The Book Publishing Industry Takes Books from Writer to Reader
By Valerie Peterson, About.com Guide
- Book Publishing History
- Book Publishing Industry Basics
- Book Acquisition and Editing
- Book Art and Production
- Book Industry Events
- Bookselling & Booksellers
- Children's Books
- Cookbooks
- Romance - The Business of Passion
- Mystery - Making Crime (Books) Pay
- Sci Fi & Fantasy - Imagining New Worlds
- Libraries
Book Publishing History
The history of books – printed pages of text bound between two covers – spans about two thousand years. In that time, these amazing objects--from papyrus codices to penny dreadfuls to paperbacks to ebooks – helped stimulate the growth of civilization and foster the spread of knowledge. Read about the modest device that has provided humankind with untold hours of enlightenment and entertainment, instruction and armchair adventure: the book.
- Codex - The First Bound Book
- Gutenberg Starts a Book Publishing Revolution
- Frankfurt - An Ancient Book Fair
- Newbery Medal Winners 1922 - 1972
- Newbery Medal Winners 1973 - Present
- The History of Barnes & Noble
- Len Riggio, Founder of Barnes & Noble
- The Rise & Fall of the Borders Group
- The Rise of Ebooks
- Amazon.com's Publishing Milestones
Book Publishing Industry Basics
In between writers and readers there are editors, publishers, designers, printers, ebook coders, warehouses, booksellers and many, many more professionals. And while most of those pros (yes, most) do in fact love the written word, book publishing is very much a business. Here are some of the basics.
- Types of Book Publishers
- Book Publishing's Annual Calendar - Major Trade Book Industry Events
- Departments in a Trade Book Publishing House
- An Overview of Textbook Publishing
- An Overview of the Book Publishing Process
- Getting a Job in Book Publishing
- New York City and Book Publishing
Book Acquisition and Editing
From manuscript or book proposal to literary agent to book editor — learn how books are bought —that is, "acquired"—by a traditional publishing house, and what happens to the book in the hands of an editor.
- Elements of an Effective Book Proposal
- The Roles of the Editorial Department
- The Book Editorial Process
Book Art and Production
At best, the physical book is an object of a reader's lust, irresistible to the consumer. At a minimum, the book's design and layout should serve the story by making it readable and navigable. Whether creating a printed book or an ebook, design and production are integral book publisher departments, helping to optimize the reader's experience of the text.
Book Industry Events
Trade shows and expos — here's a list of major book-centric events.
- BookExpo America (BEA)
- Frankfurt Book Fair
- London Book Fair
- American Library Association Conference
- Bologna Children's Book Fair
Bookselling & Booksellers
From independent "bricks and mortar" bookstores and large bookselling chains to Big Box discounters and online and e-book retailers, there are lots of different places from which to buy or download a book. Whether you're an author, or are looking to break into book publishing, or want to become a bookseller yourself, it pays to know a bit about how book retailers operate.
- Bookselling Basics - Opening a Bookstore
- What is an Independent Bookstore?
- About the American Booksellers Association (ABA)
- Regional Bookseller Associations
- Indie Bookseller Profile: City Lights
- Indie Bookseller Profile: Mysterious Bookshop
- Indie Bookseller Profile: R. J. Julia
- Major US Bricks-and-Mortar Booksellers
- Major Ebook Sellers
- New York City Booksellers
- Amazon.com
- Barnes & Noble
- Books-A-Million (BAM)
- Borders - Rise and Fall
Children's Books
Most professionals in the book publishing world have a love of the written word that began when they were children. But cracking the children's publishing industry isn't as simple as the vocabulary in those primers. If you aspire to work with children's books in any capacity, you need to learn the ABCs of the genre.
- Introduction to Children's Book Publishing
- How to Create a Book Trailer for an Illustrated Book
- Should You Publish A Children's Ebook? Read This First
- Children's Ebooks and Apps — 5 Practical and Technical Self-Publishing Tips
- The Bologna Children's Book Fair
- The Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI)
- SCBWI Children's Book Awards Recognize Published and Unpublished Works
- The Caldecott Medal for Children's Book Illustrators
- The Newbery Medal for Children's Literature
- Newbery Medal Winners - 1973 to Present
- Newbery Medal Winners - 1922 - 1972
Cookbooks
It might be a highly personal collection of family recipes, a "community"-assembled book meant for fund-raising, a workaday tome for the busy cook, or gloriously photographed manifestation of a star chef's vision. Whatever the form, a cookbook presents unique challenges to the author, the editor, and the publisher. Read about the business of cookbook publishing.
- The "Recipe" For a Good Book Title (featuring Julia Child)
- Improve Your Cookbook Title - A Case Study in Market Expansion
- Julia Child, Iconic Cookbook Author - Mastering the Art of Cookbook Writing
- Julia Child, TV Personality - Marketing Her First Cookbook
- About the IACP Cookbook Awards
- IACP Cookbook Award Category Details
- The 2012 IACP Cookbook Awards
- The 2013 IACP Cookbook Awards - pg 1
- The 2013 IACP Cookbook Awards - pg 2
- About the James Beard Foundation Book Awards
- The 2012 James Beard Foundation Book Awards
Romance - The Business of Passion
Writers, editors, agents, readers, booksellers, librarians: romance book supporters are among the most passionate in book publishing. Read about what the book industry loves about the romance genre.
- About the Romance Genre
- How to Create a Trailer for Your Romance Novel
- Fifty Shades of Grey's Publishing Success Story
- Amanda Hocking's Paranormal Romance Success
- Have You Written a Romance Novel? Tell Us About It Here!
- Romance Writers of America (RWA) - Advocacy for the Romance Book Industry
- RWA Annual Conference - Skill-building and Camaraderie for the Romance Author
- Romance Writers of America Awards - High Honors for Romance Writers
- 2011 RWA Award Winners - RITA Awards, Golden Heart Awards and more
- 2012 RWA Award Winners - RITA Award Winners
- 2012 RWA Award Winners - Nora Roberts, Golden Heart, and Industry Awards
Mystery - Making Crime (Books) Pay
What is a mystery novel? Find clues in books from Edgar Allen Poe or follow the trail to Nancy Drew: there is lots of evidence that mystery is a bestselling book genre. Read about the business of making crime (books) pay.
- Mystery Writers of America (MWA) Helps Make Crime Pay for Authors
- MWA's Edgar Awards - Rewarding Lives of Crime (Books)
- 2012 Edgar Awards — Complete List of Nominees and Winners
- Otto Penzler - Bookseller, Author, Publishing Man of Mystery
Sci Fi & Fantasy - Imagining New Worlds
Time travel, colonies in space, worlds under the sea... or superheroes, fairies, and vampires, science fiction and fantasy novels imagine their characters in worlds unknown to us—at least at the present. Learn more about the Science Fiction, Fantasy and other "speculative" fiction genres.
- About the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA)
- About the SWFA's Nebula Awards for Speculative Fiction Writing
- Amanda Hocking's Paranormal Book Publishing Success Story
Libraries
Libraries have traditionally been repositories of information in the form of books--some for lending and entertainment, others for learning and reference. While the functions of modern libraries are much the same as they've always been, the formats of their materials now run the gamut of media--from books to music to films to online databases--and librarians don't "Shush!" today as much as they help patrons negotiate databases and new technologies in reference publishing.