To: Dr. Dye

From: Isabelle Terry

Date: September 21, 2022

Subject: Workplace Writing in the field of Editing and Publishing

The purpose of this document is to convey information collected on the function of writing in the field of editing and publishing. The following information has been gathered from writing samples used in the field of editing and publishing, as well as secondary research and an interview with Dr. Nelson, the director of the Baylor Press. 

INTRODUCTION

Within the field of editing and publishing, the responsibilities of an editor differ based on what kind of editor the person is. Based on my interview with Dr. Nelson, I learned that although specific tasks may differ, all editors require strong reading and writing skills as well as interpersonal and time management skills. Additionally, all editors are concerned with the following thirteen items: “policy, procedures, publishers, editorial board, editorial staff, referees (‘experts in a field who take part in reviewing and evaluating manuscripts submitted to a journal for possible publication’), manuscripts, editorials, reviews, production, advertising, copyright, budget, and meetings” (Lyders, 17-25). 

Due to the fact that editors must work with others outside of the press, much of this report focuses on how editors communicate with the community they work with. My primary goal when beginning my research was to develop a better understanding of the work that editors do on a day-to-day basis. 

RESEARCH METHODS

In learning more about the field of editing and publishing I employed a variety of research methods. First, I gathered secondary sources in order to develop a basis for my understanding of the field. I then used this knowledge to interview Dr. Nelson, who is the Editorial Director at the Baylor University Press. In addition to explaining the work that he and his colleagues do, Dr. Nelson also provided me with samples of writing that he uses in his job so that I may analyze the kind of writing employed in editing and publishing.

Understanding the Occupation

Before consulting Dr. Nelson, I read excerpts from Journal and Newsletter Editing by Anne Lyders to understand the skills needed for working in editing and publishing as well as understand the responsibilities of an editor. Additionally, I read “Baishideng’s Century Goal: Editing and Publishing High-Quality Articles” from the World Journal of Gastroenterology. Although this is a journal on a specific topic, the goal of publishing quality articles and how that is accomplished gave me insight into what the general goals of most presses are. It also allowed me to compare how scientific and academic publishing may differ from other types of publishing. Finally, I read “The Publishing Chain” from Merchants of Culture by John Thompson. This helped me to understand the step-by-step process of publishing and what value editors contribute. Additionally, it allowed me to understand the differences between publishers and editors as there is often overlap between the two roles. 

Consulting an Editor

After I did primary research, I conducted an interview with Dr. David Nelson, who works as the editorial director of the Baylor University Press. Dr. Nelson specifically focuses on acquisitions or selecting what pieces the press is going to publish. Dr. Nelson explained what he does on a daily basis, what skills are needed to work in editing and publishing, and shared samples of what kind of writing he does in his line of work. 

I analyzed the documents and looked for trends in the purpose, audience, and style of the writing. These trends were then compared with the findings of my secondary research, which allowed me to understand the broader purpose that these writing samples fulfill. 

RESULTS

Analyzing these writing samples revealed that much of the writing done in editing and publishing focuses on creating a specific image of the publishing company and it’s goals, appealing to emotions that cause readers to want to buy what the company publishes, and fostering a sense of community within the publishing company and with those the company works with. 

Context

The kind of writing an editor does often depends on what kind of editor they are and what their focus is. Dr. Nelson, for example, works in acquisitions and, because of this, writes many prospectuses. Part of his job is to decide what the press is going to publish. When he finds a piece he then writes a prospectus so that others at the press have an idea of what they will be working on. As director of the press, Dr. Nelson also acts as a face and voice for the company. Due to this, he often is tasked with writing involving the press’s relationship to their reading constituency and authors. 

Trends and their Implication

Recognizing that the goal of a press is to publish high-quality books that their readers find valuable, trends within editing and publishing workplace writing become clear methods of creating community. These methods include appeals to authority, excitement, and scholarship. 

