Student Profile

Anna-Corinne Egermo, MLitt in Publishing Studies 2016-17

November 4th, 2016 by anna-corrine_egermo | Posted in Student Profiles | Comments Off on Anna-Corinne Egermo, MLitt in Publishing Studies 2016-17
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12794429_10207339032212061_6031299158607376096_n As Anna-Corinne tried to escape her motherland she discovered that every conversation she had began with ”So, where are you from?” Culture inevitably defines us, but she could no longer pretend to find new acquaintances ‘interesting’. The most overused word in both the languages she knew, she was getting bored with ‘interesting’. And yet she could not help but find herself curious of the people she conversed with. There was a sense of freshness when someone, surprisingly, found her Swedish opinions edgy; they were just old pieces of furniture acquired in the classrooms of public schools. She could remember every event leading up to her present condition, and she imagined everyone else remembering their own shaping as vividly. With the same disinterest familiarity brings.

So, to get to the point: she came from the Swedish woodland, spent her weekends competing in showjumping and eventually took her degree in Comparative Literature at Linköping University. Why did she think she could study publishing? Mostly because she would not bother to learn Russian; the ultimate dream was to study Dostoevsky’s The Possessed forever. But when heaven was not to be had, she settled for the best of brutal reality: the making of books. Because there was nothing more noble to this girl than to print words on a page.

Anna-Corinne is to be found on Twitter and Instagram as annacorinneegermo.

Lenka Murova, MLitt in Publishing Studies 2016-17

November 3rd, 2016 by Lenka Murova | Posted in Student Profiles | Comments Off on Lenka Murova, MLitt in Publishing Studies 2016-17
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px6bbtklIt will not come as a surprise if I say that I like books, having done a BA in English Language and Literature at the University of Essex. Now I’m working towards a MLitt in Publishing Studies. So, yes, I do like books, but more specifically, I have a fascination with words and how easily they can influence people.

I am from Slovakia, where I attended a bilingual Grammar School and developed my interest in the English language. I have loved reading books from a young age. But translating takes time and since I could not wait to get my hands on the newest titles, I ended up reading them in English. I realised that a whole new world of books existed outside the limited Slovak market I was familiar with.

Eventually, I found my way to the world of graphic novels and comic books. I pursued this interest further when I held the position of vice-president of the Graphic Novel and Comic Book society in my final year of my BA studies. There I had the chance to interact with other people with similar interests. I learnt more about the inner workings of the comic book publishing industry through the various events we organised. During my studies I got the chance to delve deeper into the English language as I studied literary works that influenced the world. However, it was during my time at the society when I realised that I was very interested in the ‘’man behind the curtain’’.

The strong influence that the written word can have on people, how it can bring light to important issues, or just soothe a broken soul is mesmerising to me, as are the people who are involved in the process of getting the words out there.

I wish to learn more and understand the individuals who help produce books that have such a strong impact on people. Hopefully, one day, I will get the chance to work with some of them.

You can find me at twitter or look at my linkedin profile.

Kanika Praharaj, MLitt in Publishing Studies 2016-17

November 3rd, 2016 by Kanika Praharaj | Posted in Student Profiles | Comments Off on Kanika Praharaj, MLitt in Publishing Studies 2016-17
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Hi, I’m Kanika and I come from the sunny (read: burning) city of Delhi in India.

Cliché alert: I adore reading, and though I’m partial towards the physical book, I also use a Kindle (more platforms equals more reading). Prior to coming to Stirling, I studied English Literature at the University of Delhi, which is where I started taking an interest in publishing in the first place.

While in my first year, I gained entry into the editorial board of our department’s annual magazine. The magazine was printed to be distributed free of cost, mostly amongst students and staff of our own department (we didn’t print too many copies). My colleagues and I had to do everything from copy-editing, proofreading, typesetting, and designing the magazine to looking at the financial aspects of the whole publication process. And because we were funded by the department we had to cut costs in numerous ways, including physically carrying 150 newly printed copies of the magazine back to our college in the sweltering heat.

In my second year, our literary society invited a new novelist for an event for our department’s annual fest. As I was responsible for this event, I was constantly in contact with a representative of the publishing house. My conversations with her piqued my curiosity and I began researching the field. The fact that I got a number of free books for my work helped.

I’ve been here at the University of Stirling for just over a month now and I can already feel my vision of my future in publishing changing. My focus has started shifting from proofreading and copy-editing, things that I’ve always done, to production, something that I’ve only recently become familiar with.

