Fall 2007 Courses

English 294-01: Literary Publishing (Shotts)

M 7:00-10:00pm, Old MAin 111

How a manuscript moves through many hands to become a published book is fraught with assumptions, politics, and, to the outside world, mystery. Who are the arbiters of literary taste, and how do they decide what works are bound for publication and what works are bound for the slush pile? This course will approach publishing by tracing the literary work from the hands of the author, through the processes of acquisition, editing, production, marketing, and distribution, and into the hands of the reader. Additional topics will include recent trends in technology, magazine and book editing, fine arts bookmaking, and the roles of the literary agent, the independent publisher, the university press, the corporate publishing house, and the book reviewer. We will take advantage of the extraordinary publishing resources in the Twin Cities through guest speakers and field trips. Assignments will include writing brief book reviews, presenting publisher profiles, editing projects, and writing a final paper on publishing issues. This course is designed for readers who want to know how the magazine or book they're holding got into their hands, for writers who want to know what happens when they send their works to publishers, and for those interested in publishing as a future career.

Fall 2007 Course Listings