Publishing House Title Desk
Independent book publishers and small presses
Authors, titles in production, schedule steps and royalty statements for a publisher.
Use this templatePublishing House Title Desk
The list in one place: authors, every title in production, the dated steps behind each, and the royalty statements owed. Start with the Dashboard each Monday. Anything marked Blocked gets a call that day, and nothing goes to the printer while Schedule health shows Blocked.
Dashboard
Book production calendar
Royalty statement routine
Acquisitions guide
Authors
Everyone the press publishes or is courting, with agent, contact and money owed.
| Author | Status | Writes | Phone | Agent or representative | Assign to me | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marguerite Olawale-Finch | Published author | marguerite.of@mailbox.net | (617) 555-0131 | Thorne Literary | — | |
| Elias Brandvold | Under contract | elias.b@mailbox.net | (617) 555-0132 | — | — | |
| Sakura Ibarra-Whitlock | Under contract | sakura.iw@mailbox.net | (617) 555-0133 | Quill and Key Agency | — | |
| Cornelius Adebayo | Published author | cornelius.a@mailbox.net | (617) 555-0134 | — | — | |
| Dolores Hartmann-Nwosu | Published author | dolores.hn@mailbox.net | (617) 555-0135 | Brightpage Agency | — | |
| Tobias Eriksen-Mbeki | Prospect | tobias.em@mailbox.net | (617) 555-0136 | — | — | |
| Imogen Castellano | Under contract | imogen.c@mailbox.net | (617) 555-0137 | Thorne Literary | — | |
| Hollis Quigley | Parted ways | — | — | — | — |
Titles
Every book from acquisition to publication, with its publication date, price and production health.
| Title | Author | Status | Format | Manuscript due | Publication date | Advance (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Salt Road | Marguerite Olawale-Finch | Proofs | Apr 2, 2026 | Nov 28, 2026 | $8,000 | |
| Letters from the Night Ferry | Sakura Ibarra-Whitlock | Copyedit | Jul 21, 2026 | Oct 24, 2026 | $6,000 | |
| A Small History of Harbors | Cornelius Adebayo | Published | Sep 14, 2025 | Aug 20, 2026 | $7,500 | |
| Moss and the Moon | Dolores Hartmann-Nwosu | Design | Jun 21, 2026 | Oct 19, 2026 | $4,500 | |
| What the River Kept | Imogen Castellano | Editing | Sep 19, 2026 | Mar 18, 2027 | $9,000 | |
| Winter at Larkspur | Marguerite Olawale-Finch | Published | Nov 18, 2024 | Aug 25, 2025 | $5,000 | |
| The Cartographer's Daughter | Elias Brandvold | Acquired | Dec 18, 2026 | Jul 6, 2027 | $12,000 | |
| Counting Stars Backwards | Dolores Hartmann-Nwosu | At printer | Aug 20, 2026 | Oct 17, 2026 | $4,500 |
Production steps
The dated steps each title passes through: edit, copyedit, design, proofs and files.
| Production step | Title | Kind | Status | Due on | Freelancer or vendor | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Proofread, The Salt Road | The Salt Road | In progress | Oct 21, 2026 | Maren Duquesne | Mirabelle Okoro-Lindgren | |
| Index, The Salt Road | The Salt Road | To do | Oct 25, 2026 | Oskar Lindroth | Mirabelle Okoro-Lindgren | |
| Files to printer, The Salt Road | The Salt Road | To do | Nov 3, 2026 | — | Mirabelle Okoro-Lindgren | |
| Copyedit, Letters from the Night Ferry | Letters from the Night Ferry | In progress | Oct 23, 2026 | Priya Anand | Mirabelle Okoro-Lindgren | |
| Cover design, Moss and the Moon | Moss and the Moon | Blocked | Oct 17, 2026 | Hamish Reyes | Mirabelle Okoro-Lindgren | |
| Interior layout, Moss and the Moon | Moss and the Moon | To do | Oct 19, 2026 | Hamish Reyes | Mirabelle Okoro-Lindgren | |
| Developmental edit, What the River Kept | What the River Kept | In progress | Oct 28, 2026 | Quentin Alvarado | Quentin Alvarado | |
| Metadata, Counting Stars Backwards | Counting Stars Backwards | To do | Oct 20, 2026 | — | Mirabelle Okoro-Lindgren |
Royalty statements
The royalty statement owed to each author each period, with amounts and payment dates.
