One of the most remarkable publishing phenomena of all time, J K Rowling's Harry Potter series has boosted London-listed Bloomsbury Publishing to global stardom. It has helped turn the small publisher, established by four disenchanted publishers in a small office above a Chinese restaurant in 1986 with PS2 million of venture capital, into an international phenomenon.
Book Production
Bloomsbury Publishing provides a range of book production services, including copy editing, proofreading and book design. The company also specializes in creating digital resources for scholars, students and general readers.
The company's head office is located in London, UK and the company has offices throughout the world. The company's books are sold in bookstores and online. It also offers a number of other services, including print on demand and electronic rights management.
In 1984, Nigel Newton conceived the idea of starting a new, independent, medium-sized publisher. He would create a publishing house that aimed to produce books of editorial excellence and originality with high standards of design and production.
As a result, the company was able to publish many literary authors such as Margaret Atwood, Scott Turow, John Irving and Joanna Trollope, among others. Several of these authors went on to win top literary prizes, such as the Booker Prize and the Pulitzer Prize.
At the time, Newton was working at Sidgwick & Jackson as a commissioning editor and later became deputy editor of the fiction department. After the birth of his first daughter, he decided to leave Sidgwick and Jackson to start his own company.
He hired Ruth Logan and Sarah Beal to work in the Rights Department and Penny Edwards in the Publicity Department. Together, they began meeting early each morning to plan the details of the company that was to be.
With plenty of advice from Mike Mayer, who had become a venture capitalist, they wrote their business plan. This served initially as a fundraising document and, to this day, it is an operating manual for the company.
They also established a list of brilliant literary authors, who were to become the soul of the new Bloomsbury. Several of these authors went on to become bestsellers and earn literary prizes such as the Booker and the Pulitzer.
In the past three decades, Bloomsbury has expanded into special interests and educational publishing. In 2017, the company launched its digital resources division, which specializes in scholarly content. It also acquired Conway Publishing and Osprey Publishing.
Copy Editing
Copy editing is one of the most important aspects of book production. The process ensures that your manuscript is error-free and is ready for print or digital distribution. It also helps you achieve a polished and professional look that will make your work appealing to potential readers.
A copy editor takes care of all the grammar, punctuation, and spelling mistakes that you might have made in your manuscript. They also check for the flow of the narrative and the overall structure. Proofreading involves the final stage of editing where the copy editor and the proofreader go over your manuscript again to make sure that it is free of mistakes.
The process of editing your book is a crucial step in the publishing industry and can help you get noticed by readers and publishers. This is why it is essential to find a reliable and experienced copy editor.
There are many freelance editors out there who can provide quality copy editing services to you. Some of them have years of experience and a great reputation in the field. These editors are sure to make your book stand out from the rest.
Whether you are writing fiction or nonfiction, it is important to have an editor who is able to help you with the editing process. Having a talented and experienced editor can help you achieve your writing goals, increase the readership of your work, and boost your career.
As a London-based freelance editor, Rebecca Millar has over 12 years of experience in the editing industry. She has a degree in English and certifications in editing from the Publishing Training Centre. Her areas of expertise include thriller & suspense, crime & mystery, and women’s fiction. She can also offer developmental editing, proofreading, and query letter review.
Another highly qualified freelance editor is Mayada Ibrahim, based in London. Her portfolio includes books such as "The Hidden Light of Objects", by Mai Al-Nakib, and "A Different Drummer", by William Melvin Kelley. She can offer developmental editing, copy editing, and proofreading. She can also assist authors with their query letters, so you should contact her for more information and to request a quote.
Commissioning Editor
Across the Bloomsburg Publishing portfolio you’ll find an impressive range of books including fiction, non-fiction and children’s titles. Some of the best-known names in writing have been published by the company, and we also publish a wide range of academic titles.
Commissioning editors are responsible for signing new authors and editing their works, while providing support to existing authors. The role is an integral part of the editorial process and it’s important for a commissioning editor to have first-rate verbal and written communication skills and to be able to build strong relationships with authors, agents and colleagues.
Anna Brewer is Senior Commissioning Editor at Methuen Drama at Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, where she is responsible for signing playwrights and publishing contemporary plays and anthologies. She holds a BA in English and Theatre Studies from the University of Warwick and an MA in English Literary Studies from the University of York.
Her passion is theatre and she enjoys working with new writers on their work, whether that’s a stage adaptation or a new novel. She enjoys a collaborative and responsive editing process, guiding writers through their writing, ensuring their ideas are fully developed and understood.
She’s always happy to give a broad brush editorial direction, but will be able to give more detailed feedback if that’s required. She’s particularly interested in fostering a positive relationship with authors and is sensitive to their individual needs and preferences.
Petra Green is a freelance expert in digital, marketing and research aspects of publishing. She was marketing director at Bloomsbury Publishing until early 2019 and has previously held roles at Forbes Media, Haymarket Media, Jessica Kingsley Publishers and Macmillan Press.
As a commissioning editor, you’ll be responsible for helping to develop and expand the list of books for your imprint, as well as identifying new areas of growth. Your duties will include liaising with publishers, editors and other stakeholders to ensure all parties are on the same page with editorial plans and timelines.
You’ll also be responsible for managing your own list and overseeing every aspect of the book production process from acquiring a title through to cover design, copy editing and marketing strategies. It’s a challenging and rewarding role that involves plenty of hard work, but is well worth it if you love books and want to be involved in a high-profile company.
Project Manager
Bloomsburg Publishing is a world-leading publisher of fiction and non-fiction. Its mission is to publish works of originality and excellence. It operates in many markets worldwide and is listed on the London Stock Exchange.
It has offices in the UK, Oxford, New York and Sydney. Its products include books, journals, audio and digital content.
The company is committed to serving its global community of students, scholars, instructors and librarians with creative online research and learning environments that deliver excellence and originality. It offers a dynamic environment where everyone is encouraged to think of new ways to serve the needs of users.
As a project manager, you will work with various teams across the company to develop key systems that will enable them to function more efficiently and effectively. You will also be responsible for the delivery of projects that support these systems.
You will be supported by your Head of Project Office and will have the opportunity to work on a wide range of projects that help improve processes and increase efficiency. These projects may include software development, ecommerce, finance and logistics.
Throughout your time at Bloomsburg, you will be mentored by various managers. These mentors will help you to grow your skills and knowledge in the field of project management.
Your job will be to ensure that your projects are successful by ensuring that you meet all deadlines and objectives. In addition to this, you will be responsible for ensuring that your team members are well trained and prepared for their roles.
As a project manager, it is important for you to have excellent communication and interpersonal skills. This is especially true when working with external stakeholders, as you will need to communicate clearly with them to make sure that you are on the same page.
The perfect candidate will have a high level of creative flair, outstanding organisational skills and a proven track record of managing high quality, integrated non-fiction books within schedule and budget. You will also have a strong understanding of the whole book production process and will be confident at the centre of a project team, liaising with editors, freelancers and other contributors.