Fine print and publishing

FROM the time Johann Gutenberg invented the first moveable type and revolutionised the concept of copy reproduction, to the present day high technology printing presses, printing has indeed traversed a long way. It has led the way to the emergence of a competitive global printing and publishing industry. Though faced with many a challenge in the form of television and more recently the Internet, printing and publishing still remain a major source for disseminating information around the world.

Careers in printing

Almost all jobs in the printing industry require a minimum of high school education. Additional training across divisions is becoming increasingly necessary as the industry in becoming automated and digitized. It is beneficial to receive training in mathematics, electronics, and computers.

Pre-press process consists of typesetting and composing machine operators, and photoengraving and lithographic machine operators prepare material for the printing presses. Included among their tasks are composing the text, designing page layouts, photographing text and pictures, and making printing plates.

In the days of hand composing, precision compositors and typesetters arranged type by hand but now thanks to automation, the types are arranged through a computer into a galley for printing. Desktop publishing specialists using a computer screen, call up type and art elements to arrange them into a completed page.

Camera operators also known as line camera operators, halftone operators, or colour separation photographers, start the process of making a lithographic plate by photographing and developing negatives of the material to be printed. Scanner operators employ electronic or computerised scanning equipment to produce and screen film separations of photographs or art to use in lithographic printing plates.

Lithographic dot etchers retouch negatives by sharpening or reshaping the images on the negatives. They work by hand, using chemicals, dyes, and special tools. Film strippers cut the film to required size and arrange and tape the pieces of negatives onto `flats', or layout sheets, used to make press plates.

When the material is ready, printing press operators install and adjust the printing plate, mix fountain solution, adjust pressure, ink the presses, load paper, and adjust the presses to paper size. Operators must also correct any problems that might occur during a press run. Pre-flight technicians ensure that the design, format, settings, quality and all other aspects of the automated desktop work are acceptable, and the finished product is completed according to the client's specifications before it is delivered.

Bookbinders assemble books from large, flat, printed sheets of paper. They cut, saw, and glue parts to bind new books and perform other finishing operations, such as decorating and lettering.

Careers in publishing

Publishing is not a profession, but an industry. It is the publisher's responsibility to transform an author's manuscript into a finished book and deliver it to the reader. This necessarily includes the production, distribution and promotion books.

Trade and academic

Although trade publishing is more in the public eye, academic publishing can be every bit as interesting and challenging. Successful publishing demands business acumen and interest in marketing besides creativity and literary effort.

Editorial

Although jobs in editorial are often viewed as being the most glamorous, they are also the most difficult to get into as there are very few editorial posts even in large publishing houses. This entails commissioning work as well as deciding which manuscripts to accept from agents and which to reject. Editors need strong negotiating skills for buying manuscripts and need to be skilled at dealing with authors, literary agents and in some cases, lawyers. Essentially, the role requires a creative flair combined with business acumen, an eye for detail and excellent communication skills to keep authors and agents happy. Desk editors and copy editors read manuscripts for repetition, contradiction and simple mistakes of spelling, punctuation and grammar, check the factual information and look for anything libelous.

Contracts & rights

In large publishing houses there are contracts department to lay down the details for both volume and subsidiary rights. Rights departments have a responsibility for selling the rights for published books, which include serial rights, overseas rights, rights to publish in paperback, television and film rights and merchandising rights. Essential for jobs in these departments are a legal degree, and a meticulous eye for detail.

Design & production

Design and production departments are responsible for the physical look and feel of the book. Much of the design work is now carried out via desktop publishing systems that require both technical and creative training.

The production department is responsible for the physical process of transforming the manuscript and artwork into the finished book. This includes everything from ordering the paper, obtaining estimates for typesetting, printing and binding to arranging proofs, print-run numbers etc.

Sales

Articulacy, an ability to build relationships, and influence people and a good understanding of the book trade are some of the essential sales skills. Export sales is a separate specialist area, which often requires fluency in a foreign language apart from sales skills.

Online book sales is the latest in marketing and sales. Though quite prevalent in the west, it is a recent phenomenon in India. The sales are carried through the Internet, wherein the customer pays via credit card and receives the ordered books through mail order.

Marketing, publicity &

distribution

Focuses on preplanning the marketing campaign including press advertising and the production of catalogues and promoting materials. The publicity department concentrates on getting press exposure and organising promotional events such as book launches and author signing tours.

Without an effective national and possibly international distribution system, no publisher can survive. Distribution systems have become highly sophisticated and highly developed mechanised picking and packing processes have been developed.

Support functions

Publishers and printers like all businesses employ people in accounts, computing, human resources and training. All these departments are specifically tailored to the needs of the business. With the whole process being computerised, the information service department has become crucial to the smooth functioning of the company. They are responsible for developing computer systems that enable the company to continually improve its processes and access information that enables it to manage its business effectively.

MALINI SURYANARAYANAN

maalini.mds@careercommunity.co.in