A GUIDE TO PUBLISHING Contents What is publishing? 3 Why publishing? 4 Different types of publishing 5 Life cycle of a book 6 Editorial 8 Design 10 Production 12 Marketing & consumer insight 14 Publicity 16 Sales 18 WHAT IS PUBLISHING? Rights 20 You’ve probably heard people talking about publishing Contracts 22 before – perhaps your favourite author has mentioned their Product 24 publisher, or maybe you’ve noticed a publisher’s name or logo Finance 26 on the spine of a book. But what is publishing and what do Administration 28 publishers actually do? IT 30 Distribution 32 Hachette is one of Australia’s biggest and most diverse trade Looking to get into publishing? 33 publishers, and we’ve put together this booklet to answer Notes 33 those questions because we want to be the publisher and employer of choice for all people. This booklet will show you what publishing is, what publishers do and how you can have a rewarding career in publishing – whatever your skills or background. 3 Why publishing? Different types of publishing A career in publishing is a career the author to change the book and There are many different kinds of provide books for their courses, in one of the main creative refine it to make it the best book it books, and this means there are as well as publishing cutting-edge industries, and is all about can be. But words are just the many different types of publisher. research on all kinds of subjects in storytelling, regardless of your beginning of the story. Maybe Each publishing company has a focus academic journals. They make job. Everyone who works for a you’re a talented artist or designer. on particular types of books, and valuable contributions to learning publishing company makes a Maybe you’re wonderful at talking makes sure it’s staffed with people and to the future of our world by valuable contribution – whether to people and can generate hype who have the skills and expertise to publishing forward-thinking the books they create are epic for a book. Maybe you’re excellent publish those kinds of books as research. works of literary fiction, picture at building relationships and can efficiently and creatively as possible. books that introduce children to Beyond books found in bookshops, sell books to bookshops. Maybe is a their first words, intimate Hachette Australia libraries and schools, there are also you’re good with numbers and can celebrity biographies, cookbooks subsidiary of Hachette UK and is those published by professional help us to budget and forecast. full of tasty recipes, or textbooks what’s often referred to as a ‘trade’ companies and those specific to the Maybe you’re a digital whizz, and that help kids of all ages at school publisher. This means we publish charity sector and other areas. can help us to create websites, and college. Everyone has a story books for a general audience – the They provide specialised books, ebooks and brilliant online content. to tell, and publishers help these kinds of books you see in magazines and online resources for Maybe you’re an expert negotiator stories to get told in the best bookshops and libraries, such as businesses, charities, industries and and can help us to work out the way, in the best format. fiction, non-fiction, children’s professional bodies, helping our best deals with authors, agents and books, cookbooks, memoirs, self- economy to thrive by publishing There are lots of different roles in retail partners. help books and biographies. innovative research and reference publishing, as this booklet shows, books. for all different skillsets. You might Whatever your skills and interests, As well as trade publishers, there there’s a role in publishing for you. think publishing is just for people are also educational publishers, All these kinds of publishers need who are good with words – and if who provide textbooks and online people with your skills, whether you are, that’s great. You’d courses to help students learn and you’re a maths whizz, a wordsmith, probably make a brilliant editor: study, and academic publishers, or a creative designer. someone who works with the who work with universities and 4 5 Life cycle of a book AUTHOR PUBLICITY Writes manuscript Connects author with and sends to agent media outlets and CONTRACTS interested audiences RIGHTS A contractual agreement is put together between the Sells rights to AGENT translation, Evaluates manuscript's publisher and author/ film, TV, serial etc potential sales value and agents, US publisher, ghost agrees to represent the author writer, translator etc PUBLISHER Approached by agent or PRODUCT author with a manuscript DESIGN Curates and imports books Designs cover Schedules book with sales from Hachette UK and MARKETING according to brief and Works with author to Hachette Book Group US knowledge of market Gets word out about the achieve desired structure book through advertising and tone for book and and promotional projects briefs cover design PRODUCTION Deals with typesetters and paper suppliers. PROJECT EDITOR STOCK CONTROL & Sends typescripts and SALES Plans realistic schedule, covers to be printed. DISTRIBUTION Assists publisher at liaises with Production and Converts for ebook use Fulfils orders for the book, acquisition with potential arranges for copy-editing monitors sales and supply numbers and scheduling. and proof-reading, and chains, and triggers reprints Approaches retailers collates all typescripts. who might be interested AUDIO in the book As soon as final files are ready they are used to record audio books LEGAL Non-fiction sent for PICTURE RESEARCH CONSUMER external legal read to Assists in finding BOOK BUYERS identify potential issues photographs for plate Meets with sales, reviews Chooses which book they and legal problems sections and clearing projects and decides want to read and which permissions for use whether to stock the book retailer to buy it from 6 7 What’s the first role? • Attention to detail and general knowledge: The entry-level role of Editorial knowing the rules of Assistant is at the heart of the grammar and how to apply production process. Editorial them is very important for Assistants work with all an editorial role. It’s also departments with tasks including beneficial if you have a wide liaising with authors, illustrators and range of interests and read agents, assisting publishers, and widely. You could be asked managing submissions. This role is to take a short editing test also called Publishing Assistant. as part of your interview. • Negotiating: being tactful What do I need to EDITORIAL when working with authors demonstrate in an interview? and people in other teams. What do we do? Entry-level editorial roles can be Publishers need to have a good The publisher acquires the books we publish before they very competitive, so you’ll need to eye for writing talent and become books. Publishers read submissions from authors, demonstrate a wide range of skills, including: understand what readers want. literary agents and overseas publishers and also come up with • Creativity: editing copy so it At Hachette, we have publishers ideas for books and approach writers to work on them. We is clear and concise, reading who have come from are the first point of contact for authors and work with sales, submissions, and working with bookselling, communications, marketing and publicity to publish the book successfully. typesetters and designers. sales, and editorial departments. The editor is responsible for making sure the contents of the books we publish are structurally sound and free of factual and As the Publishing Assistant, I support the Publishers in their day-to- grammatical errors, inconsistencies and typos. We work with day tasks whilst managing administrative procedures and meetings. the publisher to transform the author’s manuscript and the Organisation and efficiency are my best friends! I love that I get to illustrator’s artwork into a printed book, ebook or audio witness the journeys of so many books, from when they are first edition and work with colleagues in design and production to received and taken to an editorial meeting, through to having a manage the schedule and costs of the whole editorial process. cover designed and finally being printed. 8 LEE MOIR, PUBLISHING ASSISTANT What’s the first role? This doesn’t necessarily have to be book-related, but it does The entry-level role is Junior have to show a range of work Designer. In this job you’d be doing tasks such as: and demonstrate your ability to • working with marketing to design for different genres or create advertisements, audiences. You must show a banners and other material to strong understanding of how to help sell the book handle type and images. • getting files ready for print Designers will often have a degree and online in Graphic Design or Illustration, • creating ideas and designs for but the most important thing is a DESIGN book proof covers (early brilliant portfolio of design work. copies of the book that are You should be proficient in What do we do? sent to booksellers and other Photoshop and InDesign; some key readers). We work with lots of freelance book cover designers who knowledge of printing processes What do I need to help us create the covers that you see in bookstores. Our would also be an advantage, as demonstrate in an interview? in-house designer works with the marketing team to books are still primarily sold in create animations, posters for bookstores and other To get hired in a design role you’ll print form. beautiful things that help sell books. They also work with need a portfolio of creative work. other departments to create communications materials and documents just like this one! My job as the in-house Marketing Graphic Designer is really varied.