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Worldfriendly Books – The Publisher’s Intern © English & Media Centre, 20142

Acknowledgements

Written and edited by Jenny Grahame, with Barbara Bleiman and Lucy Webster, based on an idea by Emma Bradley

Published by the English and Media Centre, 18 Compton Terrace, London, N1 2UN

Book covers and Worldfriendly artwork: Rebecca Scambler http://www.rebeccascambler.com/

Printed by Stephens and George Ltd

CD duplication: Brown and Michael Ltd

© English and Media Centre, 2014

ISBN: 978-1-906101-31-2

Thanks to Emma Bradley, Bloxham School, for her idea and for all her input into early versions of the publication.

Thanks also to Emma Gregory at Forest Hill School for trialling an early version and to all the teachers on EMC courses in 2013-14 who tried out and commented on activities.

The following websites were consulted during the writing of Task 3:

http://www.epicdisasters.com/index.php/site/comments/the_worlds_worst_volcanic_eruptions/

http://www.secretsofsurvival.com/survival/volcano.html#ActZT13z6LQysm1O.99

http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/earth/volcano.html

Resources on CD1. The full publication as a PDF (black and white) for printing

2. The full publication as a PDF, with colour images, for displaying on whiteboard or printing in colour.

3. The text of the draft press release (Task 5) to allow pupils to prepare a corrected version of the text, after proofreading it.

4. The PowerPoint for Task 8: Editing a Presentation, to allow pupils to edit on computer, rather than on hard copy. If choosing to do this, we suggest each pupil (or group) saves the PowerPoint with their initials.


Worldfriendly Books – The Publisher’s Intern © English & Media Centre, 2014 3

Contents

Teachers’ Notes 4

Task 1: Writing Your Personal Statement 6

Task 2: Launching a New Department 13

Task 3: A Writing Style for the New Teen Department 14

Task 4: Choosing What to Publish 19

Task 5: Proofreading a Press Release 24

Task 6: Dealing with a Difficult Author 28

Task 7: An Unexpected Visit from the CEO 38

Task 8: Editing a Presentation 39

Task 9: Promoting the New Book on Twitter 43

Task 10: The Final Countdown: Commissioning a New Title 46



Teachers’ Notes

The primary aim of this simulation is to provide pupils with an engaging real-world context for the development of language and literacy skills, by immersion into the life of a small (fictional) independent publishing house. In addition, it offers a broad-brush introduction to the publishing industry and the processes by which an idea becomes a text, a manuscript and ultimately a fully-fledged publication marketed to a particular readership.

The simulation may also be useful preparation for work experience placements in Key Stage 4. In addition it supports a range of important personal, learning and thinking skills which employers in the creative industries have identified as particularly valuable for the 21st century: collaboration and teamwork, independent research, problem-solving and risk-taking skills, and confident communication across a wide range of media, from speaking and listening and negotiating skills to visual literacy, digital presentation, and social media.

As with most simulations, Worldfriendly Books: The Publisher’s Intern offers only a rough approximation of the general workings of the publishing industry, rather than a factually accurate replication of any particular company, and this should be pointed out to pupils. Nevertheless it draws closely on professional practice, and many of the documents and activities are modelled on existing texts from ‘real-world’ publishing houses.

How to Use the ResourceThe material in this resource is presented incrementally, in a linear way, to represent the progress of a group of interns learning about their workplace, and acquiring skills through a variety of increasingly complex individual and group tasks. However it is not necessary to complete all the activities, and they can be used flexibly. Many tasks are directed at particular areas of weakness – for example, proofreading and note-taking activities – which you may want to offer to the whole class; but we’ve also included a few particularly challenging activities (for example Task 6 on pages 28-36) which you may prefer to designate as extension tasks or even use at Key Stage 4. Similarly, although the tasks are frequently addressed to the pupil-interns in groups, you may prefer some activities to be done individually. Ideally each ‘intern’ will conclude the unit with a portfolio of their own work and group work, some productive self-evaluation, and a sense of a journey undertaken and completed.

The Role of the TeacherIn the fictional world of this simulation, you as teacher take on the role of mentor for the pupil interns. Most of the instructions for each task are described in some detail, so your task is to mediate and unpick the information as required, select the activities you want the class to undertake, differentiate tasks where appropriate, and monitor pupil progress. At various points you may need to take on an alternative or evaluative role, such as CEO Lily Green (as in Task 7, p.37, or the final task, p.47). You might also want to bring in other adults – parents, members of SLT, or a school governor – to participate in adjudicating presentations, pitches, or the outcomes of the final task.

Activity by ActivityMost of the activities in this resource are self-explanatory. The guidance which follows may be useful in clarifying and organising specific tasks.