Here’s to hoping that there’s something waiting for me over the MLitt in Publishing Studies rainbow!

Find me on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Emma Morgan, MLitt in Publishing Studies 2016-2017

November 3rd, 2016 by emma_morgan | Posted in Student Profiles | Comments Off on Emma Morgan, MLitt in Publishing Studies 2016-2017
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Ever since I found out that books didn’t grow on trees, I’ve wanted to have a job that would let me work with them in some way.  Or at the very least, to own a Beauty and the Beast-style Library.  While I’m still working on the massive library, I’m excited to have started working on the career in books.

I studied Law at the University of Glasgow, and while that wasn’t directly linked to books, I learned a lot.  Mostly, I learned that I do not want to work in Law, but I’m still glad that I worked hard and managed to get my degree since it was a challenging course that made me push myself.  Once I realised that Law was not for me, I began to think about what other areas might suit me, and there was nothing so obvious as publishing, though it took me a while to find it.

I began to think about publishing as a career in my third year, when I was studying abroad at the University of Granada in Spain.  I think the combination of studying Law and attempting to speak Spanish whilst doing so was enough to make me realise that whatever I chose to pursue as a career, I wanted to really love it.  I have always had a love of travelling, and planes are an excellent opportunity for reading, so in my year abroad, I got to indulge both my passions and returned to Scotland convinced that I wanted to work with books, and sadly without even the slightest hint of a tan!

Once I did my research and applied to the University of Stirling, publishing seemed like an incredibly obvious choice for me, and my family, friends and everyone who has known me for longer than half an hour agreed that I should have thought of it long ago.  Everything I’ve begun to learn at the University of Stirling has helped to convince me that I am in the right field, and that getting a Masters degree from Stirling will help me find a job in the publishing industry.

When I graduate, I hope to have gained the skills and experience that will give me a head-start in this competitive but exciting industry.  I would love to work in editorial, and in fiction, but at this point, I am eager to gain as much experience of the industry as possible, to try to narrow down my options.  I would like to think that when I graduate, it will be the start of a long career producing and publishing books, and I’m sure that I’ll be one step closer to the enormous, impractical library of my dreams.

I can be found on Twitter or Facebook.

Yao Huang, MLitt in Publishing Studies 2016-17

November 1st, 2016 by yao_huang | Posted in Student Profiles | Comments Off on Yao Huang, MLitt in Publishing Studies 2016-17
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img_6111Hi, everyone! 大家好！ I am Yao Huang, from Beijing, China. You can call me Yuna. I chose to study Publishing as I love reading, love the world created by words, full of imagination and magic. I enjoy swimming in all types of books with good qualities.

When I was an undergraduate, my subject was Communication (Digital Publishing), which included courses in Communication, Editing of Digital Media, Publication regulation and so on. As I know, the MLitt in Publishing Studies is professional and famous at Stirling University, so it is a good opportunity for me to receive further training. Meanwhile, there is no doubt that the culture difference has a great attraction.

In my opinion, publishing is a promising and active industry, especially digital publishing. When I went deeply into this area, I realized that there are both challenge and opportunity at the same time. With the development of technology, the production, operation mode, business model and even the way of reading constantly developing, they are not always the same. I learned to use software to make an e-book or e-magazine in class, which would help me follow the trends. I also learnt about how to set a website through writing codes in person, which were really complicated, but good experiences.

Impressively, in the fourth year, I got a precious chance to work in Science Press of China Science Publishing Media Co., Ltd, as an intern editing assistant. The editor was very professional and taught me a lot including clearing each step of publishing a title. This process generally takes around 3 months. Fortunately, I took one month to proofread a manuscript like a copy editor, which was challenging, because I didn’t have any relevant experience before, and that was the first time I felt my decision was changing a book.

I believe that in the near future, we will step into a digital age. A significant purpose I came to Stirling was to acquire academic knowledge, work on the principle of traditional publishing and the practice of digital publishing. I think what I get from here will help me leisurely face this unpredictable and exciting industry.

I have to say that I am experiencing a culture shock, a new way of thinking often makes me confused, but it is okay, that’s probably the interesting point.

 

Aleksander Pęciak, MLitt in Publishing Studies 2016-17

October 28th, 2016 by Aleksander Pęciak | Posted in Student Profiles | Comments Off on Aleksander Pęciak, MLitt in Publishing Studies 2016-17
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14714667_270889713305960_2120405459746684928_n When I take a look back at my life I would never suppose that I will be here, in Stirling, studying what I am studying. No one would ever consider that this dyslexic, lazy and not eager to read and learn kid I used to be will be aiming to be a publisher in the future. But the only thing that has never changed is probably my ability to surprise people.

