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All of us, at one point of time or the other since our childhood, have had something to do with the books so as to meet our respective curricular requirements at school, college and university levels. Some of us were 'bookworms' and some of us read them because we had to. At that stage, books relating to favourite subjects were relished. Later on in the life reading novels and other magazines catering to different fields of interest becomes our pastime. But have you ever stopped for a while to think about the people who made these books happen to us? Not really, because most of the people think that books are written by authors and they sell it in the market whereas, in reality, though the books are written by somebody (of course), they go through so many processes before finding their way to the market.

When a writer completes her/his works, she / he approaches a publishing house, which deal in publishing of books, magazines etc. If the author is a prominent one, she / he is approached by the publishing house(s) to write on something.

In a publishing house, the editorial is one of the most important departments, which deals with marking of book from the manuscript stage to what finally appears on market shelves. It is editor's job to edit a manuscript, work closely with the author in order to understand what she / he is trying to convey, make sure that the essence of the storyline is not lost and present the book in a manner that will appeal to the readers.

The editor's job is very challenging. Each author is difficult because of their idiosyncrasies. Therefore, to become a good editor you will have to put your ego aside and be in good control of your emotions. Apart from an interest in the books, a strong command over language you wish to work in, an eye for detail and an overall general awareness are required to become a good editor. Though one has to be a graduate in order to apply, most publishing houses prefer postgraduates.

Most of the publishing houses are departmentalised into subjects. If they hire somebody to work on books on economics, they would prefer a person with specialisation in that particular subject. Further, when editing a work of non - fiction or a textbook, a transparent and fluid writing style is required. In some of the publishing houses like Tata McGraw - Hill, which is purely into technical books, the editors need to work with the author right from the project inception stage on the scope and versatility of the content. Even the format in which the author must develop and submit the content is critical in order to avoid technical errors during production.

The work hours for editors are usually fixed but it can get hectic at times when a deadline has to be met. As usual, the pay salaries vary from one publishing house to another. The starting salary could be anywhere between Rs. 8,000 - 10,000. It may take you about 5 - 6 years to reach a position of a senior commissioning editor, where the salaries range between Rs. 35,000 - 40,000. There is no doubt, it is a challenging job, but you can derive satisfaction from trying out your creativity as well.

Another important department in a publishing house is sales. The job involves bringing out the inherent values of the book(s) in front of the readers. That's why an interest in books is considered necessary to get a job in this department as well.

There are a few more areas which have grown in importance over the years like marketing. It's main aim is to keep track of sale of books and overall market prices. Publicity and Promotions has now become an important aspect due to media hype and glittering book launches.

A few short - term courses on publishing are available, but they are not considered a 'must' for anyone interested in pursuing publishing as a career. An eye for detail can only be acquired on the job.

Publishing in India is a rapidly growing industry. It can be explained by the fact that most international publishing houses such as Penguin, Harper Collins, Picador, Random House, Oxford University Press and MacMillan either have a full - fledged office or representatives in the country, simply goes to prove that. If you are interested in intellectual growth and quenching your thirst for knowledge, then publishing is the profession for you.
Courses Available:

Post - Graduate Diploma in Book Publishing, College of Vocation Studies

Duration : 2 years, 4 days a week every evening.

Fees : Rs. 350 per month

Certificate Course by the National Book Trust

Duration : 4 weeks, 9 am to 5.30 pm every day

Fees : Rs. 3500

Shankar's Academy and Sterling Publishers also offer short - term courses in publishing.

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I will be the leader of a company that ends up being worth billions of dollars, because I got the answers. I understand culture. I am the nucleus. I think that’s a responsibility that I have, to push possibilities, to show people, this is the level that things could be at. I think that’s a responsibility that I have, to push possibilities, to show people, this is the level that things could be at.

"I will be the leader of a company that ends up being worth billions of dollars, because I got the answers. I understand culture. I am the nucleus. I think that’s a responsibility that I have, to push possibilities, to show people, this is the level that things could be at."