Overview of the UK publishing industry
Anyone familiar with publishing will be aware of the range of publishing categories and genres that abound such as Trade or Academic. But what are these categories? What do they mean and how are they defined?
Most of us are familiar with the terms fiction and non-fiction as two broad classes of writing, but publishers often classify their books into different categories. Some may specialise in one or more areas. If you are applying for your first jobs in publishing, and you’re trying to decide what subset of publishing to apply for, here is a brief overview of the broad categories that are talked about in the UK publishing industry.
If you’re interested in learning more about each of these categories in depth, The Publisher’s Association have some excellent resources on their website.
Trade Publishing:
This is one of the largest subsets of the publishing industry. Trade publishing caters to the general public, producing books for entertainment, education, and leisure reading. It includes various genres such as fiction, non-fiction, children's books, graphic novels, and poetry.
Trade publishing often involves extensive marketing and publicity efforts to reach a broad audience and drive book sales. They also rely on buying and selling rights in multiple languages and across multiple territories to drive book sales.
Academic Publishing:
Academic publishing focuses on producing scholarly works, including textbooks, academic journals, monographs, and reference materials. It serves researchers, scholars and students, in various academic disciplines such as humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and engineering.
Many Universities in the UK have their own publishing houses. Academic publishing generally requires texts to conform to certain standards, which usually involve numbered references, bibliographies and footnotes. Academic publishers often employ a peer-review process to ensure the quality and credibility of the content before publication. Academic publishing also encompasses digital resources, online databases, and platforms for scholarly communication.
Education Publishing
Educational publishing focuses on producing instructional materials for use in schools, colleges, and other educational settings. It includes textbooks, workbooks, digital resources, and educational software covering a wide range of subjects and grade levels.
Often publishers might specialise in both Academic and Education publishing. Educational publishers align their materials with curriculum standards and educational goals, often working closely with educators and educational institutions. The education publishing sector is influenced by trends in pedagogy, technology integration, and educational policy.
Professional Publishing
Professional publishing produces materials for specific industries or professions, such as law, medicine, engineering, business, and finance. It includes textbooks, manuals, guides, reference materials, and journals tailored to the needs of professionals and practitioners.
Professional publishers collaborate with subject matter experts to develop accurate and up-to-date content that meets the requirements of the target audience. Professional publishing often serves as a resource for ongoing professional development and certification in various fields.
STM Publishing (Science, Technical, Medical):
STM publishing specializes in producing scientific, technical, and medical literature, including research articles, academic journals, conference proceedings, and reference works. It serves researchers, academics, healthcare professionals, engineers, and other professionals in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields.
STM publishers adhere to rigorous standards of peer review and editorial quality to ensure the integrity and reliability of scientific research. STM publishing is at the forefront of digital innovation, with many journals and research databases available online and accessible through subscription or open-access models.
These broad categories provide a snapshot of the diverse landscape of the publishing industry in the UK. While there may be overlap between these categories, and some publishers may specialize in multiple areas, these distinctions are instrumental in facilitating tailored services such as marketing, rights management, and agenting to meet the unique needs of each sector. By understanding these categories, industry professionals can navigate the complexities of the publishing landscape more effectively, ensuring the delivery of high-quality and relevant content to readers worldwide.
