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Through the ages, books have been the medium of expression for people, and our window to the world. In fact, the written word has been the repository of knowledge, the progenitor and guardian of culture, as well as the medium for dissemination of ideas through the ages. For a long time the scope of publishing in India was limited to vernacular works. But currently, India ranks tenth in the world book trade, exporting books, periodicals and journals to over eighty countries. So far, publishing has been generally viewed as a tradition-bound area, where careers are slow to take off. This staid, conventional image is now beginning to change. The entry of foreign publishing houses has brought with it more money and larger markets, attracting bright, young professionals into the field with a new optimism, fresh ideas and shrewd business sense, to the overall benefit of the industry. Moreover, the rise and prominence of Indo-Anglian writing and the international acclaim of authors such as Arundhati Roy, Vikram Seth, Vikram Chandra, Kiran Desai, and others has spurred the interest in fiction from India. Major international firms, perceiving India as an important market, have established representative offices here. In addition, a younger, more venturesome generation of publishers are founding their own indigenous companies and exploring new avenues. Combined with this, the recent upsurge of interest in the creative arts, encouragement of vernacular writing and a rising literacy index hold great potential for the industry's growth in the near future.
Most publishing houses specialize in the nature of the books they bring out. These could be : Publishing is an industry that converts an author's manuscript into a finished product marketable to the reader. This necessarily includes the organization of its production, distribution and promotion. The work in publishing therefore covers editorial, production, and distribution or marketing. The responsibilities of individuals within these areas would vary in accordance with the size and organization of the publishing house. The work of the editorial department includes identifying authors and commissioning manuscripts, and liasing with authors and dealing with their contracts. Successful publishing therefore demands business acumen and an interest in marketing as much as it does creativity and literary effort. The production department, in consultation with the editor, decides on the appearance of a book, in terms of its shape, size, cover, number of pages and chooses the paper and style of typeface and illustrations that will be used. It also co-ordinates with suppliers like printers, paper merchants and book binders. The marketing department handles the sales of the books published. This involves planning sales campaigns, writing up of 'blurbs', and researching for review lists. The marketing department sends representatives to schools, universities, book shops, libraries and other potential customers, to provide them with information on forthcoming publications and to collect orders. Apart from editorial, production and marketing personnel the publishing industry constantly requires: Writers or authors who are, of course, central to the industry. With the exception of literary and creative works of fiction, poetry and drama, most manuscripts are commissioned only after careful consideration of their substance, author and likely market response. Translators, either on free-lance or full-time positions commissioned for undertaking English and Hindi translations from, and to a regional language. There is also considerable opportunity in most publishing houses, especially those publishing children's books, for free-lance or full-time illustrators who provide the artwork for books. Artists design book jackets and covers and also develop graphics and illustrations to enhance their contents. Publishing also covers a number of allied activities. Distribution is an area which is exclusive to sales and marketing. There are some organisations that only handle the distribution of books and periodicals. Their work involves promotion, supply and retail of all kinds of books. Desktop Publishing is a recent development, involving a personal computer which makes it possible to edit, design, layout and typeset copy. Due to its substantial cost advantage, desktop publishing has become immensely popular. It is being increasingly used by companies to produce brochures and newsletters for their internal circulation as well as for books with small print orders and limited sales. Fresh graduates in any discipline are often recruited by most publishing houses and given on-the-job training.
Eligibility: Certain institutions do provide short-term, post-graduate courses in publishing, which require a basic degree in any discipline. There are many more courses available in printing. These are diploma or certificate courses offered after the +2 level, and normally combine graphic arts and printing technology.
Duration:
Selection: There are very few institutions that offer specialised courses in publishing, although it is a vocational subject offered by some schools and colleges at the +2 and degree level. Important institutions include :
Besides a love of books, those entering this field must have general creative ability; some writing skill, a critical judgment and an interest in social, economic and literary trends. Editorial professionals would also need to have the ability to see books as a marketable commodity.
Those looking for a career in publishing and with the required qualifications could find a job in the following areas :
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