Invisible Art

The concept of "invisible art" was famously applied by the late John Ryder to his vocation, typography. Here its scope is extended to the entire publishing process. The better the tasks of editing, lay-out and external design are carried out, the less "visible" it is that skilful hands have been at work. When these tasks are done badly, the inadequacies are all too visible and form a barrier between a book and its reception by the intended readers. This volume is about achieving and maintaining high standards in scholarly publishing in the social sciences - the author's own chosen specialist field. Drawing on his long "hands-on" experience, Christopher Hurst takes the reader, in the first part, on an analytical journey through a typical book from start to finish, missing out nothing (including illustrations, maps and tables). A central section is devoted to the use and abuse of the English language. The second part is specifically about the publisher's editorial role, both in relation to the author and in seeing the book through from unedited script to finished volume, including externals like the cover, binding and paper.
Finding the right title and cover design, and striking the right balance in the periodical catalogue, are discussed under the heading, "Sending Signals". Occasional disasters, and the measures necessary for their avoidance, are not overlooked. The overlap of editorial and legal functions is dealt with in the final section.