I was born in Wroclaw – one of the biggest and the most friendly and open cities of Poland, with colourful market square and architecture which variety proves its multicultural history. I would not mention it if it was not important to my story – such a rich environment really encouraged me to become sensitive and curious to the world’s wonders. I was never sure who I would like to be in the future and what would I like to do – but I always wanted to create and have an impact on people, sharing a part of me with them. I was writing prose since the first class of primary school (autocorrect in Word helped me with overcoming my dyslexic struggles). In secondary school I have developed my story-telling abilities as a game master for Dungeons and Dragons, in high school I have discovered my poetical potential, producing a new poem every day (a positive side-effect of the first heartbreak!).

Writing was always an important part of my life but I wanted to have another, more reliable profession as well. But which one? I never knew. A true plot twist and revelation appeared in my life when I left my high school for a university – Web and Digital Publishing programme in the University of Wroclaw has just been opened and I was successfully accepted as its student. The three years I spent there made me sure about what I want to do in my life and in which industry I want to work. I enjoyed my studies so much that I engaged in the other related activities and many students’ organizations.

Striving for another chance to develop myself I decided to apply to the University of Stirling which is known for excellent teaching and future career perspectives for the graduates. An opportunity to get to know the new market, new approaches, and new people seemed natural for me – a man always thirsty for the world. Now I am extremely happy to be here, especially regarding my irreplaceable classmates who teach me new things every single day. And I am sure that my choice was one of the best choices I have ever made.

What would I like to do after graduation? A tough question! I imagine myself working in academic publishing, as I always admired mission of the sector as their provide access to knowledge which let people – students, academics, professionals – grow. Also I see the endless potential of science since I have read “Little Science – Big Science” by John Derek de Solla Price.

But who knows how it will play out? Life has shown me that it is not always doing as I expect, but I am adaptable and open to every new experience.

You can follow my steps in the publishing world on Twitter or on LinkedIn.

Katharina Dittmann, MLitt in Publishing Studies 2016-17

October 28th, 2016 by katharina_dittmann | Posted in Student Profiles | Comments Off on Katharina Dittmann, MLitt in Publishing Studies 2016-17
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ProfileThe thought of going into publishing first crossed my mind when I was about sixteen years old. Books had been my constant companions ever since I could remember and I was, and still am, fascinated by the way stories can transport meaning and move people in so many different ways. Some of the books that initially made me consider this career path were J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series (sorry for the cliché, but it’s the truth) and especially German authors like Cornelia Funke and Kai Meyer, whose beautiful language and exuberant imagination never cease to amaze me. So, in hindsight, a career in publishing seems to have been inevitable. Nevertheless, my decision to apply for the MLitt in Publishing Studies at the University of Stirling was rather spontaneous.

During my last two years at school, the idea of working with books took a firm hold on me. However, I wasn’t sure if I had what it took to start a career in the publishing sector. Instead, I decided to follow my other interests, which were English language and literature, resulting in a degree in English and Cultural Studies at the University of Kiel in the far north of Germany. Over those four years in Kiel I considered several career paths, amongst others in cultural works, marketing and the museum sector. In 2015, I did an internship at a local museum where I was responsible for composing a small exhibition about scales and weights. Although the subject was “terra incognita” for me, I accepted the challenge, turning my time at the museum into a very valuable experience. It made me realise how much my studies have helped me in developing competences in areas such as research, flexibility, and self-management. Nevertheless, the part of me that wanted to work in publishing kept pushing itself to the fore. Books simply played far too big a role in my life to simply ignore that voice inside my head.

Luckily, when it was time to make a plan for my life post-bachelor, I got the chance to attend a seminar on editing held by the commissioning editor of children’s books of the Carlsen publishing house in Hamburg. He introduced us to the different departments involved in book publishing and gave us some insight into the editing process. This might sound cheesy, but it is thanks to him that I am here in Scotland today. His enthusiasm about his job is what inspired me to finally follow my dreams and apply for a master’s degree in this field. I am really excited about what the following year has in store for me. I can already say that I have made the right decision, meaning studying publishing in general, and doing it at the University of Stirling in particular.

