An editorial brief is a concise planning document designed to prevent a book project from becoming a guessing game. It doesn’t have to be complex or written in stiff, formal language. Its only job is to clarify the key details before any editing, proofreading, layout, or cover design starts. If you’re just starting out, think of the brief as a roadmap: it tells you what the manuscript is aiming to be, who will read it, and what kind of work comes next.
First, state the publication goal. Before you can determine if a manuscript succeeds, you need to know what it’s trying to achieve. Is it a how-to manual, a memoir, a research study, a source of fun, or a handbook of industry wisdom? If the goal isn’t defined, your critiques will be all over the place. When you do have a goal in mind, it’s easier to judge the material: is this chapter relevant? Does the voice match the intent? Do we need to add anything? Try to put it all in one sentence: “This book will teach newbies how to grow food from their own homes using short assignments and illustrations.”
Now describe the target audience. This seems like a step you can skip, but the reader will impact nearly every decision you make as an editor. A reader with no experience needs definitions, an absence of jargon, and a measured pace. A reader with a little bit of background can keep up, and they can handle more sophisticated language. The brief can mention what they’re likely to be familiar with, what they might struggle with, and what they can expect to learn from the end of the book. This allows your editing to focus on the readers’ perspective rather than your own opinions as an editor.
Next, note the format and layout. You may want to keep an eye on whether the book will be a short guide, an interactive workbook, an anthology of essays, a standard reference book, a downloadable electronic book, or a paper book. You might want to note the anticipated sections: preface, table of contents, chapters, exercises, image descriptions, glossary, bibliography, endmatter, or frontmatter. You aren’t claiming this is fixed yet; this is more about how the manuscript can be organized currently. If there are chapter and section titles, images with descriptions, and data tables, you may also describe how these should interact with each other.
Finally, define the sequence of tasks. For instance, you might not need to perform a structural edit before the line editing is finished. You may not want a style guide before a proofread. You could require image captions before the page layout. By listing these tasks in the brief, you’ll be able to avoid the temptation to try and do everything at once. You’ll also be able to tell an author, graphic designer, proofreader, or production assistant whether it is in the review, revision, proofing, or final manuscript stages.
For instance, try writing a one-page brief for a short manuscript sample without actually editing it. Write the working title, intended readers, publication goal, format, main structure, style details, obvious problems, and suggested next step. Keep it simple. Don’t just say “make it better”; say “rewrite this chapter” or “add more details for beginners.” Don’t say “address formatting later”; say “check all headings, image references, and page numbers when the final text is confirmed.” Specific recommendations will make the brief more actionable.
The brief isn’t the editing; it’s the planning. It provides the manuscript with direction before the line editing begins. When you outline what it’s for, who it’s for, what it’s for, how it’s meant to sound, and how you’ll proceed, you make your job easier to talk about and to move on from. For new editors, this is what an editorial brief offers: an informal book project converted into a list of tangible decisions.