  • Art correction
  • Image resizing
  • Maps (redraw/correction)
  • Image retouching
  • Relabeling
  • Scanning
  • Coloring work
  • Color conversion
  • Disk and relabeling (raster/vector)
  • Disk edit
  • Extraction

Content Development Services

When developing educational content, it is important to ensure that the information is carefully aligned to the learning objectives and the corresponding standards of the curriculum framework. Content writers who are often not aware of the pedagogy of certain grade levels fail to put up the information in a grade-appropriate manner.

Also, content development usually requires an understanding of aesthetics, including research, organization of content, supporting images, and formatting. Many content developers are not aware or well-versed with the tools that can help enhance the content.

diacriTech holds a niche in delivering innovative content for a diverse range of publishers across the globe. Our team of content developers has hands-on experience in researching, developing, and creating content across disciplines to support the learning requirements of K-12, ELT, Higher Education, and STM students.

They ensure that the content is original and free of plagiarism, adheres to the client guidelines, maps to learning objectives and any other framework, is relevant to the topic, and is factually correct. Our highly skilled content developers make sure that the content is free of language and structural errors, is in a valid format, supported by relevant and appropriate graphics along with other visual representations.

Being familiar with best practices in curriculum building and lesson planning, they can easily adapt content as required. For example, reflect bloom’s taxonomy, make it age-appropriate, or meet syllabi objectives.

Our content development services include the following:

  • Fixed-layout
  • Static/algorithmic item writing
  • Cold solving
  • Lesson plan writing/hand guide development for teachers and students
  • Content for inquiry-based learning
  • Translation
  • Content repurposing
  • CMS/LMS content population services
  • Test item bank and assessment Development
  • Permissions
  • Assessment writing
  • Taxonomy services
  • Journal article writing
  • Website/marketing content
  • E-learning/storyboards/interactive content development for digital platforms
  • Voiceover content development
  • Closed captioning
  • Educational taxonomy tagging
  • Alt-text
  • NCLEX-style question creation
  • Book mapping
  • Solutions manual development
  • Accuracy checking/fact checking

Manuscript Assessment and Technical Screening Services

With just about 5% of the submitted papers being accepted in high-impact journals, the need for a competent assessment and screening process has never been greater. diacriTech has specialist editors from various scientific disciplines to perform manuscript assessment and technical screening (MATS) services. The purpose of MATS is to ensure all manuscript submissions are screened for language, completeness and are ready for peer review before being assigned to an editor.

People often confuse it with proofreading and copy editing, but it differs from both. Proofreading and copy-editing are detailed reviewing processes to check the accuracy of spelling, grammar, and punctuation, while a Manuscript Assessment provides professional advice or an objective opinion of your work that comes from an experienced industry professional.

diacriTech works with a team of authors and editors to make sure someone with expertise in your area reads your manuscript. The manuscripts are carefully screened for completeness at this stage to ensure their smooth movement through the peer review process without any issues. This averts additional and needless work for all the process stakeholders such as author, editor, reviewer, and journal manager at a later stage.

With MATS being a time-sensitive academic operation, diacriTech uses postgraduates in Science or Engineering having good knowledge of written English to comprehend the journal requirement quickly and ensure successful screening.

Indexing Services

Indexes play an important role in helping readers locate information quickly and efficiently. Moreover, they are not a mere feature of bulky books, but help make a memorable first impression. Hence, it is vital that they are accurate and well organized.

You can outsource indexing services to diacriTech. We offer professional index creation, book indexing, and document indexing services to enhance the usability of publications. Our team has extensive experience preparing indexes for STM, humanities, and trade books for many leading educational publishers. We conduct extensive research and validation, then prepare highly interactive indexes for easy navigation and a seamless reading experience.

The benefits of our book indexing and document indexing services are listed here:

  • Our index team members are widely read, meticulous in the handling of detail, concise and logical in their work..
  • They are well acquainted with the styles of many publishers and capable of meeting tight deadlines.
  • Index team members are assigned based on the required background knowledge.
  • We are well versed in using tools such as CINDEX.

Copyrights & Permissions – Research and clearance

In today’s mainstream publishing industry, obtaining approval to use third-party copyrighted content in publications has become the norm. Yet, this continues to be a challenging task for many publishers. diacriTech has a simplified turnkey workflow managed successfully by the Rights & Permissions (R&P) team. This workflow not only promotes transparency and minimizes cost, but it also takes the complexity and hassles out of the copyrights clearance process for third-party assets (images/photos).

The team has the requisite experience communicating with third-party rights holders, publishers, and copyright agents regarding acquiring permissions. They contact the copyright holders and request permission to use the materials, negotiate a fee and manage the contract agreement and identify the rights being granted. Moreover, they keep track of the price to help you stay on budget as well as create the source lines the copyright holders specify to be used. The team members also have expertise in using automated permissions management services such as Copyright Clearance Center, PLSClear, and RightsLink service, which facilitate the process of acquiring permissions.