Book Publishing: An Introduction

1
Book Publishing An Introduction
2
The Book Trade

• Acquisitions staff and selectors need to know
  something about the book trade
• It helps personnel determine something about the
  quality of an item under consideration.
• It also aids acquisitions staff when they have to
  deal directly with publisher.
• It may also aid in selecting a supplier.

3
What is a publisher?

• To publishto issue a printed work, etc. to the
  public, as for sale
• To issue the written work of an author
• (Websters)
• Appropriate to describe book publishing as a
  cultural industry
• Book Publishing A Basic Introduction
• by John P. Dessauer

4
Standard Terminology

• Divisions of the Industry
• Association of American Publishers has
  established some definitions.

5
Books By Type

• Trade books
• Religious books
• Professional books
• Mass market paperbacks
• University Press books
• Texts
• Government Publications
• Serials publishers

6
Functional Areas of Publishing

• Editorial
• Production
• Marketing
• Fulfillment
• Administration

7
Future Trends

• Era of rapid change
• Mergers and acquisitions
• Era of the accountant-publisher
• Multinational publishers

8
Changes

• Simultaneous publication of popular
• works in paper, audio, or CD-ROM formats
• Increased serialization of important new works in
  major magazines like Newsweek and Time
• Major event publications
• E-Books

9
Websites

• Association of American Publishers
• www.publishers.org
• Books A to Z
• www.booksatoz.com
• Book Web
• www.ambook.org
• Bookwire
• www.bookwire.com
• Publishers Catalogues Home Page
• www.lights.com/publisher/index.html