Task 1: Writing your Personal StatementThis introductory task asks pupils to read a range of different types of data from which they can infer the background to Worldfriendly Books and types of activities they will be undertaking, and to evaluate their existing strengths in literacy in relation to the Internship specification requirements. The self-evaluation sheet could be completed one to one with the teacher, and reviewed as a measure of progress at the end of the simulation

Task 4: Choosing What to PublishThis task builds on the experience of studying a spoken language transcript from a focus group in Activity 3. It requires pupils to read, compare, evaluate, and then conduct market research into six new [imaginary] books targeting their own age group. Ideally you will be able to arrange for groups of pupils to conduct the



research with their peers or another KS3 class – this will be more manageable if pupils have had planning time both to discuss fully what they infer from synopses of each proposed new book, and to properly plan a series of questions which will generate more than ‘Yes/No’ answers. Note that the book chosen for the launch of the new Teen Department will be revisited in later activities, so there should be agreement and full rationale within each group to avoid later fallings-out.

Task 5: Proofreading a Press ReleaseThe email on page 27 should be given to groups 15 minutes into their proofreading task. The text of the draft press release is included in Word on the CD, to allow pupils to work on it on computer, if you wish.

Task 6: Dealing with a Difficult AuthorThis complex task requires pupils to read between the lines of a series of emails, and to deduce and summarise the story behind a stalled publication. It introduces some less familiar specialist texts associated with the publishing industry, including the contract, the reader’s report, and aspects of the production process, as well as inference of the Riddley Jones narrative and its flaws. The activity requires sustained reading, and sensitivity to nuances of tone, conciliatory phrases and a threatening subtext, which need to be represented in abbreviated form. If the volume of reading is too high, different pupils could be allocated different texts to work on, encouraged to share responses, and to deliver them in the form of a group presentation.

Task 7: An Unexpected Visit from the CEOThis is, unsurprisingly, a thinly veiled staging post for an interim assessment point, and an opportunity for one-to-one discussion with individual pupils, if required, about the progress they are making and the learning outcomes of their ‘internship’.

Task 8: Editing a PresentationThis challenging task can be undertaken either on hard copies, in an ICT suite or with a set of iPads where pupils can work directly on screen, depending on your resources and desired outcomes. Note the following:

• Deliberate errors in PowerPoint – overlong, anecdotal, wordy, technical inaccuracies. In the task pupils could lose up to 6 slides, particularly aspects of historical background, irrelevant data, and unnecessary micro detail not required by audience and purpose. Poor design and fonts, inconsistent use of colour, headings and spacing, etc. You may wish to omit some of the slides.

• Editing on hard copies of the slides: print out and cut up the pages into individual slides so they can be physically re-sequenced – this will give a good ‘big picture’ view of the key points of the presentation. Pupils could use two coloured pens, one for annotating, editing and tweaks of layout, the other for proofreading, typos, and other secretarial marks. The focus here will be on editing for meaning, and SPaG, but after a paper edit, pupils might appreciate the opportunity to make the changes using the actual software.

• Editing on screen: this is a more complex and slower process, with more emphasis on surface features of design and techniques of presentation. Here the focus is likely to be more on skills of summary, concise editing of bullet points, and the use of persuasive visual techniques to represent the most significant messages.

• Timing: effective slide presentations are narrated at between 100 and 150 words per minute. The average reading speed for an adult is 250 -350 wpm; in proofreading this goes down to 200, and 180 wpm if proofreading on a monitor.

Task 10: The Final Countdown: Commissioning a New TitleThis final activity is the chance to have a bit of competitive fun with some more open-ended creative work, allowing pupils to put to the test the various experiences they have had during their ‘internship’. Each element of the task requires some form of documentation or evidence, and a set of criteria is provided so pupils know what outcomes are expected. Like several previous tasks, this can be planned either as a group or individual exercise. Whatever the process each pupil should produce her/his own individual response, to be collated with other material produced during the unit into a portfolio of achievement. A ‘judging’ process, involving senior staff, local celebrities or a friendly publisher contact, would be a satisfying and empowering way of concluding the unit and making it a memorable experience.



Introducing Worldfriendly BooksOver the next few lessons, you are going to be offered the opportunity to do some work experience in a publishing company which could change your life.

You will work in groups under the supervision of a mentor to gain experience of a wide range of the skills, roles and

responsibilities involved in a publishing company – and if you make the most of this opportunity, there may even be a job at the end of it for you!

Task 1: Writing Your Personal Statement

This internship is a brilliant opportunity for you. But first you will have to plan a personal statement that will convince Worldfriendly Books that you are the right person for an internship with them.

n In your group, read through your information pack so you can get to know as much as you can about Worldfriendly Books. The pack includes:

• Background to Worldfriendly Books – mission statement, organogram of how the company works

• Recent sales data including best-selling titles, current trends, future developments

• Information about our Internship programme

• Internship job description and person specification

n Between you, make a list of the features of Worldfriendly Books that you think makes it special, and different from other publishers.

n On your own, decide and note down three important features of Worldfriendly Books that you could mention in your personal statement to show that you are really interested in the internship. Keep your notes safely – you will need them later.

