The editor in educational publishing - by Brenda Stones
Brenda Stones, author, editor and lecturer on educational publishing
What is special about educational publishing?
Because both the content and the size of market are fixed, UK educational
publishing is fiercely competitive, and the areas in which publishers can compete
are often less to do with the products and more to do with the services offered
to the customer. The content is prescribed by the National Curriculum and
exam syllabuses, with little opportunity for different interpretations. The size
of the market is fixed in terms of the number of students in a year group or
for a particular subject or syllabus, and of the funding delivered to schools by
the government. So the only opportunities for expanding the market are, for
example, in export territories and from parental spending. The publisher usually
sells directly to teachers, rather than through the intermediary of bookshops or
distributors, and this gives the opportunity for direct contact with the purchasers.
What are the key tasks of the educational editor?
The editor has to research their markets thoroughly, in order to gain familiarity
with the curriculum and anticipate its future changes. They have to study their
competitors – their market shares, and how their products compete – and their
audience, meaning both the teachers who make the purchasing decisions and
the students who are the ultimate consumers. Each editor has to make a forward
plan of books and multimedia products to be published in a range of subjects
and levels, to meet the revenue targets expected by the company. Appropriate
authors or author teams are commissioned to write materials to the editor’s
specification, and the editor has to maintain communication with the authors
throughout the development of the project.
Additional tasks include briefing the design of the products, so that they are
easy to teach from, easy to read, and appealing to teachers and students. There is
still hands-on editing in educational publishing, to ensure that the text covers the
curriculum requirements, is factually accurate, and is at an appropriate language
level for the particular students. The editor writes promotional copy and briefs
the promotion and sales staff on the benefits of the new publications. Finally the
editor monitors the sales of their educational list against targets for revenue,
profitability and market share.
What experience and skills do educational editors need?
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Teaching experience, especially if this involved writing teaching materials.
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The ability to write and edit to different language levels.
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A sense of accuracy and eye for detail.
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Numeracy, and the ability to interpret numerical data.
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Visual awareness, and the ability to organize visual information
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Sympathy for children and their interests at different ages.
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A deep interest in the importance of education and how children learn.