| Royalty statement | Author | Period | Royalties earned (USD) | Status | Pay by | Paid on |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Olawale-Finch, second half | Marguerite Olawale-Finch | $1,840 | Draft | Oct 25, 2026 | — | |
| Adebayo, second half | Cornelius Adebayo | $2,260 | Ready to pay | Oct 19, 2026 | — | |
| Hartmann-Nwosu, second half | Dolores Hartmann-Nwosu | $3,120 | Draft | Oct 17, 2026 | — | |
| Olawale-Finch, first half | Marguerite Olawale-Finch | $1,590 | Paid | Apr 22, 2026 | Apr 23, 2026 | |
| Adebayo, first half | Cornelius Adebayo | $1,940 | Paid | Apr 21, 2026 | Apr 22, 2026 | |
| Hartmann-Nwosu, first half | Dolores Hartmann-Nwosu | $2,840 | Paid | Apr 21, 2026 | Apr 24, 2026 | |
| Castellano, advance earn-out check | Imogen Castellano | $0 | Disputed | Oct 22, 2026 | — |
The list at a glance. Charts read the live tables.
| Title | Author | Status | Format | Manuscript due | Publication date | Advance (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Salt Road | Marguerite Olawale-Finch | Proofs | Apr 2, 2026 | Nov 28, 2026 | $8,000 | |
| Letters from the Night Ferry | Sakura Ibarra-Whitlock | Copyedit | Jul 21, 2026 | Oct 24, 2026 | $6,000 | |
| A Small History of Harbors | Cornelius Adebayo | Published | Sep 14, 2025 | Aug 20, 2026 | $7,500 | |
| Moss and the Moon | Dolores Hartmann-Nwosu | Design | Jun 21, 2026 | Oct 19, 2026 | $4,500 | |
| What the River Kept | Imogen Castellano | Editing | Sep 19, 2026 | Mar 18, 2027 | $9,000 | |
| Winter at Larkspur | Marguerite Olawale-Finch | Published | Nov 18, 2024 | Aug 25, 2025 | $5,000 | |
| The Cartographer's Daughter | Elias Brandvold | Acquired | Dec 18, 2026 | Jul 6, 2027 | $12,000 | |
| Counting Stars Backwards | Dolores Hartmann-Nwosu | At printer | Aug 20, 2026 | Oct 17, 2026 | $4,500 |
| Title | Author | Status | Format | Manuscript due | Publication date | Advance (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Salt Road | Marguerite Olawale-Finch | Proofs | Apr 2, 2026 | Nov 28, 2026 | $8,000 | |
| Letters from the Night Ferry | Sakura Ibarra-Whitlock | Copyedit | Jul 21, 2026 | Oct 24, 2026 | $6,000 | |
| A Small History of Harbors | Cornelius Adebayo | Published | Sep 14, 2025 | Aug 20, 2026 | $7,500 | |
| Moss and the Moon | Dolores Hartmann-Nwosu | Design | Jun 21, 2026 | Oct 19, 2026 | $4,500 | |
| What the River Kept | Imogen Castellano | Editing | Sep 19, 2026 | Mar 18, 2027 | $9,000 | |
| Winter at Larkspur | Marguerite Olawale-Finch | Published | Nov 18, 2024 | Aug 25, 2025 | $5,000 | |
| The Cartographer's Daughter | Elias Brandvold | Acquired | Dec 18, 2026 | Jul 6, 2027 | $12,000 | |
| Counting Stars Backwards | Dolores Hartmann-Nwosu | At printer | Aug 20, 2026 | Oct 17, 2026 | $4,500 |
| Production step | Title | Kind | Status | Due on | Freelancer or vendor | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Proofread, The Salt Road | The Salt Road | In progress | Oct 21, 2026 | Maren Duquesne | Mirabelle Okoro-Lindgren | |
| Index, The Salt Road | The Salt Road | To do | Oct 25, 2026 | Oskar Lindroth | Mirabelle Okoro-Lindgren | |
| Files to printer, The Salt Road | The Salt Road | To do | Nov 3, 2026 | — | Mirabelle Okoro-Lindgren | |
