Workshop in Academic and Independent Presses

Catalog description

In this course, students will work closely with a specified publishing company to experience practical, hands-on learning. Generally, the companies will be smaller presses with unique business challenges. This semester, the company will be The New Press, an independent social justice publisher. The New Press publishes approximately 40 books a year, in the areas of sociology, education, law, history, political science, and some international fiction. Students will be asked to read actual proposals, help with the review process, and work on current marketing and sales plans. Each week, a different topic will be introduced. Students will be encouraged to approach specific TNP publishing tasks as if they were employees of the company. Students will be invited to visit The New Press offices and attend meetings. There will also be a comparative look at the similarities and differences between independent and academic presses.