Jobs at a Publishing Company
For every book that graces the shelves at a bookstore, a coffee shop or an airport shop, a team of support staff has worked to bring it to publication. After a writer has penned a tome, submitted it and has had it accepted for publishing, that publishing house springs into action by tapping its personnel resources. Jobs at a publishing company include those at all rungs of the hierarchical ladder and pay grades.
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Editor
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Publishing house editors are in control of how the final product reflects on both the writer and the publishing house. Some editors perform line edits, word by word or letter by letter review. Others are involved with fact checking and maintaining story consistency. In May 2009, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported the country's editors numbered 105,040, earning a median salary of $50,800. Employment in the editing field is expected to experience a very slight decline, losing 400 jobs through 2018.
Proofreader
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Considered an entry-level position on the hierarchy of a publishing company, proofreaders are responsible for backing up editors and relieving them of the minute tasks of checking for errors in punctuation, grammar and spelling. Proofreaders, who usually require just a high school diploma, may be supervised by editors or work out of a pool. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics expects employment of proofreaders to be slightly reduced through 2018. As of May 2009, the country was home to 14,050 proofreaders, earning a median salary of $30,700.
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Literary Agent
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Part coach, part cheerleader, part babysitter and part bulldog, literary agents pursue publication, contracts and payment for their clients. Publishing companies hire literary agents similar to the way professional sports franchises hire scouts. The agents review material from unpublished authors or in some cases, authors unhappy with their current publishing companies and determine who to recommend for that publishing house. Literary agents may specialize in a type of genre, such as horror or contemporary women's fiction, and usually work off of submission requests and queries. Agent salaries vary -- some work completely off commission, which may turn into a jackpot if their client is a best seller. The StateUniversity.com website notes that most literary agents receive 10 to 15 percent commission and a salary of approximately $55,140 annually.
Publisher
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The word "publisher" may bring to mind the person who stamps "yes" or "no" on hopeful writers' works, but the profession entails far more work than approving the new bestseller. Publishers are often involved with all aspects of the publishing company, from hiring staff to reading manuscripts to planning the budget. The BLS expects employment of publishers to decline by 19 percent through 2018 and noted the hourly rate for publishers averaged $52.34 in 2008.
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References
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