| Copyedit, Letters from the Night Ferry | Letters from the Night Ferry | In progress | Oct 23, 2026 | Priya Anand | Mirabelle Okoro-Lindgren | |
| Cover design, Moss and the Moon | Moss and the Moon | Blocked | Oct 17, 2026 | Hamish Reyes | Mirabelle Okoro-Lindgren | |
| Interior layout, Moss and the Moon | Moss and the Moon | To do | Oct 19, 2026 | Hamish Reyes | Mirabelle Okoro-Lindgren | |
| Developmental edit, What the River Kept | What the River Kept | In progress | Oct 28, 2026 | Quentin Alvarado | Quentin Alvarado | |
| Metadata, Counting Stars Backwards | Counting Stars Backwards | To do | Oct 20, 2026 | — | Mirabelle Okoro-Lindgren |
| Royalty statement | Author | Period | Royalties earned (USD) | Status | Pay by | Paid on |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Olawale-Finch, second half | Marguerite Olawale-Finch | $1,840 | Draft | Oct 25, 2026 | — | |
| Adebayo, second half | Cornelius Adebayo | $2,260 | Ready to pay | Oct 19, 2026 | — | |
| Hartmann-Nwosu, second half | Dolores Hartmann-Nwosu | $3,120 | Draft | Oct 17, 2026 | — | |
| Olawale-Finch, first half | Marguerite Olawale-Finch | $1,590 | Paid | Apr 22, 2026 | Apr 23, 2026 | |
| Adebayo, first half | Cornelius Adebayo | $1,940 | Paid | Apr 21, 2026 | Apr 22, 2026 | |
| Hartmann-Nwosu, first half | Dolores Hartmann-Nwosu | $2,840 | Paid | Apr 21, 2026 | Apr 24, 2026 | |
| Castellano, advance earn-out check | Imogen Castellano | $0 | Disputed | Oct 22, 2026 | — |
Steps due in the next 7 days
| Production step | Title | Kind | Status | Due on | Freelancer or vendor | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Proofread, The Salt Road | The Salt Road | In progress | Oct 21, 2026 | Maren Duquesne | Mirabelle Okoro-Lindgren | |
| Index, The Salt Road | The Salt Road | To do | Oct 25, 2026 | Oskar Lindroth | Mirabelle Okoro-Lindgren | |
| Files to printer, The Salt Road | The Salt Road | To do | Nov 3, 2026 | — | Mirabelle Okoro-Lindgren | |
| Copyedit, Letters from the Night Ferry | Letters from the Night Ferry | In progress | Oct 23, 2026 | Priya Anand | Mirabelle Okoro-Lindgren | |
| Cover design, Moss and the Moon | Moss and the Moon | Blocked | Oct 17, 2026 | Hamish Reyes | Mirabelle Okoro-Lindgren | |
| Interior layout, Moss and the Moon | Moss and the Moon | To do | Oct 19, 2026 | Hamish Reyes | Mirabelle Okoro-Lindgren | |
| Developmental edit, What the River Kept | What the River Kept | In progress | Oct 28, 2026 | Quentin Alvarado | Quentin Alvarado | |
| Metadata, Counting Stars Backwards | Counting Stars Backwards | To do | Oct 20, 2026 | — | Mirabelle Okoro-Lindgren |
Steps overdue
| Production step | Title | Kind | Status | Due on | Freelancer or vendor | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Proofread, The Salt Road | The Salt Road | In progress | Oct 21, 2026 | Maren Duquesne | Mirabelle Okoro-Lindgren | |
| Index, The Salt Road | The Salt Road | To do | Oct 25, 2026 | Oskar Lindroth | Mirabelle Okoro-Lindgren | |
| Files to printer, The Salt Road | The Salt Road | To do | Nov 3, 2026 | — | Mirabelle Okoro-Lindgren | |
| Copyedit, Letters from the Night Ferry | Letters from the Night Ferry | In progress | Oct 23, 2026 | Priya Anand | Mirabelle Okoro-Lindgren | |
