Introduction: People and publishing - who does what in book publishing; Chapter by chapter. Chapter 1 - The fundamentals of publishing: A very short history of publishing; The relationship between different parts of the industry; Preparing for a future in publishing; The global and local fundamentals; Case study - Bertlesmann and Random House. Chapter 2 - The choices publishers make: Varieties of publication - markets and audiences; Print, e-books, m-books and iBooks; Journals, magazines and newspapers; Who will pay, and how?; Case study - Amazon and EBSCO. Chapter 3 - Writers, readers and intermediaries: Authors, illustrators, creators and their rights; Agents and other gatekeepers; Networks and opinion formers; Channels to readers and buyers; Case study - Frankfurt Book Fair. Chapter 4 - Editorial processes: Policy and planning - list building and market niches; Commissioning - research, reputation and funds; Contractual matters - formats and co-editions; Editorial work - from submission to publication; Case study - A guide for dummies. Chapter 5 - Design and production: Platforms and formats appropriate for the content; Scheduling the publication process; Controlling costs and establishing prices; Case study - Horrible Histories. Chapter 6 - Print and electronic publishing: Choosing from a variety of media and formats; Legalities of publishing in a wired world; Digital workflow and software standards; Communication for print and e-publications; Case study - Print and digital at the university presses. Chapter 7 - Marketing, sales and distribution: Marketing; Communication through promotion and publicity; Managing budgets and schedules; Using feedback to monitor success; Case study - Peresephone Books. Conclusion. Glossary. Bibliography. Online resources. The publishing year - book fairs and other major publishing events. Index. Picture credits and acknowledgements.
The Publishing Business explores how publishing is adapting to the digital culture, describes current roles and practices, and provides much food for thought on how publishers can ensure their skills remain relevant in the digital age.
Kelvin Smith has an extensive experience of developing innovative postgraduate publishing programmes in higher education institutions in the UK, Africa and Europe. He also provides consultancy on publishing education, including course and materials development, advice on funding applications, and related monitoring and evaluation activities.
The Publishing Business provides an excellent introduction to
contemporary publishing. It is recommended reading for anyone
wanting up-to-date information about roles and responsibilities in
this global industry.
*Sally Hughes, Oxford Brookes University, UK*
Beautifully produced and illustrated, The Publishing Business
provides a clear and succinct overview of what it means to be a
publisher in an era of rapid technological change. The use of
diagrams and case studies helps to convey complex information in a
clear and meaningful way. The book will be invaluable for
publishing students and a useful reference guide for publishing
professionals.
*Penelope Woolf, Editorial Director, Oxford University Press,
UK*
I think the book is superb! It looks so much better than any
existing textbook on the subject, and practises what it preaches:
it is a real visual feast for a visual medium. I shall definitely
be recommending it as the main source that students need for their
course. A really great production feat!
*Brenda Stones, City University, London*
Kelvin Smith's The Publishing Business: from p-books to e-books is
the first book in the new Creative Careers series from AVA
Publishing, and unlike other guides to publishing it's a visual
feast... the book won me over with interesting facts and quotes
about and from our industry, and for its skill at 'joining the
dots', filling gaps in knowledge that all of us know we have.
Although designed primarily for publishing students this is a great
book for anyone starting out in publishing to dip into and
jargon-bust, from which they will emerge feeling more confident.
And with so much gloom and pessimism about our future it's
refreshing to read something both upbeat and measured.
*Rachel Maund, Marketability, 2012*
A must-read book aimed for all of us who want to keep the
publishing business alive. Inspiring, comprehensive,
insightful.
*Teresa de Andrés, Visual Mag, 2012*
An introduction to the publishing industry as it is today. It
stimulates and promotes curiosity and investigation from the
graduate to the accidental author and publisher. This is neither a
history nor complete compendium of publishing today, but it is
essential reading for anyone wishing to understand how the modern
publishing world works and wants to play any part within it.
