Natalie Knabl, MLitt in Publishing Studies 2018-19

November 13th, 2018 by Natalie_Knabl | Posted in Student Profiles | Comments Off on Natalie Knabl, MLitt in Publishing Studies 2018-19
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Once upon a time… my mother used to read fairy tales to me at bedtime. I do not recall any early childhood memory as vividly as our reading sessions because they introduced me to a world of imagination and taught me the importance of stories. In a nutshell, I opened the first pages of my life as a reader back then. Memorising the plot of my favourite books and subsequently teaching myself how to read is the origin of my passion for a world full of words and sharing stories.

I decided to study two BA programmes at the University of Vienna and received a BA in Comparative Literature as well as in English and American Studies. I was, thus, able to combine my deeply rooted love for literature with that for the English language itself. More than anything, I wanted to not only deepen my knowledge in both of these subject areas, but I was especially craving to share my passion for words, reading and languages with as many people as possible. I managed to get a three-month internship at Helbling Publishing, an educational publishing company, in Vienna and was lucky enough to continue working for them for the last three and a half years as an editorial freelancer and content creator. I edited, annotated and corrected manuscripts as well as print-edition textbooks for the subjects German and Maths and was involved in various stages of development and production. I did, moreover, write exercises and texts for print books as well as online products. Having thus gained professional insight and skills from one part of the publishing industry, I am convinced that broadening my theoretical knowledge and being taught how to navigate other areas such as marketing, design and digital production at the University of Stirling will aid me immensely in finding my place in the diverse and exciting world of publishing.

There appears to exist a specific kind of magic surrounding publishing that drew me in just as quickly as the whimsical world of fairy tales did when I was a child. Pursuing a career in publishing and being a student at the University of Stirling is, therefore, hopefully the beginning of my Happily Ever After.

You can find me on:
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Lindsay Madden, MLitt in Publishing Studies 2018/19

November 7th, 2018 by Lindsay_Madden | Posted in Student Profiles | Comments Off on Lindsay Madden, MLitt in Publishing Studies 2018/19
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Most people seem to be able to remember their first book, or the book that made them “fall in love with reading,” but for me, books have just always been there. From Robert Munsch, to Mary Pope Osborne, to Kenneth Oppel, to JK Rowling—I’ve had a book in my hand for as long as I can remember. Publishing is not a big industry in my hometown of Ottawa, Canada, so it never really occurred to me to make a career out of my love of books. When I started university, I decided to pursue a BA in Criminology and Criminal Justice, as I loved studying human behaviour, crime, and deviance. Three years into the programme, I realised that publishing would be a dynamic, challenging, and hugely rewarding job that would pay me to bring more books into the world. I had the sudden epiphany that, as an adult, there was nothing stopping me from moving to where I needed to be to get into this field, so I went out and got a second BA (Honours) in English Language and Literature.

During my second degree, I completed a study abroad semester at the University of East Anglia in Norwich, England. While I was there, I enrolled in a Publishing module in which I conceptualised, wrote, edited, and designed an original crime magazine called Deviant. The module cemented my determination to work in the publishing industry and, as I loved living in the UK so much, I moved back to Norwich when I graduated in 2017 to begin my career. Unfortunately, like Ottawa, Norwich isn’t exactly a central publishing hub, so I made one of the easiest decisions of my life and moved to Scotland to start my MLitt in Publishing Studies at the University of Stirling. It has already been such a rewarding and enlightening experience, and I’ve had opportunities to get involved by volunteering with Bloody Scotland and joining the Society of Young Publishers. My understanding of global book markets, the publishing industry, and the technical skills required to succeed in this field have grown substantially over the last two months, and I cannot wait to learn more so that I can apply my skills and my passion to a career in trade book publishing.

Follow me and connect on Twitter and LinkedIn!

Federica Fiorillo – MLitt in Publishing Studies 2018/19

November 7th, 2018 by Federica_Fiorillo | Posted in Student Profiles | Comments Off on Federica Fiorillo – MLitt in Publishing Studies 2018/19
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I came out as a bookworm at the age of 8.