 

 

Amalie Andersen, MLitt Publishing Studies 2016-17

October 26th, 2016 by Amalie Andersen | Posted in Student Profiles | Comments Off on Amalie Andersen, MLitt Publishing Studies 2016-17
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I’m nprofot trying to brag but when I was a child the local book seller knew who I was. My friends would beg their parents to take them to Toys ‘R’ Us but I just wanted to go to bookshops. I always loved looking at the books and I would beg my mum to buy me books or stationery.

It was during my final year of studying English Literature that I began considering a career in publishing. I was studying in Stirling as an exchange student when I was first made aware of the university’s degree in publishing studies. Having never come across anything like it at home in Denmark, I was instantly intrigued.

Like many other English students, I was desperate to get relevant work experience when my semester in Stirling ended. It was therefore extremely lucky that I got an internship at a Danish publishing house. Here, I spent four months doing anything from copy editing, proof reading and translating to reading new scripts, managing the company’s social media and writing articles. I loved my time there and, very conveniently, I something I was good at.

So, the internship introduced me to the world of publishing and I am now in Stirling to learn even more. Right now, I am very keen on working in editorial but just a month into the course and I am already opening up to many more possibilities.

Barb Kuntova, MLitt in Publishing Studies 2016-17

October 25th, 2016 by barbora_kuntova | Posted in Student Profiles | Comments Off on Barb Kuntova, MLitt in Publishing Studies 2016-17
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Czech Republic born, I previously studied at a university in the heart of Europe (Prague) and after a few years of not knowing what I was doing, switching universities as well as majors, I ended up with a degree in English Teaching. I’ve been teaching for over four years by the time I got my degree and so I felt it was time for a change – I like to try as many things in life as I can. After a bit of a research (mainly financial, not going to lie), I settled on Stirling. And I applied. And I panicked, cried, got onto everybody’s nerves, because I really wanted to get in and the admission process is definitely not a short and kind-to-your-nerves one.

Well, I got in. I’m here. And it is an absolutely wonderful adventure. Not only am I currently living in Scotland (it doesn’t rain as much as everybody promised, I’m disappointed), but I also have an insight into how books are made. And it’s not an easy process – at this point of the course, I have no idea how anybody does it. I think publishers are super heroes, otherwise I really don’t understand.

Personally, I’ve always leaned most towards copy editing or being a commissioning editor though I am now interested in absolutely every part of the publishing process. Although I am not the best at working with technology and software, the good thing is that this course teaches it all – so there is no point in thinking you can’t do something just because you’re lacking the skills at this very moment.  Right, I’ll stop trying to sell the course to you.

So I know I said that I change the direction of my life quite often. Though coming to Publishing Studies, I have a feeling I might stick around in the publishing sphere for a bit, before I become an explorer or grow a beard and run away with the circus.

If you want to have a peek at what a publishing student is up to in her free time feel free to visit my twitter, instagram, or blog. Warning: it really is all about books.

 

Therese Campbell, MLitt in Publishing Studies 2016-17

October 25th, 2016 by therese_campbell | Posted in Student Profiles | Comments Off on Therese Campbell, MLitt in Publishing Studies 2016-17
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As clichéd as itProfile Picture sounds, my love for books began at a young age. As a quiet child, I was definitely a bookworm and could immerse myself in whatever book or story I was reading. My Mum – the English teacher – always encouraged me to read and helped me develop my love for literature throughout my childhood and teenage years. Being 17 and having absolutely no idea what I wanted to do with my life, I decided that studying books for 4 years seemed like a not-so-terrible idea and chose to do a degree in English Literature at the University of Strathclyde.

While I truly enjoyed studying literature during my degree, I began to ponder the processes and people behind the books but, at the time, had limited knowledge of publishing. For my dissertation, I was given the opportunity to interview playwright Chris Hannan, who had adapted Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment for theatres. During the interview, Chris spoke about his relationship with his editor and I realised how important the author-editor relationship was, as well as how influential the editor was to the final product. It was at this point, I began to consider a career in publishing, but I had no idea how to pursue it!

I was lucky enough to spend the end of my Honours year and the following months residing in Osaka, Japan. I eagerly trawled Japanese bookstores, amazed by their size and their eclectic range of books – none of which I could read, but I did enjoy looking at pictures of cats balancing oranges on their heads… one of the less disturbing books we found.

After returning from Japan and spending time working in the soul-destroying world of retail, I discovered the Publishing Studies course online and applied right away. I was over the moon to find a course which encompassed my interests but would also help me develop them in a more vocational sense. It’s been a challenge adjusting to student life again after time out, but the course and the opportunities it offers are certainly worth it.

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