Appeal to Authority

In the most basic sense, the process of publishing a piece of literature takes the piece from the author to the publishing company to the readers. At each step, an editor appeals to some sort of authority. When advocating for the publication of an author’s work, an editor must appeal to the credibility and authority of the author. In his prospectus, Dr. Nelson explained the background of the author, calling him “one of the world’s leading theologians on a major, comprehensive statement of Christian divinity” before explaining the author’s career and prior work. Then, when communicating with readers, the publishing company must appeal to its own authority as an institution. In his letter to the press’s reading constituency, Dr. Nelson utilized both the authority of the authors they had chosen to publish and the mission of the press writing: “My new role as Director has opened up possibilities to partner with leading scholars and an outstanding cohort of publishing professionals to bring our ‘Books for Good’ to light.” Furthermore, Dr. Nelson appeals to the press’s authority as a Christian institution reminding readers that the press is “a department of Baylor University,” a religious institution, and “is a mission driven, not-for-profit organization.” Due to the nature of the Baylor University Press being a publishing company that focuses on religious scholarship, this appeal adds to the press’s authority. 

Appeal to Excitement

Creating excitement for the work that a publishing company is doing is what makes a publishing company profitable. In his letter to the press’s reading constituency, Dr. Nelson employed emotion-inducing words such as “groundbreaking,” “award-winning,” “fascinating,” and “internationally acclaimed” to create excitement in the readers. By building excitement, Dr. Nelson is able to engage readers who will then go on to purchase the books the press is publishing or donate to the press to support its work. Additionally, creating an exciting environment helps build a positive image in the minds of a publishing company’s reader constituency. As Anne Lyders explains, “Actions and writings of the editor can affect far more than just the publication – the image of the publisher is at stake” (19).

Appeal to Scholarship

The value of publishing is not only its ability to bring an author’s work to the market but also its ability to provide legitimacy to written work. If a piece is published, that means that a publishing company saw value in it, reviewed it, and worked with the author to improve it. For scientific work, peer reviews done during the editing process provide legitimacy to the research that was conducted. Readers can also trust that scientific journals are accurate as many scientific journals have editorial boards comprised of academic experts (Ma). In the case of a university publisher like the Baylor University Press, publishing the work of well-respected academic minds not only builds credibility for the press but the university as well. Communicating to the press’s reader constituency that the literature the press is publishing is of high-quality appeals to the reader's value of scholarship and helps to further build an image of the press as an academic institution. 

Effects on the Writing Process

The methods of appealing to authority, excitement, and scholarship guide the rhetoric used in the writing practice of those who work in editing and publishing. Due to the press’s reliance on authors and readers to be successful, editors must communicate in a way that is both clear and amiable. This causes word choice to be heavily emphasized in the writing process. 

DISCUSSION OF CONCLUSIONS

Although letters from the editor may seem like standard practices in editing and publishing they play an important role in creating a sense of community within and outside of a publishing company. Writing in this genre requires a strong sense of audience and an understanding of how to appeal to an audience’s emotions and values while simultaneously clearly conveying important information. 

When writing to those inside and outside the publishing company, editors appeal to authority, excitement, and scholarship in order to create community and aid in the success of selling material the company publishes. These methods are important to the long-term success and reputation of a publishing company. As I continue to learn more about the field of editing and publishing, this knowledge will assist me as I endeavor to write in a way that clearly communicates information without being dry and instead invokes emotion. 

REFERENCES

Lyders, Josette Anne. Journal and Newsletter Editing. Libraries Unlimited, 1993.

Ma, Lian-Sheng. “Baishideng’s Century Goal: Editing and Publishing High-Quality Articles.” World Journal of Gastroenterology : WJG, vol. 15, no. 31, 2009, pp. 3841–44, https://doi.org/10.3748/wjg.15.3841.

Thompson, John B. “The Publishing Chain.” Merchants of Culture, Polity Press, 2013, pp. 14–22. 

APPENDICES

1. Letter to Catalog Readers

2. Congratulatory Letter to Seth Ehorn

3. Prospectus on Christian Dogmatics by Christoph Schwöbel