Working with the outlined publishing models, identify the various roles you (and potentially others) will be undertaking for assignment five. For example, you’re likely to be writing your own content, designing your book, editing and reviewing it. You may also be involved in the production, printing and distribution process. Consider each aspect of the book assignment and briefly list what roles you think you’ll be doing, and what these roles entail. Also make notes of the roles of others who might be involved in your assignment and what their contribution is.
I learnt the process of how things work as a book designer for the first time from this Skillshare course I did about over a year ago. On this course class 3 is focusing on the process of how book design happens in a big publishing house. Then, I was hired to actually design a book for print in a private publishing house. The process was way shorter than what is described on the Skillshare course, as it was a smaller publishing house than this one (still a pretty big one in Israel).
As a designer I had to work with the materials I've received from the author (written text and photography) and create the interiors of the book (as it was a different designer whom have started to work on the book, she did the cover and the author was not happy with her work so he hired me instead to do the interiors).
I worked a lot in front of the author, production manager and printer to make sure everything was to my design satisfaction and more importantly the author's satisfaction (the client).
The booklet of OCA suggest the next 2 models for this process:
Model 1
Writer – Publisher – Editor – Designer – Production – Printer – Distribution – Retail
Model 2
Artist/Designer/Author – Publisher – Editor – Production – Printer – Distribution – Retail
For my final assignment, I know I will use model 2, as I will also create the content for my book.
Artist/Designer/Author
For this assignment, I will create the content of my book, so I will have to be the artist/ designer/ author of the book. Usually an artist book, I believe, will have this model, as the artist would like to have full control on the content and the design of it. many times the content will be the design...
Publisher
Usually, the publisher will be the one who is investing the money in the book, in the case of a famous artist/ author. If the artist/ author is not well known (at least in Israel), the client (artist/ author) will have to front the money to the publishing house, and they will be in charge of the whole process of the book being produced, designed, distributed and sold...
For this assignment, I will have to be my own publisher, which means if I will have any costs, I will have to pay them, and which means I will have to be in charge of the whole process from the beginning to end.
Editor
Editor usually will be the one whom is in charge of editing text or media, and making sure everything is how it's supposed to be. In this case, I will have to be objective and critic myself so everything I do will be perfect.
Production
Usually a book will have a production manager, from the publishing house, whom is in charge to communicate between all partied and roles.
I will have to be my own production manager and make sure to contact the printer for instance if I choose to source it elsewhere etc.
Printer
The print house is probably the only thing I will outsource. I would want my book to be perfect and for that case I will probably choose to reuse the same print house I've used for the previous part, as I am very happy with their quality. This time I'll might get them to create my cover as well so everything is professionally made.
Distribution
Usually this part is between when the book is ready to when it is sold. I am not intending to sell my book on this assignment so there is no need for me to fulfil this stage.
Retail
same like the previous part of the process, I am not intending to sell my book on this assignment so there is no need for me to fulfil this stage.