What’s in a blad?

Don’t you just hate those trendy job-specific buzzwords? What I’ve been working on this week is a BLAD which I had been commissioned to supply.

Unless you’re ‘in publishing’ you may not have any idea what a BLAD is. I certainly didn’t when I was asked to create one, and I’m a publisher. Fortunately, the commissioning editor explained in greater detail; it’s a document for internal use at a publisher which consists of several example double-page spreads, a cover, content pages and selling points for a proposed book (an acronym for basic layout and design). From this, the publisher and their partners decide whether to commission the book proper.

Obviously I can’t really say any more at this stage, apart from the fact that it’s another ‘how-to’ type book.

Speaking of which, I also signed off the final colour proofs last week for the Draw Fantasy Figures book that I put together with the spectacular James McKay, so with any luck you will be able to see that in the Autumn.