Other areas in publishing
Distribution
An efficient distribution service is vital to a publisher's success in competitive markets. Distribution covers invoicing, order processing, stock control, credit control, warehousing and shipping, and can range from hand-typed invoices and a single packing bench to sophisticated computer systems with a high degree of automation in a large warehouse. Book distribution is extremely complex and its success is crucial to the profitability of book publishers.
Contracts and rights
Many larger companies have departments concerned solely with the contractual side of publishing, including the drawing up of the initial contract between the publisher and the author, and the handling of subsidiary rights, such as translation, book club and serial rights. The understanding of how contracts work is essential in these departments and a knowledge of other languages can be a particular asset in dealing with translation rights.
Administration: accounts and computing
Skills in accounting and financial management can lead to top executive positions in publishing companies. The accounts department is responsible for: the preparation and analysis of management information, including budgets; the company's regular accounts; profit and loss statements; balance sheets; the administration of the payroll; the extension of credit to customers and collection of payment; the recording and payment of authors' royalties. It is also frequently involved in the costing, pricing and purchasing of books for publication.
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