MEAP - Manning Early Access Program

What is MEAP?

A book can take a year or more to write, so how do you learn that hot new technology today? The answer is MEAP, the Manning Early Access Program. In MEAP, you read a book chapter-by-chapter while it's being written and get the final eBook as soon as it's finished. If you pre-order the pBook, you'll get it long before it's available in stores.

The MEAP advantage

MEAP offers several benefits over the traditional "wait to read" model.

Get started now. You can read early versions of the chapters before the book is finished.

Regular updates. We'll let you know when updates are available, and you can get the new content from your Manning user account.

Get finished books faster. MEAP customers are the first to get final eBooks and pBooks.

Contribute to the writing process. Your feedback in the liveBook Discussion Forum makes the book better.

Occasionally, we will decide not to publish a book that's become available in MEAP. Fear not! If we cancel your MEAP, you can exchange it for another book or get a refund.

The longer story of MEAP

Why we created MEAP A book takes a long time to publish. Back before we started the Manning Early Access Program in 2003, we found it frustrating that while authors were working on later chapters, the earlier ones sat in our archives gathering dust, of no use to anyone. Valuable content was locked up by the lengthy writing and publishing process. So we changed the process: we created MEAP. Since then, many other publishers have followed our lead.

What it is In MEAP, you buy the book before it's finished and we commit to sending it to you (either as an eBook or a pBook/eBook combo) immediately when it is published. During the MEAP, we send you drafts of the manuscript. If we are forced to abandon a book, which we sometimes unfortunately are, we offer you an exchange or a refund.

Why it's better While the author is writing new content you get those waiting chapters and can benefit from them much earlier. We often start a MEAP after three months of work on a book, so you can start gaining access nine months or more before publication. The content you get is not finished and will evolve, sometimes dramatically, before it is good enough for us to publish. But you get the chapter drafts when you need the information. And, you get a chance to let the author know what you think, which can really help us both make a better book.

Available now through MEAP

MEAP video

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MEAP FAQs

Q: Where can I buy a MEAP?

Buy a MEAP from Manning just as you would a published book. After checkout, you will receive first an order confirmation email, and then a second email with a link to download the current MEAP. You will then continue to receive updated versions of the MEAP until the final eBook is published and made available to you.

Q: Can I buy a MEAP anywhere else?

No. Currently, MEAPs are available exclusively at manning.com.

Q: What products do I get when I buy a MEAP?

With MEAP, you get Early Access to drafts of the manuscript, as the book is being written. The MEAP versions are electronic (PDF, ePub and Kindle). When you place your order, you choose the format of the final product that you want:

MEAP + eBook - Prefer electronic books? Download the chapters available in MEAP right away. When all chapters are finished, you will get the complete eBook edition with all final edits to the chapters plus other elements of the book: the table of contents, the index, and more. The eBook contains everything included in the finished print edition -- except the paper.

- Prefer electronic books? Download the chapters available in MEAP right away. When all chapters are finished, you will get the complete eBook edition with all final edits to the chapters plus other elements of the book: the table of contents, the index, and more. The eBook contains everything included in the finished print edition -- except the paper. MEAP + pBook (eBook included) - If you are traditional and like paper, choose the MEAP + pBook combo product, which includes electronic manuscript drafts and the final eBook when completed as above, plus a copy of the printed book, shipped to you as soon as it is printed.

Q: What happens if a MEAP is cancelled before publication?

We always regret canceling a MEAP, but unfortunately not all books make it to publication. In the event that we must cancel a MEAP, we offer all customers an exchange or refund. Customers that select the exchange option also get a bonus eBook.

Q: What if I'm not happy with the MEAP?

Because MEAPs are books-in-progress, sometimes the manuscripts can be quite rough, or progress can be slow. We hope that you can remain patient while the book is shaped and polished, but if you are dissatisfied with a MEAP you have purchased, you may request a one-time exchange, or a refund, within 30 days of purchase.

Q: Are there mobile formats of MEAPs (ePub, Kindle)?

Yes. Manning began producing mobile versions of MEAPs in late 2012. We did not retroactively convert existing files, but did begin releasing ePub and Kindle versions along with the standard PDFs of all new MEAP releases going forward. There may still be a few MEAPs that don't have mobile versions, if the project has been delayed for a while.

Q: Does a MEAP book cost more than a regular Manning eBook or pBook?

No, and when you sign up for our mailing list or follow us on social media, you get many opportunities for discounts. When you buy a MEAP, you are pre-ordering the finished book. The advantage with MEAP is that you get early access to the content in draft form, and receive the published book when it's complete.

Q: When will I get each chapter?

As the author writes and revises chapters, we release updated versions of the MEAP continuously. The number of new chapters included in each version depends heavily on how quickly the author is working, and how much revision is needed on existing chapters. In general, we want to get new content into your hands as fast as possible. That means we try to update each MEAP regularly with whatever we have, even if the draft is very rough indeed. We send out an email every time there is a new version available, which you can download from your Manning account bookshelf.

Q: How do I know when new chapters are released?

Each time a new version is released all MEAP customers will receive an email with a link to download the latest version from their account bookshelves, although you can choose to opt out of Product Update messages via your user account Messaging Preferences settings. You can also check the following resources:

homepage - When new or updated MEAPs are released, we post that info in the MEAP section of the manning.com homepage.

product page - Check the book's web page, which includes a Table of Contents showing which chapters are available.

bookshelf - Log in to your Manning user account and click the info icon to view the text of all the MEAP Updates we have sent for a title, and download the latest version at any time.

Q: Why are the final publication dates only estimates?

Please be aware that, while we do our best to predict publication dates, experience has taught us that they can be unreliable, especially in the early stages of a project. They often slip for a variety of reasons outside of Manning's control, including changes in the authors' lives--professional or personal--as well as delays in software releases when the books are based on a particular software version, and other factors. We make every effort to keep new chapters flowing but we will appreciate your understanding when delays do occur. The closer a book gets to the end, the more accurate our estimated publication dates tend to become, although delays can occur even in the final stages of production.

Q: Is there source code available during the MEAP?

If source code is available it will be posted on the book's web page under "Resources". We encourage authors to make source code available during the MEAP, but not all authors succeed in providing code or keeping it in sync with the latest manuscript drafts.

Q: Do MEAP books have a liveBook Discussion Forum?

Yes, a liveBook Discussion Forum is created for each MEAP book. We encourage both the Authors and the Editors to monitor the forums for suggestions and errata from readers.

Q: How do I send feedback and errata for a MEAP title? Will it help?

We welcome you to post any comments to the book's liveBook Discussion Forum, other than typos and other small mistakes which will be fixed during copyediting later. Authors and Editors check the forum for suggestions and use the feedback to improve the final draft. You can also send email to [email protected]. This is one of the great benefits of the MEAP program, and all feedback is greatly appreciated!

Q: Which titles are currently available through MEAP?

Visit the MEAP catalog for a complete list of MEAPs, including new and updated releases.