One of the most important phases in our publishing process is the review stage. Ningwakwe Learning Press was formed out of a grassroots Aboriginal literacy movement. After 15 years, we still try to include a variety of reviewers with different expertise that compliment the topic being reviewed. Each year that we start a new material, I hand pick a variety of reviewers to assist us through each phase of material development – from the outline phase all the way to the final manuscript. I credit a lot of the success and longevity of our materials to the continued evolution of this process.

In order for any community-based publication to be truly relevant to the audience it is serving, you need community involvement. You can’t have too many people or the creative process may stall. However, enough people are needed to provide relevant feedback to the author for inclusion into a better, more focused material. This is why handpicking ‘experts’ for reviewing your material is essential. If it is a cultural or historical piece, it’s common sense to pick someone who is already quite knowledgeable about the chosen topic. For example, don’t pick an Ojibwe kindergarten teacher to review a manuscript about northern Cree hunting techniques intended for a adult literacy audience. Obviously, quicker, more culturally accurate feedback can be provided if time is taken to find a person of Cree ancestry to assist with the reviews.

I’m going to share some best practices that we have developed over the years for incorporating review teams into developing books. Continue reading →