CAREER IN PUBLISHING
All of us, at one point of time or the other since our childhood, have had something to do with the books so as to meet our respective curricular requirements at school, college and university levels. Some of us were 'bookworms' and some of us read them because we had to. At that stage, books relating to favourite subjects were relished. Later on in the life reading novels and other 
magazines catering to different fields of interest becomes our pastime. But have you ever stopped for a while to think about the people who made these books happen to us? Not really, because most of the people think that books are written by authors and they sell it in the market whereas, in reality, though the books are written by somebody (of course), they go through so many processes before finding their way to the market. When a writer completes her/his works, she / he approaches a publishing house, which deal in publishing of books, magazines etc. If the author is a prominent one, she / he is approached by the publishing house(s) to write on something. In a publishing house, the editorial is one of the most important departments, which deals with marking of book from the manuscript stage to what finally appears on market shelves. It is editor's job to edit a manuscript, work closely with the author in order to understand what she / he is trying to convey, make sure that the essence of the storyline is not lost and present the book in a manner that will appeal to the readers.
The Prospects
The publishing industry, along with an inherent love of the printed word, is thriving. This is despite the advent of the technological world and the much feared “dying out of reading”.
The word publishing denotes includes the printing and publishing of books, newspapers, magazines, periodicals and journals.
Jobs in this sector can be roughly categorized under three heads –
- Editorial
- Production
- Marketing
There are people, who are equally good at all three. Publishing is simply bursting with opportunities for those with an inborn love of books. Those who want to begin at the sub-editor level need to be equipped with basic editorial skills, and loads of patience as you might be required to read through reams of manuscripts.
If the smell of fresh newsprint makes you look forward to a bright day, and you simply love the musty smell of old books, have an eye for details and for out-of-place words and punctuation, you could have a career in publishing!
In a publishing house, the editorial is one of the most important departments, which deals with marking of book from the manuscript stage to what finally appears on market shelves. It is editor's job to edit a manuscript, work closely with the author in order to understand what she / he is trying to convey, make sure that the essence of the storyline is not lost and present the book in a manner that will appeal to the readers.
The editor's job is very challenging. Authors are difficult because of their idiosyncrasies. Therefore, to become a good editor you will have to put your ego aside and be in good control of your emotions. Apart from an interest in the books, a strong command over language you wish to work in, an eye for detail and an overall general awareness are required to become a good editor. Though one has to be a graduate in order to apply, most publishing houses prefer postgraduates.
Most of the publishing houses are departmentalised into subjects. If they hire somebody to work on books on economics, they would prefer a person with specialisation in that particular subject. Further, when editing a work of non - fiction or a textbook, a transparent and fluid writing style is required. In some of the publishing houses like Tata McGraw - Hill, which is purely into technical books, the editors need to work with the author right from the project inception stage on the scope and versatility of the content. Even the format in which the author must develop and submit the content is critical in order to avoid technical errors during production.
The Job
Editorial Jobs
- Appointing and working with an editorial team
- The editorial director guides the team of editors and oversees the complete running of the publishing house
- Editors are responsible for locating, identifying the value of publishing books falling within their specific areas
- They select and contact authors for writing books on select topics
- They oversee the work from the preparation of outline to the final production of the book
- In small book publishing businesses, the task of an editor may involve overseeing the production as well as marketing of the
books
- Publishing begins with the processing of the manuscript
- This is followed by the reading of the proof by the author, proofreader and editor, for checking the content, sequence, spellings and grammatical errors
- The final laser prints of the book are made and the book goes for production
- The editor directs the policy of the publication, manages the staff and coordinates all the work
- The work of sub-editors on newspapers and magazines is similar to copy-editors in book publishing.
Production
- Editing is carried out on the computer and the typeface and page layout adjusted
- The illustrations, appearance of the book, book cover, paper quality is decided by the editor as well as the production in charge
- The design department does the art work for the book. A number of publishing houses work with freelance artists on their roles who are commissioned for artwork, such as illustration, cover design, photographs etc
- Transparencies are prepared from the laser prints from which the frames for printing are prepared
- Production staff manage the technicalities of the printing process as well as the pricing and marketing of the product
- They purchase the paper, coordinate the printing and binding of the books
- In the newspaper and magazine segment the production department deals with purchase of newsprint as well as the printing and despatch of the newspapers/magazines to the marketing department.
Sales And Marketing
- Publicity, promotion, sales campaigns is the major responsibility
- Distribution of books entails understanding the market where the books may sell. Generally large distributors operate through a network of regional offices
- Sales outlets, bookshops are visited by sales representatives who have the responsibility of giving information of all forthcoming books as well as taking orders and ensuring supply. Distribution to libraries, schools, organizations is often done directly or through local book suppliers.
- The on-line book sales is perhaps the latest technique in marketing and sales.
Personality Traits
- Keen interest in books
- Creative
- Able to work by themselves for long hours on a specific project
- Able to work as part of a team
- Interested in reading, research and academic discussion
Salaries
- Reporters, sub editors and editors working with magazines and journals follow the same path of promotions and advancement as do their counterparts in newspapers.
- It also depends on the firm one is working with, good publishing houses like Oxford University Press and Macmillan pay their sub-editors around Rs 8000 a month.
- In book publishing, entry in the editorial section is generally at the sub-editorial level, or as trainee sub-editor or junior sub.
- The hierarchy thereafter is as follows: Assistant Sub Editor, Sub Editor, Assistant Editor, Associate Editor, and Editor.
- The pay packet increases accordingly, going up to Rs 5 lakh to Rs 8 lakh annually at the higher levels.
Study Routes
Editorial work is handled by professionals who have a background in the subject involved in being published. A teaching background is useful for educational publishing and a degree in science, medicine, law or another speciality for a post with publisher covering these fields. For fiction, a background in literature generally helps and is looked for by publishing houses.
After XII (any subject), graduation/postgraduation in journalism are suitable for shouldering editorial responsibility. Computing skills are required for word processing.
Graduates of Art/ graphic designers/commercial art/photography/ calligraphy can join the art department.
Class XII (PCM) followed by a diploma in printing technology can join the production department.
Places to Study
Courses in Publishing are very few as most publishers prefer to train their own staff to suit their requirements. A few available courses are offered at:
- University of Delhi , College of Vocational Studies, Sheikh Sarai, New Delhi conducts a diploma in Book Publishing
- Institute of Book Publishing, Green Park, New Delhi conducts courses in proof-reading, editing besides publishing management for graduates
- Shankar's Academy of Art and Book Publishing, 4, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi - 110 002, offers a three-month postgraduate course in publishing. The programme has a period of internship also.
Source: Compass One
Date: 6th Jan., 2010
For further details about related courses and colleges please click below:
