Examination of the major processes that typically take place when publishing a book or periodical in the U.S. and some of the contexts that drive decision-making by editors, publishers, marketers, designers, and other professionals. We will explore the past, present, and future of the U.S. publishing industry.
Athena Title
Introduction to Publishing
Prerequisite
ENGL 1102 or ENGL 1102E or ENGL 1102S or ENGL 1050H or ENGL 1060H
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Student learning Outcomes
Students will become conversant with the major areas of activity necessary to any publishing endeavor: editorial; production/design; legal considerations; marketing/publicity; sales/distribution; business strategy.
Students will learn about the book publishing industry and the life cycle of a book and understand how the publishing process might be structured differently for a magazine, newspaper, or website. By following industry newsletters and other publications, they will become familiar with some of the trends and challenges of the field and the ways publishers are responding.
Students will hone their writing with reflective and analytical essays.
Students will engage in collaborative discussion.
Students will also look at the publishing process from the perspective of writers, from the submission stage to managing a writing career.
Students will be prepared for advanced courses in UGA’s publishing certificate program and for internships with UGA Press or The Georgia Review.
Students will understand some of the common career paths in publishing and be ready to apply for internships and entry-level jobs in the field, or to undertake their own publishing projects.
Topical Outline
In this course, we will examine the major processes that typically take place when publishing a book or periodical in the U.S. and some of the various contexts that drive decision-making, such as genre, budget, resources, market, stakeholders, and mission, learning about the professional roles usually involved.
We will analyze real-time activity of the book industry, as expressed in industry newsletters, outside media coverage, and the catalogs and marketing activities of individual presses.
We will explore a few different models of book publishing as well as how the publishing process might be structured differently for a magazine, newspaper, or website.
We will study contemporary books and magazines for insight into how various publishers have approached editorial, design, and publicity for individual projects.
Throughout the semester, guest speakers working in different publishing roles will recount their career paths and share advice.
