Working in publishing

The book publishing industry is gradually emerging as a lucrative career choice for many individuals. Book publishing is the process of production and dissemination of literature or information which include:

*Stages of development
*Acquisition
*Copy-editing
*Graphic design
*Production
*Printing
*Marketing
*Distribution

The field offers multiple job avenues in editorial, production and marketing. Those looking for an opportunity can work for the many Indian or international book publishing houses. This can even aspire some to enter central and state government agencies such as the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Sahithya Academy and Indian Council for Cultural Relations who have their own publications division. One can also opt for avenues in publishing houses run by trust funds such as the National Book Trust, NCERT and Children’s Book Trust. International publishing houses such as Penguin, Harper Collins, Random House, Oxford University Press and Mac Millen have full-fledged offices in India.

Who is eligible

Those who have completed 10+2 from any recognised educational board or passed graduation can pursue a course in book publishing. Based on the requirements of a particular department, one can pursue a certificate/Diploma, short-term, long-term or a degree programme in a book publishing course. Most institutions in India do not have an entrance examination for this course.

There is no fixed time to begin preparation for this line of work. But those who are interested can start preparations either towards the end of school or by the end of graduation. A creative bend of mind and interest in reading different types of books are essential attributes to be a part of this industry.

In order to enter the editorial department, one should obtain a degree in Journalism. Graduates of art or design/ commercial art/ photography/ calligraphy can join the Art department while a Diploma in printing is mandatory for a job in the Production department, as it is important to be thorough with the technicalities involved in the printing process. In order to enter the Marketing and Sales department, one should have a degree in Business Administration.

Courses available

With the rapid development of new delivery channels, a career in book publishing is becoming more challenging and exciting. It offers knowledge on the core areas of Desk Top Publishing, Printing Technology and Management, Creative writing, Binding, Finishing and E-Publishing. The type of courses offered by the leading institutes in India are:

*BA with Book Publishing
*Certificate course in Creative Writing
*Six-month PG certificate course in Copy Editing and Proof Reading
*Course for Publishing Professionals Course Content
*NBT Training course in Book Publishing
*BA course in Journalism
*PG programme in Journalism
*Six-month, certificate course in Production
*Diploma in Marketing
*MBA in Marketing Management
*IGNOU offers a one-year, PG Diploma in Book Publishing at all its centres. The programme covers topics such as Publishing and its legal aspects, Editing, Production and emerging technologies, Marketing, Promotion and Distribution, Editing for children, Scientific, Technical and Medical writing.
*The Institute of Book Publishing in New Delhi offers a full-time course on Book Editing and Designing and short- term course on E-Publishing.

Job prospects

After the completion of any relevant course, one can opt for any of these following job avenues:

*Publisher: The job of a publisher includes selecting and commissioning manuscripts, overlooking crucial elements from preparation of manuscripts to printing, designing and final appearance of books and finally marketing. A publisher may be specialised in textbooks, novels, short stories, technical literature, art books, school books for competitive examination.

*Book Publishing Editor: A Book Publishing Editor consults specialists for their opinions and meets with the author regarding copyrights and contracts. His/her job is to edit manuscripts and work closely with the author in order to understand what the author 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.

*Copy-editors or Sub-editors: In this industry, copy editors work in close co-operation with the editors to make sure the manuscript does not carry any grammatical errors or unnecessary details. While copy-editors may work full-time, the job is also ideal for those who wish to work part- time.

*Literary Agents: The job of a literary agent is to find promising authors and sell their books to book editors. A sense of how to sell a book and package an author is an essential attribute for their job profile.

*Production Analyst: He/she has the responsibility of creating the final appearance of a book. A Production Analyst works with the editorial department and selects the cover page, the typeface and the paper to be used. Production Analysts also coordinate the printing and binding of books.

*Art Designer: Takes care of the graphic and artwork that goes into the creation of the book. The vital part of their job is to design illustrations and other visual elements to produce a harmonious and balanced effect.

*Publicist or Marketing Executive: An executive will ideally work with the author and book agent to arrange for press attention for the book, oversee media coverage, book signings and readings.

*Research-Editor: He/she enforces high standards of review of the publication and assists editors and copy editors if they encounter any problems.