This blog is becoming more and more about publishing, books and business. That was not my intention but I seem to be writing mostly about the industry so why fight it. I hope to throw some history into the mix too but we will see how that works.

I had another revelation too and that was that most people looking to get into publishing would benefit from two books mostly aimed at Authors and Writers. The Writers Handbook and The Writers & Artists Yearbook (Any recent edition; both are revised annually). These books are great jump off points for learning about the industry.

The specialities of publishers are important for most people. I enjoy history so working in Local History is clearly a good match but how well would I do in a Science Technical and Medical publishing house? Probably I would be well able for the work but find it not nearly as enjoyable.

Remember to check addresses though if you have an old copy and make sure you check on the ownership structure of the company. Some of the larger groups have centralised application systems (I’m thinking of Bertelsmann) so be conscious of who you need to apply to when searching or applying for positions.