Book Publishing: Principles & Practices
Dina N. Malhotra
Clarion Books
Edition: 2008
An introduction to the book publishing industry for writers who are relatively new to it, newbe publishers or for those who just want to find out what goes into making a book—from proposal to finished product.
Dina Nath Malhotra, the legendary guru who introduced pocket book publishing in India five decades back, has written the book ‘Book Publishing: Principles & Practices’ published by Clarion Books.
After a summary history of the evolution of publishing, Malhotra delves right into the core of the subject, covering how books are created, how they are manufactured, and how they are sold – gradually unfolding the acquisition process for publishers, bringing in the artwork, how the book is ‘set,’ and designed. And finally, come the strategies and tactics that go behind marketing, pricing, economics, and promotion of books.
But the most interesting part worthy of the attention of any serious reader is the treatment given to the ‘production’ of books. From picking the type of paper, to the details of binding and printing, there is a lot more that goes in the making of a book that new publishers often dismiss lightly. .
Effective approaches to managing book publishing in an increasingly technology-driven marketplace have been well brought out. Even little distinction between a hardcover and a trade paperback has not been left to imagination.
The book lays special emphasis on new interpretations to ‘copyright laws’ and ‘reprographic rights’. Chapters on role of publishers’ associations, book clubs, training institutes etc add value to the book. Readers will also welcome the inclusion of bibliographical references for further reading. All writers will want to keep this reference manual right next to their copy of The Chicago Manual of Style, or the Manual of the American Psychological Association.
After reading this book, one will look at a book quite differently–admiring the amount of labour and ingenuity that goes into it, quite beyond the words it contains.
The author has a word of caution that publishing is a profession for the brave-hearted, courage of conviction and daring spirit needed in abundance. He says the word for a publisher in Sanskrit is ‘Prakashak’, which means ‘one who brings to light’ or ‘illuminates’.
Last but not the least, Dina Nath Malhotra is the first Indian and the second Asian recipient of the UNESCO’s prestigious International Book Award.
The book is recommended for all readers and authors searching for the authoritative manual about book publishing world but without going through a heavy reading.
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