A career in publishing – Part 2

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Continuing from last time, let’s look at a few more career options in the publishing industry (sources: thebalance.com and creativeskillset.org).

Literary Scouts – Scouts find books that will make it big on the silver screen. They have a knack for being able to find books that will do well as films and with experience are able to deliver films that are able to significantly outperform the books themselves. 

Production Editors – These are the people behind the scenes that coordinate with the authors, manage the various stakeholders, check for errors and ensure that the project is delivered on time and in the best way possible. People with good time management skills and an eye for detail do well at this key position that keeps the publishing machine running.

Sales Positions – Do you find yourself being the expert in recommending books to your friends? Can you sell an igloo to an eskimo? A career in book sales maybe your calling. This position calls for an understanding for what customers want, how best to sell them and good networking skills. A glamorous position with opportunities to travel around the world as you promote your superstar author.

Technical Author – A writer that excels at describing complex technical concepts in easy to understand prose. They create technical manuals, product brochures, software help documents and even as the experts behind Bots!

Translator – Translate from one language to another keeping in mind differences in language based on the type of content. Good translators are highly sought after to help keep abreast of scientific and technological developments in non English speaking countries.

Web Content Manager – Creates and manages content for websites that will engage visitors. Key resource who ensures that a website stays ahead of the completion by driving repeat business.

Writer – Last but probably the most important person in the business, a writer is someone who ideates well, does detailed research and engages their readers with their content and style. Pick your passion, stick with it and in time write your first bestseller!

A lot of possibilities, how does one choose? How do you find out what you are good at? I suggest that you join a company that works with a variety of publishers. You will get a good feel for the various roles and can interview customers to find out more. Once you have a grounding in the business and have gained some skills, you’ll know where your interests and skills lie. Go ahead and step into the exciting world of publishing!

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