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PUB 372: The Book Publishing Process

Take a captivating journey into the world of book publishing with PUB 372: The Book Publishing Process!

Witness the transformation of a writer's idea into a tangible book that has the power to shape lives, alter history, and ignite conversations. Whether it's on bookstore shelves, your smartphone as a podcast or audio book, or an electronic reading device, books play a pivotal role in our society. In this course, we explore the publisher's crucial role as the mediator of the publishing process, investing faith, reputation, and limited resources to contribute valuable works to our cultural landscape.

Discover the rich history of book publishing, spanning centuries of literary heritage. We get into the idea of the publisher's role as “gatekeeper”, meticulously selecting and shaping manuscripts, and ultimately unveiling the final product to eager readers. Explore every facet of the publishing process, from acquisition and contracts to editing, design, production, publicity, marketing, sales, and the final moment when a manuscript transforms into a published book.

Uncover the nuances between physical and electronic books (ebooks) and understand their distinct marketing, distribution, and reading experiences. 

Witness how publishers adapt their business models to stay competitive in the face of emerging formats like audio books and podcasts.

Delve into the pressing issues confronting publishers today, such as electronic rights, accessible publishing, monetizing digital content, pricing strategies, piracy concerns, Indigenous intellectual property, copyright, and collaborations with e-tailers. Gain insights into the Canadian book publishing industry, explore successful case studies, and examine the future of the publishing process both nationally and internationally.

Uncover the dynamic relationships between publishing startups and traditional houses, and discover the world of hybrid authors who navigate both independent and traditional publishing avenues. Toward the end of the course, we analyze influential industry players like Amazon, Apple, Google, and now AI vendors considering their impact on the publishing landscape and how recent legal developments have shaped the industry.

Immerse yourself in the intricacies of book publishing and be part of the next chapter in the fascinating world of publishing.

Sample Assessment Breakdown

This is subject to change.

  • Group Project 35%
  • Participation 35%
  • Exam 30% [Distance Education Course only]
  • Essay 30% [On-Campus Course only]