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[tt33_hist]

This is my first time editing a volume and I am not sure about the "correct" procedures for the upcoming production process.  The press is copy editing the ms.  Do I have an ethical obligation to my authors to ask for their approval of the changes?  The turnaround time is pretty quick--about 2 weeks. 

[englitprof]

I haven't dealt with this myself, though I will be in a few months and so am interested in what others with more experience have to say.

However, my inclination is that, as editor, *you* are the one with final call at this point. 

[infopri]

I have been on both sides of the editing process (although not a book), and I think you should work to get authors' approval for any and all changes to their work, no matter how minor.  Time permitting, send the authors the schedule (for reviewing such changes) way in advance, warn them of the tight turnaround again when the window is approaching, remind them of the deadline again when they get the edited manuscript, and send them another reminder the day before the deadline.  If they don't meet the deadline, they're out of luck, but you can in that case say you tried.

Also, don't forget that this review process can all be done via email (with attachments), which will eliminate postal delays.

[gobelin]

I agree with Infopri that it's really important to get the authors to do this. Depending on the publisher, they might send the copy-edited chapters direct to individual authors (this is the way it has always worked for me, as editor and author). As Infopri says, it will really help to let the authors know of the time-scale in which this will be happening, and to keep them informed if the schedule slips. This all has to be done so quickly that it really helps to know when to expect it, and also people can let you know which address to send it to if they are away on sabbatical or something.

[tenured_feminist]

Run it past the authors if you can. Some presses don't do this and will just ask you to answer queries, leaving the only final review opportunity for page proofs.

[seniorscholar]

Turnaround is always very fast at the copy editing stage. As others have said, give the authors the schedule, impress on them the importance of keeping to it, ask the press to notify you when authors' responses have been received if the authors are too dumb to cc you on it. In addition go through the copy editing of the whole thing yourself on a separate set. Then when the press's editor calls and says that author x has rewritten one-third of the essay, grab your own copy and either tell the press to skip that one or beg for time to see what's been done. And when you learn that 10 days past the deadline, author Y is not responding to requests to get the material in, you already have your copy to submit instead.