Hosted by Manchester University Press, in association with Creative Manchester, this set of recordings offers an overview of current publishing. Practitioner-led, it explores the processes of commissioning, editing and marketing as well as design, production and formats.
Simon Ross in conversation with John McAuliffe
Simon Ross in discussion with John McAuliffe about the landscape of academic publishing, including opportunities and challenges, and the value of today’s university press in supporting scholarly communication, its host university and beyond. The discussion introduces Manchester University Press, its publications, and mission.
Simon Ross joined Manchester University Press as Chief Executive in 2016 after nearly 10 years with Cambridge University Press as MD of Journals and Deputy MD of the Academic Group, spending the last 4 years based in New York. He has held senior editorial and management positions at Sage Publications, Pearson Education and the Times Publishing Group, and is a past Chairman of ALPSP. Before moving into publishing, he was a researcher and university lecturer in psychology and computer science and later earned an MBA from the Judge Business School, University of Cambridge.
John McAuliffe is Professor of Poetry and Director of Creative Manchester at Manchester and is also Associate Publisher at Carcanet.
Luke Brown in conversation with John McAuliffe
Luke Brown talks about the challenges of publishing fiction today, setting it in the context of the twenty years he has worked in independent publishing, and will answer any of your questions. He focuses on his work as commissioning editor (fiction) for Serpent’s Tail, which was founded by Pete Ayrton in 1986 with a mission to introduce British readers to risk-taking world literature no one else in the UK was publishing. The list established a reputation for its diversity of voice and fearlessness, publishing writers of colour from all over the world. After two decades of independence, in 2007 Serpent’s Tail joined Profile Books, also independent, where it continues as an imprint that celebrates originality.
Luke is also is a novelist and lecturer at University of Manchester.
John McAuliffe is Professor of Poetry and Director of Creative Manchester at Manchester and is also Associate Publisher at Carcanet.
Ellah Wakatama in conversation with John McAuliffe
Ellah Wakatama covers key stages in the commissioning and editing process, discussing issues ranging from representation, trends, and publisher voice.
Ellah Wakatama OBE, (Hon) FRSL is Editor at Large for Canongate. Is was the founding publishing director of the Indigo Press and former deputy editor of Granta magazine. She is the Creative Manchester Senior Research fellow. She is the Chair of the AKO Caine Prize for African Writing and serves as a trustee of the Royal Literary Fund.
John McAuliffe is Professor of Poetry and Director of Creative Manchester at Manchester and is also Associate Publisher at Carcanet.
Michael Schmidt in conversation with John McAuliffe
Michael Schmidt talks about independent presses publishing poetry; and on magazine publication.
Michael Schmidt, OBE, founded Carcanet Press in 1971 and PN Review in 1974. Carcanet started as a poetry publisher, which it has remained, while branching out into fiction in English and translation, and other literary zones. Carcanet is one of the leading poetry publishing houses in the UK, long based outside London and devoted to an international editorial programme. PN Review is a crucial editorial tool for Carcanet, an editorial net that draws in excellent work by new writers and provides critical evaluation written for literary readers and not confined to academic exercises.
John McAuliffe is Professor of Poetry and Director of Creative Manchester at Manchester and is also Associate Publisher at Carcanet.
Chris Hart on the 4Ps of book marketing
Chris Hart talks about a number of areas of marketing, including brand presentation, book promotion, and how a marketing team works with authors. Topics include publicity, events, social media, outreach and what authors can do to support the marketing of their book. Chris also conducts a walkthrough of what marketing look for when reviewing a new book proposal.
Chris Hart is Head of Marketing at Manchester University Press. He has held positions as a senior commissioning editor for a large academic publisher, an assistant editor in trade publishing and a bookseller/buyer for Waterstone’s.