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Posted on 2007-10-31 in Careers

Publishing

The world would be Harry Potter-less had one imaginative publisher not taken the chance that many others refused. Publishers must have the knowledge of an economist, the creativity of a writer, the insight of an advertiser, and the acumen of a businessman to be successful in the book market.

Publishers are involved at every stage of a books birth: from its early draft to the polished product that attracts your eye in the store. The process includes editing the writing, organising the design and promoting the book and author.

Not all publishers sell books that are written for the general public; many specialise in publishing works that are of interest to specific industries such as education and science. An emerging trend for providing information is web publishing – and your good friends at Daycourses.com are leading the pack!

Education
The entry-level to the publishing industry is reserved for graduates in most cases. No third-level course in publishing is available in Ireland, although graduates in the areas of literature, communications, journalism or media studies are sometimes looked upon more favourably. An MA in Literature & Publishing in NUI Galway offers graduates the opportunity to study a publishing-specific course at fourth-level.

If the publishing company specialises in a certain area, such as agriculture for instance, then they may seek candidates with qualifications in that area.

Options After Qualification
Most people in publishing work their way up from a junior position. A common route is for graduates to acquire their initial experience in a small publishing house, and spend time working in different roles as they make their way up the company ladder, learning about the industry.

The Work
Commissioning editors identify gaps in the current market, e.g., for a cookery book, and keep this selling point in mind when reviewing manuscripts.

They select manuscripts that are suitable for publication, and draw up contracts with authors. Maintaining a healthy relationship with successful authors and their literary agents is essential to a successful publishing house, much in the same way as a football team tries to keep a firm grip on their best players.

Commissioning editors must also manage the finances of a project, including estimating the cost and viability of a print run.

Copy editors work with the author’s manuscript and help him/her achieve a polished final draft. Their work involves checking and correcting problems of style, consistency, factual accuracy, spelling and grammar. This is a quite painstaking process that is the made necessary by the financial cost of discovering an error after the printing process has started.

The sales and marketing departments of a publishing company are equally as important as the editorial department. A good deal of enthusiasm for the book in question is required in order to awaken in interest in potential buyers, and the ability to write an enticing blurb (the text written across the back of the average novel, like ‘An engrossing thriller that will shake you to the core!’) will be valuable. In their dealings with booksellers, the marketing department are also an important source of feedback from the reading public for the commissioning editor.

Other important publishing roles include those in the production and design departments. The typography, artwork and general appearance of a book are central to its marketability.

Personal Qualities & Work Environment
The actual size of the publishing company has a huge effect on the roles available. Large conglomerates like Random House would have various departments such as marketing; yet in smaller firms an employee may be expected to take on diverging roles.

A love of books is valuable, but not essential. An eye for business trends and current market trends will prove more beneficial than a reading hobby. Attention to detail and communicative skills are also desirable traits for a publisher to have.

The Money
Publishing editors earn in the range of €20,000 to €27,000 a year to begin with, which can rise to over €50,000 a year with experience.

Sales representatives receive a starting salary of €25,000 to €40,000 a year, also potentially rising to over €50,000 with experience.

The Jargon
Advance: Money paid by a publisher to an author before the book goes on the market, in anticipation of sales.
Backlist: Previously published books. A publisher's backlist is an important source of revenue, because backlist sales are more predictable and dependable than new sales.
Final Draft: The last version of a manuscript, ready for the printing press
Potboiler: A book of poor literary quality, written purely for the money

Job Titles
Publisher
Commissioning Editor
Copy Editor
Publishing Salesperson

Further Resources
The Gallery Press
Loughcrew
Oldcastle
County Meath
Ireland
Phone: 049 8541779
Web: www.gallerypress.com

Irish Writers Centre
19 Parnell Square Dublin 1
Phone: 01 8721302
Web: www.writerscentre.ie
Email: info@writerscentre.ie