Publishing
There are a wide range of opportunities in book publishing. Some departments you may find include: Editorial, Finance, Contracts, Publicity, Art & Design, Production, Information Technology, Marketing/Advertising/Promotions, Subsidiary Rights and Permissions, Sales, Internet Development, Distribution. A rapidly growing trend in the publishing arena is electronic, audio, and new media formats.
Generally speaking publishers tend to fall into one of two categories, large publishing houses or small independent presses. The large publishing houses have a number of imprints that fall under their umbrella (for example, Doubleday is an imprint of Random House). Regardless of size, publishing houses may focus on one segment or be divided into multiple divisions that each specialize in a particular segment.
Careers
Five primary segments of book publishing:
- Fiction: Literature, Romance, Science Fiction, Mystery, Crime, etc.
- Non-Fiction: Cookbooks, Self-Help, Biography, Travel, etc.
- Educational: Textbooks – Elementary, Secondary, Post-Secondary
- Professional & Scholarly: Legal, Technical, Scientific, Medical, etc.
- Children’s & Young Adult
In addition to working in a publishing house, there are a number of complimentary career options that those interested in publishing may want to consider, including literary agencies, literary journals, book reviews, and for those with language fluency, literary translation. Literary agents, sometimes referred to as author’s representatives, connect talented authors with editors at the appropriate publishing houses, assuring that promising works do not get buried in a pile of unsolicited manuscripts. Literary agents provide authors with honest feedback on the marketability of their work, provide editorial guidance to assure the work is ready to be submitted to a publishing house for initial review, connect the author to the appropriate publishing house representatives, and assist with contract negotiation. (adapted from: http://ocs.yale.edu/content/publishing)
Resources and Job Boards
BOOKJOBS.COM was created to aid in the recruiting of the best and the brightest college graduates around the country—graduates from all ethnic and social backgrounds and all areas of study. The site serves two purposes: to provide a centralized place for job seekers to research available positions throughout the publishing industry, and to provide basic information about the book publishing industry as a whole—commonly used words and terms in the industry, department descriptions, companies, events, and other information. Bookjobs.com is sponsored by the Association of American Publishers, the National Trade Association for the U.S. book publishing industry. Check out their guide to the various jobs in the publishing industry.
- Oxford American Internship Program
- Chronicle Books Jobs and Internships
- HarperCollins Careers
- Bookbuilders of Boston Job Board
- Boston Book Festival
- Harper’s Magazine Internships
- Penguin Random House Internships and Careers
- HarperCollins Internships and Careers
- Candlewick Press Careers and Internships
- Beacon Press Internships and Careers
- David R. Godine Internships and Careers
- The Drum Audio Literary Magazine
Professional Organizations
- Author's Guild
- Boston Lit District
- MPA - The Association of Magazine Media is the primary advocate and voice for the magazine media industry, driving thought leadership and game-changing strategies to promote the medium’s vitality, increase revenues and grow market share. Established in 1919, MPA represents 265 domestic, associate and international members. MPA is headquartered in New York City, with a government affairs office in Washington, DC. See: MPA Job Bank
