Q. Please tell me in brief what you are doing now and which company you work for?
I am a production editor for bookazines with Imagine Publishing.

Q. How do you feel that doing the course equipped you with the technical ability to engage with the publishing company that you work for?
I work with InDesign daily, so the software training provided on the course has been indispensable. Thorough instruction in the copyediting and proofreading processes, including the correct symbols and notation to use, enables me to work and communicate efficiently.

Q. When you started work were you familiar with the terminology and specifications?
Absolutely. The MA takes you through each aspect of the publishing process and teaches you all of the terms, standards and practices that you need to know. When I began working for Imagine, I was prepared for everything.

Q. How has doing the course helped you to work to fixed deadlines?
The 508 module was instrumental in honing my ability to meet deadlines, as my involvement with multiple, often overlapping publications gave me plenty of opportunity to work on prioritising, multi-tasking, and quite often just putting the hours in...

Q. How has doing the course helped you to organise and manage work?
Strong organisational skills are crucial in publishing, and there were plenty of chances to use these while working with UPP on their publications. Again, 508 was indispensable in providing these opportunities.

Q.  How do you think the course has helped you work effectively within a team, and sustain effective working relationships?
A key strength of the course is the way that it encourages you to work autonomously, while simultaneously helping you to build contacts around different publications. As a result, I am now confident in my ability to lead a project and foster a strong network in which every team member contributes their ideas and strengths.

Q. Can you evaluate your contribution to the company that you now work for?
I work on a number of bookazines within a team of production editors in order to generate ideas for new products, plan and commission material, manage the production process, and proofread finalised publications.

Q. How has the course helped you understand the developments within the publishing industry?
The 507 module, where I worked on two presentations, is directly responsible for my burgeoning interest in the print/digital divide, and my ceaseless thoughts on the future of ebooks and mobile devices.