*Mick Rooney, The Independent Publishing Magazine, 2012*
The Publishing Business is an excellent reference and will offer
students a strong introduction to the opportunities and challenges
within the current state of the industry. I certainly wish I could
have read it before I started my MPub degree, if for no other
reason than to get up to speed on the terminology ... The
Publishing Business is the first in Ava Academia’s Creative Careers
series, and given its practical, comprehensive approach and clear,
informative content, I’ll be sure to keep an eye out for the
series’ future titles.
*Iva Cheung, Editor and Publishing Consultant, ivacheung.com*
A beautiful book which is well laid out and thought through. It
serves as an excellent introduction to the entire publishing
business which does not overwhelm the brand new student, rather
excites their appetite for the trade in an accessible way.
*Leah Tether, Anglia Ruskin University, UK*
Books on publishing tend to be rather boring, but not this one.
Written in a very accessible style, it is jam-packed with helpful
information, insights and resources; it is also beautifully
designed, imaginatively and richly illustrated, and with all sorts
of nice touches. It is a real pleasure to dip into and is currently
in the top spot on my coffee table!
*Hans Zell, Hans Zell Publishing, 2012*
The Publishing Business serves as an illustrated introduction to
how modern book publishers create and sell content. Smith
(independent scholar) explains different types of publishers and
outlines the variety of jobs available. The book dedicates most
chapters to the main process of creating a book -- from editorial
through to distribution and sales. Each section includes several
full-color charts, along with samples of covers and other products.
This volume is part of the "Creative Careers" series, designed to
help students learn about creative industries. It provides
discussion questions and activities at the end of each chapter.
Also featured are recommended readings, online resources, and a
glossary of key publishing terms. While the book is visually
stunning and filled with case studies that range from major trade
publishers like Random House to small presses like Persephone
Books, the material is very introductory. Smith never dedicates
more than two or three paragraphs to a particular facet of the
industry. This is one of the few titles that cover the digital
revolution sweeping the industry, and it is a very accessible
introduction. It deserves a place alongside Marshall Lee's
Bookmaking (3rd ed., CH, Oct'04, 42-0650) and Thomas Woll's
Publishing for Profit (rev. and expanded 4th ed., 2010). Summing
Up: Highly recommended. Lower-division undergraduate students and
general readers.
*J. Rodzvilla, Emerson College, USA*
A big, attractive softcover with lots of colour pictures and visual
interest. I recommend the book to anyone who’s considering working
in publishing or simply wants to know more about how books are
made.
*Eva van Emden, freelance editor and proofreader*
This book is handsomely designed with lashings of colour, glossy
pages, pull quotes that sometimes sit on whole pages and a
magazine-column layout. Though a textbook, The Publishing Business
could easily sit on public library shelves as well as senior
high-school and TAFE college shelves. The book is so visually
inviting that one could casually display it on a home or office
coffee table. But beyond its looks, this volume gives a
whole-picture view of publishing, including history, editorial
processes, design, and both print and digital publishing.
Fittingly, an early chapter investigates writers, readers and
intermediaries such as literary agents. Without the writer, the
publisher would have nothing to produce; without the reader,
neither the writer nor the publisher would have an audience. Each
chapter finishes with a case study, such as print and digital
processes at university presses.
*The Australian Library Journal, 2013, vol. 62*
A book about publishing that finally looks, as well as sounds, like
the business! The attention to the production values show students
how vital this part of successful book publishing is: in a time
where content packaging is THE most talked about challenge, this
book delivers lessons and advice in an accessible, immediately
impactful way. What student would not be inspired by this book?
Highly Recommended!
*Samantha J. Rayner, University College London, UK*
The Publishing Business represents not only a thoroughly researched
and comprehensive guide to contemporary publishing but also an
example of what a well designed and accessible textbook should
be.
*Prof Alistair McCleery, Edinburgh Napier University*
Convincing proof of how such a textbook should be organized in
order to become a student’s and a teacher’s best friend. This book
is no desert of black type. It is beautifully laid out: every
double-page spread is presented with short paragraphs, well-chosen
illustrations, and guidance that will capture the reader’s
attention.
*Rüdiger Wischenbart - LOGOS: A Journal of Modern Society &
Culture*
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