The real surprise for anyone who kept feeding books to the avid reader of a child I was, though, came when I declared I loved spotting mistakes on the page and correcting them. A bunch of years later, I found myself editing friends’ dissertations and cocooning a passion for footnotes and technicalities.

Becoming an editor has been my constant objective during my years of college in Italy; getting a MA in Classics helped me develop a keen eye on details and great mental flexibility. Moving to Scotland was a dream I had been nurturing for years, so the MLitt in Publishing at the University of Stirling seemed like the perfect next step.

I find nothing more exciting than the publishing industry, and I do believe that the printed book has not by far run out of allure – even though I appreciate e-books and any digital format that is around. You never know what author or story will change somebody’s life, but you can be sure that ink and paper still have a lot of difference to make in this world, and I definitely want to be part of it. Visionary and possibly rebellious publishers have always been my lifelong inspiration and influence, and I consider irony the most powerful tool humans have.

 

I drench my days with coffee, I never miss the chance to have a laugh, and I tweet about it. So far so good.

Publishing Prize Winners, 2017-18

November 7th, 2018 by cs48@stir.ac.uk | Posted in Blog | Comments Off on Publishing Prize Winners, 2017-18

Photo: Alexandra Sautois

We’re delighted to announce the following awards and prizes for our MLitt in Publishing Studies graduates of 2018-19:

Cortney Lee wins the University of Stirling Prize for Publishing Design for her work on the Publishing Project. She receives a book token for her award.

The Faber & Faber Prize for Digital Innovation goes to Ewa Balcerzyk, also for work on the Publishing Project module with a digital orientation. The prize, sponsored by Faber & Faber, includes a trip to Faber’s offices in London.

Bea Joubert is recipient of the Publishing Scotland Prize for the Best Dissertation. Bea’s dissertation, entitled ‘The Infinite, Virtual Multi-Modal Canvas: A Study on Digital Comics and the Benefits and Limitations of the Platforms that Host Them’ wins a selection of Scottish books from Publishing Scotland.

Finally, the Routledge Prize for the most Distinguished Student on the MLitt in Publishing Studies goes to Lea Intelmann. Lea will receive a prize of books from Routledge’s list.

Our awards and prizes are kindly sponsored by members of our Industry Advisory Board. Congratulations to all!

Callum Spoor, MLitt in Publishing Studies 2018-2019

November 6th, 2018 by Callum_Spoor | Posted in Student Profiles | Comments Off on Callum Spoor, MLitt in Publishing Studies 2018-2019

I remember the first time I could not put down a book. It was Sebastian Faulks beautiful novel Birdsong. I had read it at the ripe old age of 16 and this was the first time I had truly been entranced by a book. Up until that point of my life, English to me had simply been something I was good at. Outside of History, no subject had really grabbed my attention until that fateful book. In the weeks following I was encouraged to read more and more, breezing through Sarah Waters’ Tipping the Velvet, Angela Carter’s Nights at the Circus and The Bloody Chamber. Even the mandatory books to cover for my coursework and exams (Macbeth and Frankenstein) had me enthralled.

Thanks to my academic studies, I had not just achieved qualifications but gained something more valuable – a passion. Now when looking ahead towards a lifelong career, it feels fitting that I would enrol in my current Publishing Studies course. In many ways it feels like the next step in my life, having gone from excelling at English throughout secondary school to completing an undergraduate course in English Studies and my other passion, History, at the University of Stirling.

I have always wanted to enjoy whatever career path I decide to venture down. Having found myself in employment since the age of 14, enjoyment would certainly not be the most appropriate description of my feelings towards my working environment. Despite still being very early into this course, I feel a sense of belonging as well as, for the first time in my life, a true sense of direction and a passion for what I do. I look forward to taking advantage of the opportunities afforded to me through various internships and the other gateways this course can provide for me. I know for a fact I made the right choice to continue my studies here at Stirling University.

You can find me on:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/callum-spoor-0451a1170/

Twitter: @CallumSpoor

 

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