The production process is one of the most technical areas of the publishing industry. It takes a book through from manuscript to finished copy and is largely concerned with the physical aspects of typesetting, printing and binding. Every day tasks involve liaising with typesetters, repro houses, printers & editorial staff to ensure that a book is produced correctly and delivered on time. It is important to stay on top of the schedule as so many different people are involved. Internally, production have to be extremely mindful of budgets which determine the general manufacture of the book from the paper used to the printers contracted. They will also have to work with Editorial and Design in order to ensure that the finished book has the desired appearance.
As this is the department which will oversee the finished product, attention to detail will be key. Good administrative and numerical skills are also useful when creating orders and approving quotes. Time management and the ability to work calmly under pressure are crucial here as production deadlines are often very tight.
...David, Senior Production Manager for Ebury Publishing
Other than amongst students of printing or design Production is, I am told, something of a mystery to many contemplating a career in Publishing. It was so to me when I entered the industry, I must confess.
Having been in it for, ahem, a few years now, I see Production as the point in the publishing process where the creative aspects of realising a book’s concept and content overlap with the practical requirements of giving those matters physical form. It therefore needs a visual sense and the ability to work with technical concepts allied to a predilection for attending to detail.
Production departments interact daily with every other department in Publishing, and plenty of parties outside it. Beyond the office lie the print, repro and design industries, with whom we work every bit as much as we do with our publishing colleagues. All of these sectors change relentlessly as digital technologies and engineering innovations march on. Adapting to those changes and maximising their advantages is an ongoing challenge, and for me it’s an exciting and rewarding one.
On most days I will attend to some picture reproduction matters - assessing, critiquing and improving the appearance of photographs, illustrations, graphics, page designs, very directly contributing to the finished result. I will generally need to do some figure work – estimating the cost for an ongoing or future project, negotiating pricing with a supplier. Project management skills will be needed at some point – a schedule may need to be re-drafted to address a delay elsewhere in the process. There will doubtless be problems or other matters to be pondered and worked through. I will likely be planning a visit to a printer to see a book on press, making a contribution right to the end of the process.
While the finished book will hopefully looks glorious in every way the timely and cost effective completion of any project is equally important. You’ll almost certainly have needed to make and re-make plans along the way, shown some patience, some flexibility and some problem solving nous. It’s a role which most certainly requires both sides of your brain and which every day will give you something new to think about.
