Book Intake Workflow

Stage 0: Pre-Editorial Assessment

Complete this checklist before any chapter editing:

Book Intake Progress:
- [ ] Step 0: Create backup of original files
- [ ] Step 1: Complete book-intake.md (global context)
- [ ] Step 2: Build canonical toc.md (chapter structure)
- [ ] Step 3: Map chapter roles (chapter-map.md)
- [ ] Step 4: Establish glossary.md (terminology)
- [ ] Step 5: Validate intake completeness

Step 0: Backup Original Files

Create comprehensive backup before any editorial work:

• Copy all .qmd files to _originals/ directory with timestamp
• Document current git state (if using version control)
• Verify backup integrity and accessibility

Step 1: Global Context Assessment

Complete [book-intake.md](templates/book-intake.md) with:

• Target audience and technical level
• Book objectives and scope boundaries
• Editorial tone and positioning
• Content preservation constraints

Step 2: Canonical Structure

Build [toc.md](templates/toc.md) showing:

• Complete table of contents
• Part/chapter organization
• Editorial scope notes

Step 3: Chapter Role Mapping

Create [chapter-map.md](templates/chapter-map.md) defining:

• Purpose and scope for each chapter
• Concepts introduced vs assumed
• Technical depth level
• Editorial boundaries (what NOT to do)

Step 4: Terminology Foundation

Establish [glossary.md](templates/glossary.md) with:

• Canonical terms and definitions
• Language specifications
• Synonym avoidance rules

Step 5: Validation

Ensure intake completeness:

• All files contain project-specific content (no placeholders)
• Chapter progression is logical and coherent
• Technical level is consistent across chapters
• Terminology is standardized

Quality Standards

Complete Intake Requirements

• All four intake files must be populated with actual project content
• No template placeholders (e.g., <TITLE>, <Chapter N>) should remain
• Chapter map must cover every chapter in the TOC
• Glossary must include all key technical terms

Intake Validation

Before proceeding to editorial work:

1. Review intake files for consistency
2. Verify chapter scope alignment with book objectives
3. Check terminology usage across all intake documents
4. Confirm editorial constraints are clearly specified

Operational Workflow

How to Use Intake Artifacts (Critical)

Copilot does not automatically read folders or maintain session memory. The intake artifacts must be explicitly loaded as context for each editing session.

Recommended Mode A: Explicit Context Loading

Per-Session Workflow:
- [ ] Step 1: Load global context into Copilot Chat
- [ ] Step 2: Activate technical-editor agent
- [ ] Step 3: Select and edit target chapter
- [ ] Step 4: Repeat for additional chapters (context persists)

Step 1: Context Loading Command

At the start of each editing session, use this prompt:

Use the following documents as binding editorial context for this session:
- book-intake.md: [paste content]
- toc.md: [paste content] 
- chapter-map.md: [paste relevant chapter section]
- glossary.md: [paste content]

All edits must be consistent with these documents.

Step 2: Agent Activation

Select the @technical-editor agent to apply professional editorial principles.

Step 3: Chapter Editing

Open target chapter file, select content, and request editorial improvements. The agent now has:

• Global book context
• Chapter role and scope boundaries
• Terminology standards
• Technical level expectations

Alternative Mode B: Context-Light Editing

For quick edits or very independent chapters:

• Use technical-editor agent without loading full context
• Accept potential inconsistencies
• Only recommended for small books or isolated chapters

Context Consumption Patterns

Each intake artifact serves specific editorial functions:

book-intake.md → Tone & Standards

• Sets target audience and technical level
• Defines editorial constraints (content fidelity, language preservation)
• Establishes professional positioning

toc.md → Conceptual Progression

• Prevents premature introduction of concepts
• Maintains appropriate depth progression
• Ensures chapter coherence within book structure

chapter-map.md → Scope Control

• Defines what each chapter can/cannot do
• Prevents redundancy and concept repetition
• Guides content organization decisions

glossary.md → Terminology Consistency

• Standardizes technical vocabulary
• Eliminates synonym inconsistencies
• Maintains field convention alignment