Whats the good word

Updated on: Monday, October 19, 2009

If it’s only words and words are all you have, then consider making a career in the publishing industry, which has over a period of time, become much more vibrant and dynamic. After all, it is easy to see the appeal of playing a part in producing the books that you love reading.
With a multitude of players the publishing industry is a fast-paced, highly competitive field. But this in turn has led to several more job opportunities in the last decade. And if we take into account the emergence of new delivery channels such as online and digital devices, then the arena opens up even more. A rough industry estimate pegs the figure at over 50,000 skilled professionals as the field is extremely diverse and involves many different steps and assets, making its employment base very diverse. Expectedly, it is bound to grow manifold in the coming years especially if we compare it to the size and operations of publishing industries in developed countries. For instance, there are 8,000 publishing companies operating within the UK according to one estimate and the number of people employed in the UK publishing industry is 0.6 per cent of the working population (Department for Business, Innovation and Skills — Publishing Sector).
Says Aparna Sharma, Head of Publishing Operations, Dorling Kindersley (India), a company that creates travel and illustrated reference books for adults and children, “With increased and wider readership in India, publishing is a highly competitive industry with several job opportunities available. But anyone entering publishing must have a passion for books, read a lot, have a keen eye for detail and have great communication skills. They should be meticulous, organised and methodical. It’s a creative field, but requires a huge amount of discipline and hard work.” But you are aptly paid for your efforts. At the entry level you could easily earn around Rs.18 to 20,000 per month depending upon your calibre. The industry is fast-moving, strategic and exciting and can be very rewarding for those with the determination to progress. Larger publishing companies generally offer a sociable and relaxed working environment.
The publishing process in a publication house can generally be divided into editorial, design and production, marketing (sales and publicity), distribution and administration (the latter includes the accounting and general computing functions). “Our creative departments are made up of editors, designers, DTP designers as well as technical editors and software programmers for our digital and new media divisions,” informs Sharma.
Since this industry primarily focuses on the writing and editing of literature and services fields of study such as medicine, engineering, science, law, art and humanities, among others, and covers segments such as schools, colleges and higher education, there is scope for people from all backgrounds to contribute.
As studying and books go hand-in-hand, an involvement in publishing is attractive to many graduating students. However, you need to have certain educational qualifications to excel in your job. Explains Dr. C.B. Paul Chellakumar, International Education Counsellor from Chennai, “Different publishing houses look for different skills in their employees. For example subject editors need to have a thorough knowledge of their subject — to become a sub editor/ assistant editor, you should be equipped with a post-graduate degree in English/other language from a recognised university. It also helps if you are acquainted with the print process, sales and production aspects of the business. Designers with a degree or diploma in graphic design from a reputed design institute are preferred and since the entire bookmaking process is digital, a knowledge of computers and design software is a huge bonus, and essential for design and DTP entrants. Technical and marketing professionals need to have degrees in their respective fields.”
There are also various institutes offering tailor-made courses to suit the flourishing publishing industry in India. Says Sharma, “Institutes like the Symbiosis Institute of Mass Communication, Mudra Institute of Communications, IIMC, and the Xavier Institute of Communication are a few names that offer some fantastic courses to help students establish a foothold in this competitive industry. Also worth checking for are courses that the National Book Trust, IBP, the Federation of Indian Publishers, publishers and booksellers guilds run on a regular basis in collaboration with various educational institutions.” So start your eternal romance with words and learn to play with them!

Whats the good word

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