UWindsor’s English program offers a course like no other in North America. Other universities offer courses for editing and publishing, but they are all theoretical. These practicum courses here, planned and instructed by Marty Gervais, are extremely hands-on. Marty truly believes it is more like an internship with his publishing company, Black Moss Press.
The number of books vary each year. This year we have two teams, each publishing their own book. My team, Threshold Publishing, is launching Barry Brodie’s first published book called TOM THOMSON On the Threshold of Magic. We received the manuscript unedited and not even in order in September. The autumn semester course, the editing practicum, is heavily focused on editing the manuscript in preparation to make it a physical book. However, marketing research is also done to pitch the book and its potential success to KPMG in WIndsor. There is a lot of business experience because of that. There are many in-class presentations you have to do professionally to get practice.
The second course, the publishing practicum, is held in the winter semester (I am currently taking it). This entails most of the work. From designing the cover to designing the interior layout to planning the printing to the marketing, this is where you take the edited manuscript and turn it into a book that people will buy in a bookstore. This is also where most of the planning happens for the launch (we will be holding the book launch for both books on April 6 at the Caboto Club). Consequently there is a lot of fundraising to be done so we’ve been putting on many events to try to raise awareness and money for the book launch.
I couldn’t feel more fulfilled taking this course. I’ve thought about going into either editing or publishing (or both, like Marty) and this experience has given me the skills and knowledge I need to get my foot in the door. I also know for sure that that is a field I want to be in, whereas a lot of students think they know what they want to do but are actually disappointed long after grad when they finally have a job in that sector.
This course also has taught me a lot about courage and flexibility. Marty encourages everyone to focus on their strengths to contribute to a great book and book launch, but he also advocates for saying yes to every opportunity that comes your way and to expand your area of expertise. I knew nothing about design and Adobe ID (or any program for that matter), but I’ve learned to be able to step up and say I’m willing to learn, and so now I’m one of the designers for the interior of the book.
The course is rewarding, as well. At the end of the day you will see “your” book in the bookstore. I will be able to say I edited the book and I can point out what features I added to the interior layout. My name will be printed as part of the team who made this book into a reality. Working with the author has also been a great experience, not only to learn from him, but to also hear how grateful and excited he is that we are working on his book. As a writer myself, I also benefit from seeing both sides of the workload.
The great part about this course is it’s offered to everyone. You do not have to be an English major to be a part of this. We have arts, drama, and digitalism students in the course, too, and they offer different views I wouldn’t have thought of.
I didn’t know this when I entered the course, but I’ve learned I’m very interested in business. Deciding I want to go into editing and publishing in the far future, I realized I’ll have to have business skills. While talking to Marty he said the most fascinating thing was taking English students into this course and watching them as their views about a book go from studying it as a work of art to questioning its marketability. I see both aspects now and I feel like I have a wholesome understanding of the industry because of that. You have to believe what you are selling is an amazing product, but you also have to be able to sell it.
Overall I’ve learned a lot about myself, about business, about working in teams and working with writers, about being more open to more opportunities, and so much more. I highly recommend this opportunity to everyone at UWindsor. Your education is what you put into it, and this experience is like no other.
Photographs by: Eveline Csomor and Marty Gervais