Hear What YPC Attendees Have to Say
“I run a small company in Sydney, Australia specializing in providing training, strategy and commentary on the local digital publishing scene. It had been four years since I'd worked in one of Australia's largest and most successful international publishing companies - Random House Australia. I felt I'd lost touch with my understanding of how the whole business of publishing works and the Yale course really helped with that. Not only did I get to hear some of the most influential people in publishing speak, but we had open and frank discussions. Having access to speakers and faculty members was a real bonus! I loved making contact with people from many different countries and learning more about publishing internationally.”
-Anna Maguire (Digireado)
(Hear more about Anna Maguire’s experiences at the YPC by following these links: http://digireado.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/bpoct11_111.pdf http://spunc.com.au/splog/post/a-week-in-yale-all-about-publishing-anna-maguire/ )
“I found the presentations very enlightening. We’re a small house with lower overhead and like many small houses we’re really jacks-of-all-trades that are involved in many different facets of the publishing process. This was an advantage for us; while a lot of our colleagues were focused on one type of work, we had an understanding of the full spectrum of things.”
-Keola Akana (Kamehameha Publishing)
“To me, two of the areas with the most potential for growth are in digital and international sales, and I came back with a number of ideas for new ways to do more in these areas. I also think that Tina Weiner and Robert Baensch have done a good job of creating a community that will continue to converse beyond the week-long course. I feel like there is a network of both colleagues and industry leaders who I can turn to in the future when I have questions or new ideas.”
-Seth Ditchik (Princeton University Press)
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Yale Publishing Course - 2012 Teaser
Mark Your Calendars for July!
It’s that time of year again, folks. The 2012 Yale Publishing Course (YPC) is just around the corner, and IP has the scoop on what is coming to Yale this July. After attending the course last year, I was completely won over, so prepare yourself to start your own application. In fact, here’s the link – you may as well get started now.
As a relatively recent initiate into the publishing game, I gained invaluable experience at the 2011 YPC. From hearing from famous speakers to talking with publishers from all over the world, my time in New Haven, CT could not have been better. Digital technologies, leadership techniques, international copyright issues, embracing creativity, changes in bookselling – you name it, the YPC covers it. The contacts and the friends I made at Yale have been fantastic, and many of us still correspond daily. To sum up, the YPC gives its attendees a well-rounded experience, incorporating learning, networking, and conversation into a truly special week.
In preparation for the 2012 course, I had a chat with the YPC’s wonderful Director Tina C. Weiner, who gave me a look into what’s coming in July 2012.
IP: What are some of the new concerns that the YPC will focus on this year?
TW: This year’s Course will continue to focus on the most pressing challenges facing publishers today. Increased attention will be paid to issues facing managers during times of disruption and the new skills needed as they make the transition to an environment that is increasingly digital and global.
IP: Did you make any changes or additions based on the 2011 courses?
TW: I did take into account what participants from last year found most useful and have added more about leadership skills to the curriculum. I am encouraging the speakers to create even more opportunities for interactivity with the students during their presentations. One of the things they liked best about YPC was the collegial atmosphere and the amply time allowed for networking with both each other and the speakers.
IP: Can you tell us a bit about the curriculum of the 2012 book and magazine courses?
TW: The curriculum will be made up of overviews of the state of the industry today, highlighting the major changes that have occurred over the past year and what industry experts think will happen in the future as well as more granular sessions focusing on best practices and real-world business models.
IP: Will digital technology still be a big focus of the course?
TW: There will continue to be an emphasis on technology concentrating on recent innovations and tools available to capture data and using analytics in improving the consumer/publishers relationship. There will be sessions devoted to understanding and using social media more effectively, helping authors create platforms, improving discoverability, and how technology is driving new distribution models.
IP: How do you think the 2012 courses will benefit attendees?
TW: Participants can expect to: get a broader perspective on what are the major concerns facing managers; be better-informed on what is happening globally; gain greater insights on how to be more effective leaders and advance their careers; acquire new skills which will prepare them to steer their companies in the future; and to feel better-equipped to operate in an ecosystem in which print and digital publishing coexist successfully.The curriculum is geared to both large and small publishers. There are sessions on what independent publishers, here and abroad, can do to stay relevant and how they can develop new revenue streams.
In July 2012, book and magazine YPC attendees can look forward to presentations by representatives from booksellers, publishing houses both large and small, Google, Barnes & Noble, Yale faculty, Time Inc., Newsweek/Daily Beast, and more.
The factors that distinguish YPC will continue to be:
· The small size of the class (no more than 80 participants)
· The informal, collegial atmosphere
· A state-of the-art facility on a beautiful college campus
· The international scope of the curriculum and the number of participants who attend from outside the United States
· The inclusion of faculty from the Yale School of Management and the theoretical perspectives they offer
· An emphasis on leadership training
· The opportunity for small group discussions and one-on-one counseling sessions with the speakers
The YPC is the perfect opportunity for publishing professionals to brush up on their knowledge, network with colleagues, and get a global perspective on the industry. Don’t miss your chance to attend! Spots are going quickly so here’s that application link again.
To learn more about the Yale Publishing Course, visit these webpages:
Leadership Strategies in Magazine & Digital Publishing - July 15 to 20, 2012
Leadership Strategies in Book Publishing - July 22 to 27, 2012
And check out IP’s other features on the Yale Publishing Course here:
The Insider’s Guide to the Yale Book Publishing Course
Yale Publishing Course Offers Leadership Strategies in a Time of Transition
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Jillian Bergsma is a writer and contributing editor for Independent Publisher. She graduated from the University of Michigan with a degree in English. She welcomes any questions or comments on her articles at jbergsma (at) bookpublishing.com.