With your mentor, talk about the range of responsibilities and skills required for the internship, as listed on page 12. Some of them are quite demanding. Beside each aspect of the job, note down the skills you think you will need to be able to do it well – for example, proofreading: accurate spelling and punctuation.

n Use our Worldfriendly self-evaluation sheet to help you talk about the qualities and skills you feel you can bring to the internship. Think about the things you are already good at that will make a contribution to the success of Worldfriendly Books – for example, being a good listener.

n Drawing on the self-evaluation form, identify any specific responsibilities you are worried about, or skills you hope to improve during the internship – for example, not being good at speaking out in discussions, poor spelling, or lacking confidence in reading.

n Make a list of targets for yourself – things you hope to improve during your internship, or new skills you would like to learn. For example, being more assertive in discussions, learning how to pick up spelling mistakes or summarise the main points in a paragraph.

Keep your list of targets somewhere safe. Later on your mentor will review them with you to see what progress you are making.



Task 5: Proofreading a Press Release

Stop Press – Drop Everything!

We need to borrow you urgently to proofread a press release about the new department. Our PR co-ordinator Emma drafted it, but is now off sick and hasn’t had a chance to check it. It’s due to go to The Bookseller in 40 minutes, in time for its deadline, but it’s been written so

hastily it needs serious attention. We can’t afford to send out anything with spelling mistakes, typographic errors, or even a wrongly placed apostrophe – we would be a laughing stock in the publishing world.

Please note also that there are some incomplete items in this release which will need special attention – Emma was not up to speed with some of the latest decisions. Can you fill in the gaps and check that the information provided is correct? Please be particularly careful about the final choice of launch books. Again, any errors are a disaster, so please double-check!

If you’ve never proofread before, you’ll need to know how to mark up the text. A list of the British Standard proofreading symbols we use is included with your task – each time you need to correct something, choose the appropriate symbol and write it clearly both on the text and in the margin, preferably in red or coloured ink so it stands out.

Press Release – Draft

Get ready … to enter the teenage world-friendly world of Worldfreindly

Books!

While schoolchildren allover the country are mugging up on their

Shakespeare and romantic poets in preparation for the dreaded GCSE’s

we, at Worldfriendly Books have been busy finding ways of extending

their wider reading with some inspiring and relaxing new titles written

espcialy for them.

Worldfriendly will launch its new teen imprint [name still to be

decided – see page 13], on 1st April. Wev’e chosen our first five reads

to represent a wide range of environmental topics and genres, based

on extgensive research into the reading and leisure pattersn of 11 –

15-yearolds, and they include some real corkers!

Our first blockbuster read, one of five especialy comissioned to launch the

new imprint, is:



Email from Publicity Department

To: Intern groups

This email is highest priority!

We need your press release within the next five minutes – we were misinformed about the Bookseller deadline, and they are incredibly punctual!

Please check over your work carefully – preferably by swapping with a partner – to ensure you’ve caught every last typo, got the punctuation right, and capitalized things correctly. Make sure you’ve filled in the gaps in the text as accurately as you can, and made any other corrections required.

Then mail me the text so we can beat the deadline. Five minutes only!



Task 6: Dealing with a Difficult Author

Summarising a Series of Documents

As part of your internship we want you to experience all levels of the company and all the issues we have to deal with on a daily basis. Today we’re sending you to the Fiction Department so you can get a taste of some of the problems and dilemmas our commissioning editors have to deal with.

Working with authors is not always easy. They tend to be creative people, which means they’re often quite temperamental and take their work very seriously. This can often lead to clashes, where a writer will disagree with the editor’s professional opinion. In fact, we have a particular problem at the moment. We’d like you to help us with this.

n Read the following email from Ben Walsh, our new Commissioning Editor for Adult Fiction.

From: Ben Walsh

To: Interns

Subject: An update on the Hester Lewis situation

Our Commissioning Editor for Fiction has resigned very suddenly and I have taken over her role. She has worked for several years with Hester Lewis, a bestselling author of a popular series of crime novels, the Riddley Jones Investigations series.

To fill you in: Riddley is a private detective with a passion for the natural world. He specialises in investigating and exposing crimes against the environment – pollution, abuses against natural habitats, climate-changing practices and illegal wildlife trade. He’s also a witty, handsome adventurer, with an eye for the ladies and very popular with our older female readers. We’ve already published five in the series, which have sold very well for us up until now.
