A New Chapter: Isobel’s Semester one studying MA Publishing

Let's take it back to the very beginning. Working in publishing has been my goal from the age of 16 and was confirmed as an interest after I undertook an internship with Northodox Press in 2020. During this internship, I read and reported on manuscripts, as well as authoring blog posts. The University's Publishing MA was my first choice, and was first for a reason. All of my fellow students will undoubtedly agree with me that we chose this course for its vocational orientation. 

Now I have completed semester one of MA Publishing. The standout journey for me this term has been making an eBook from scratch. Trust me, it’s much harder than it looks! Learning how to use InDesign is like learning how to drive a car; you have to coordinate all the intricacies whilst still keeping an eye on the road ahead. But I wanted to be challenged and develop new skills, and this gave me the chance to do that. I learned a lot, from applying paragraph styles, to anchoring images, to manipulating CSS code in Sigil. 

When I now look at my finished product, I feel a great sense of pride and achievement that I learned the whole process in just ten weeks. Once I felt more familiar with InDesign, I found myself enjoying the process of making the eBook, where previously I had not been InDesign’s biggest fan. I am so glad the course put this digital module in the first term, because it has helped my confidence grow.

As an industry, publishing seems a bit like a steam train. The glossy paint and the billowing steam are like the brand-new paperbacks hitting the shelves. But, inside the train, are the people shovelling the coal and the mechanics keeping the operation smooth. Herein lies the booktroverts who make the wheels go round and keep the bookshops stocked,. I am so glad to have started my training and learn how to manoeuvre these cogs. Like with most careers, experience is invaluable for securing that first job, and beginning work on the Major Project has kickstarted this real-world experience.

I have had the pleasure of contributing to the copy and line editing of a commissioned manuscript. I applied the tips author Jake Hope shared in our editorial sessions. Seeing the book gradually come together is truly so exciting. Working with Becky Chilcott on the cover design is such an amazing learning experience too. I have been dipping my hand into the designer’s toolbox and even chose the illustrator who is going to create our book cover! I can't wait to explore the visual side of book publishing more next term.

With each passing week, I have learned where the next cog in the publishing express steam train should go. By the end of the course, perhaps I’ll be the driver! Do forgive the metaphor; the creative writing undergraduate in me is still ticking over. 

Speaking of creativity, it was fantastic to round off term one by being a bookseller at a UCLan Publishing Christmas book stall. Sharing recommendations, knowledge and passion for books was a great reminder of the joy publishing books can bring people. I also saw none other than Korky Paul draw his Father Christmas from One Snowy Christmas Eve, with over 200 excited primary school children sharing in the magic. 

This year, I am particularly excited about the podcast component of the Major Project module. Back in secondary school, I used to host our radio show and write the scripts for it. I am eager to dust off those skills and use them once more. Since book podcasting is so popular, it will be fantastic to take on the podcasting world and see how it is both influenced by and influences the book market. I really can’t wait to dive into all that this rich MA is going to offer me!