EL7043 - Manuscript to Market

This module will be delivered via a series of lectures and workshops led by academic and industry experts in the relevant fields under discussion. Curated and led by the programme leader as module tutor, this introductory module will combine knowledge exchange and transfer with dialogic engagement opportunities for you to work with publishing staff across all areas of the Hachette business, including Senior Commissioning Editors, Production Directors, Communication Directors and Sales and Operations Directors. You will also learn about the business of publishing from Northumbria University academics from the Faculty of Business and Law. International interactions with UK publishing will be demonstrated through data analysis of Hachette’s global operations, sales and exports to other countries. With bespoke delivery centred around a range of identified key topics in the field, the teaching team will use lectures to set out the reality of each production stage before using seminars and interactive workshops to consider how these areas connect and challenges and opportunities within each role in contemporary publishing. Individual support for the assessments and academic progress will be offered through tutorials with the module tutor before the formative and summative assignments and at the end of the module to reflect of achievements and developmental needs. Working with Northumbria academics in Business and Law, you will be encouraged to develop business strategies, entrepreneurial capabilities and project management skills through small group and individual working.

You will be supported across the module by a module tutor who will be your central point of contact. The module tutor will curate a dynamic programme of guest speakers from across the areas of academic publishing studies, publishing industry experts and writing development and associated sectoral speakers. Lectures, seminars and workshops will be supported by critical readings and an e-learning site with additional information and resources to augment your studies and learning experience. One-to-one tutorial support will be available prior to assessment and again following assessment to review your achievements and focus on any developmental needs.

All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. Online reading lists (provided after enrolment) give you access to your reading material for your modules. The Library works in partnership with your module tutors to ensure you have access to the material that you need.

What will I be expected to achieve?
(SRS 0005)

The assessment for this module will ask you to:

1.Knowledge & Understanding
• Show understanding of the variety of roles in contemporary publishing
• Demonstrate knowledge of practices, structures and challenges across different publishing sectors and the socio-cultural and economic contexts of the publishing industry;

2.Intellection/Professional Skills & Abilities
• Reflect on the reality of working in a variety of roles and EDI within the contemporary publishing industry, including the wider place of these roles within the context of an organisation and the industry as a whole;

3.Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural Awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):
• Show understanding of and reflection in the various roles in publishing in a wider commercial and professional context.

Formative (Sem 1: assessment week 3)
5 mins Pitch to acquisitions group of publishing staff including costing, vision and buy-in.

Summative (Sem 2: assessment week 3)
100% Portfolio
(i) Select a trade-published book (non-fiction, children’s or fiction) published within the previous 12 months and critically review the way in which it was published from concept to sale (2500 words)
(ii) Generate a new concept for a trade-published book (non-fiction, children’s or fiction) and critically review its production process from concept to sale (2500 words of 8-10 entries).

N/A

N/A

This year-long module maps onto the ‘Publishing Placement’ module and provides you with the knowledge and understanding necessary to maximise your placement experiences across the duration of the programme. The module is designed to foster developmental and reflective knowledge acquisition and to provide opportunities to apply your learning and reflect on your development needs as you progress. The timeline of module delivery is designed to reflect the movement of the book across the various stages of production within a contemporary publishing business. Module sessions will capture the reality of the role of each function of the stage of production and how these relate to each other to produce a final product for the market place. Reflecting on the experience of the author in the publishing process, as well as the influence of external markets and buyers, the module will equip you with the skills and experiences necessary to build support for your projects and pitch effectively to potential clients and end users. Through instruction in the business of publishing you will develop the skills required to operate in a contemporary publishing organisation across a variety of roles. You will be encouraged to consider the logistics of type setting, layout, production schedules, supply chains and exports. As well as considering the importance of editorial and marketing, you will also examine the after-life of books once they enter the market place with a focus on front and back lists, and the emerging significance of adaptation and series sales and licencing for the sector in the contemporary period.