| Cover design, Moss and the Moon | Moss and the Moon | Blocked | Oct 17, 2026 | Hamish Reyes | Mirabelle Okoro-Lindgren | |
| Interior layout, Moss and the Moon | Moss and the Moon | To do | Oct 19, 2026 | Hamish Reyes | Mirabelle Okoro-Lindgren | |
| Developmental edit, What the River Kept | What the River Kept | In progress | Oct 28, 2026 | Quentin Alvarado | Quentin Alvarado | |
| Metadata, Counting Stars Backwards | Counting Stars Backwards | To do | Oct 20, 2026 | — | Mirabelle Okoro-Lindgren |
Statements to prepare or pay
| Royalty statement | Author | Period | Royalties earned (USD) | Status | Pay by | Paid on |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Olawale-Finch, second half | Marguerite Olawale-Finch | $1,840 | Draft | Oct 25, 2026 | — | |
| Adebayo, second half | Cornelius Adebayo | $2,260 | Ready to pay | Oct 19, 2026 | — | |
| Hartmann-Nwosu, second half | Dolores Hartmann-Nwosu | $3,120 | Draft | Oct 17, 2026 | — | |
| Olawale-Finch, first half | Marguerite Olawale-Finch | $1,590 | Paid | Apr 22, 2026 | Apr 23, 2026 | |
| Adebayo, first half | Cornelius Adebayo | $1,940 | Paid | Apr 21, 2026 | Apr 22, 2026 | |
| Hartmann-Nwosu, first half | Dolores Hartmann-Nwosu | $2,840 | Paid | Apr 21, 2026 | Apr 24, 2026 | |
| Castellano, advance earn-out check | Imogen Castellano | $0 | Disputed | Oct 22, 2026 | — |
How to read the numbers
A book is a chain of handoffs. The calendar works backward from the publication date.
Typical schedule
How to use it
Add the title and its publication date.
Add one production step for each row in the calendar and set due dates backward.
Press Mark blocked the moment a step cannot start.
Send the title forward only when the previous step is Done.
Authors trust a press that pays correctly and on time. Make the routine boring and dependable.
Twice a year
Pull sales for the period by format and channel.
Apply returns reserves per the contract.
Create a statement for each author who earned or still owes an advance.
Check each figure against the rates in the contract.
Press Mark ready to pay, pay it and press Mark paid.
If an author disputes
Mark the statement Disputed, write what they asked, and reply with the supporting numbers within five working days.
Say yes to books you can sell and champion for years. A clear process makes the yes and the no both kinder.
Reading a submission
Read the first fifty pages before reading the pitch.
Note the audience in one sentence.
Check the sample against titles already on the list.
Write a two line reason for yes or no.
Making an offer
Agree the editor and publisher want it.
Calculate the break-even and the advance.
Get approval and send the offer.
Add the author as Under contract and create the title row.
What's inside
5 tables · 24 views · 1 form · 13 row actions · 1 agent5 pages
- Publishing House Title Desk
- Dashboard
- Book production calendar
- Royalty statement routine
- Acquisitions guide
4 tables
- Authors3 views · 8 sample rows
- Titles7 views · 9 sample rows
- Production steps7 views · 10 sample rows
- Royalty statements7 views · 7 sample rows
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