BOOK REVIEW
An Introduction To Publishing Management Ian Montagnes
ISBN 1 901830 06 3 124pp 1998 Association for the Development of Education
in Africa, $21.50, £11.95, distributed by African Books Collective
Ltd. Also available in French ISBN 1 901830 07 1
Review by Akoss Ofori-Mensah
Akoss Ofori-Mensah is the Managing Director of Sub Saharan Publishers;
PO Box 358 Legon, Accra, Ghana. Tel +233 21 233371, fax +233 21 233371,
e-mail: sub-saharan@ighmail.com
An Introduction To Publishing Management deals
with the nitty-gritty of publishing, e.g. exactly what makes a publishing
house tick; how to run publishing as a business. Chapter 1 analyses
the various functions that together constitute publishing; editorial,
production, sales and marketing, distribution, finance and administration,
and distinguishes between publishing and printing, which is just one
of the processes of publishing. It also looks at the need for training
and where to go.
A crucial issue, which is discussed in great
detail in Chapter 2, is the development of school textbooks. The writer
meticulously describes the nature of textbooks and the benefits and
risks involved in publishing them. Publishers entering the textbook
market need to ask and find answers to questions on pupil enrolment;
projected pupil population by class for at least two years; government
budget for textbooks currently and for how long; government policies
on textbooks; textbook-pupil ratio; the life-span of a textbook. Does
the Ministry make multiple approval and allow for competition, which
also ensures better textbooks, or does the Ministry approve one book
per subject area? Who owns the copyright of textbooks; the Ministry
or the publisher/author? Is publishing impeded by customs duties on
raw materials? All these issues need to be carefully considered before
embarking on textbook publishing.
Furthermore, would-be textbook publishers should
examine their resources, both financial and human, and decide whether
they can put up the required investment. The constraints involved are
listed. The book gives guidelines on choosing subjects, manuscript development
and even possible adaptations, design and illustrations, editing and
pre-testing.
Given the current donor funding for many book
schemes in Africa, especially textbooks, any publisher would find this
book a very useful companion. It is highly recommended for prospective
publishers in that field, and already-established publishers would find
the book a useful revision exercise.
So many publishers are preoccupied with getting
their books from the press that they tend to forget about the balance
sheet. They are thus bedevilled by inefficient finance and administration.
An Introduction To Publishing Management shows how to make a title budget,
including how to calculate the break-even point and keeping proper accounting
records for the publishing house.
I would strongly recommend the book as a textbook
for university students pursuing courses in the book industry; and for
all publishers, especially African publishers. I am definitely happy
to have a copy. [BPN no 2627, 2000,
p. 34.]
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