Columbia Publishing Course

Zadie Smith signs books after an informal
talk at the Publishing Course.

Welcome to the Columbia Publishing Course, the shortest graduate school in the country. It would take you a year in an entry-level position in publishing to learn what you will learn in six-weeks here, and ten years to meet all the people you will meet. For almost sixty years, the course has been training young men and women for careers as editors, literary agents, publishers, designers, publicists, and more. Graduates can be found in every kind of job, at major magazines and publishing houses across the nation.

If you are considering a career in book, magazine, or electronic publishing, the Columbia Publishing Course will give you the tools and the training you need to succeed:

• Broad exposure to current issues in publishing
• Unparalleled access to top publishing professionals
• Hands-on publishing experience
• Comparison of publishing types that informs career decisions
• Extensive career placement support
• Access to a large, active alumni network

2009 Dates

June 14 - July 24, 2009

CPC Brochure - 2009 brochure forthcoming

2009 CPC Application

2009 Application for Financial Aid

Highlights of 2008

Students in the sixty-first session of the Columbia Publishing Course were introduced to all aspects of book, magazine, and online publishing, from editorial and publicity to circulation and page views. The 102 students attending the course heard from over 125 publishing professionals and leaders in the industry—writers, editors, publishers, design directors, advertising experts, and publicists—many of whom are also course graduates.

This year David Young, chairman and CEO of Hachette Book Group USA, delivered the keynote address and focused on the business-side of book publishing. Famed editors Bob Weil of W. W. Norton, Brenda Bowen of The Bowen Press/HarperCollins Children’s, and Jonathan Karp of Twelve/Hachette, spoke about editing memoirs, fiction, short stories, and children’s books, while legendary editor Bob Gottlieb shared his experiences working with Joseph Heller, Toni Morrison, Michael Crichton, and Doris Lessing. Ann Patchett, author of Bel Canto and Run, signed books for students and spoke in dialogue with her former editor (and RPC graduate) Alison Callahan. Students also learned how to read a publishing contract and run a profit and loss statement. Chip Kidd, associate art director at Knopf, Sessalee Hensley, Barnes & Noble fiction buyer, Morgan Entrekin, president and publisher of Grove/Atlantic, and many other notable guest lecturers offered insight into the book publishing industry on all fronts; and a visit to HarperCollins Publishers let students observe the day-to-day operations at a publishing house.

The New Yorker’s editor David Remnick introduced the magazine portion of the course. Mr. Remnick was followed by his Condé Nast colleagues Amy Astley, editor-in-chief of Teen Vogue, and Jay Fielden, editor-in-chief of Men’s Vogue. For many students the highlight of the magazine section was attending editing seminars with editors of The Atlantic Monthly, Vogue, Glamour, GQ, O, The Oprah Magazine, Marie Claire, Essence, and Vanity Fair. During these small seminars students received feedback on their editing skills and heard about the typical career-path of magazine editors. Jan Bruce, publisher of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia’s Body+Soul, introduced students to the business of magazine publishing. Students also learned about ad sales, rate bases, and direct mail. Students interested in music were hosted at Vibe’s office by editor-in-chief Danyel Smith.

In the final week of the course, students covered new media with blogging panels featuring Jessica Coen of NYMag.com, Ben Leventhal from Curbed Media, Anna Holmes of Jezebel.com, and Ana Marie Cox from Radaronline.com. Editors and writers from Slate.com, InStyle.com, Yahoo.com, Conceirge.com, and Time.com discussed different online platforms.

The course ended with our annual job fair with over 40 companies in attendance. Many students have already been placed in excellent positions at places like Knopf, Simon & Schuster, Henry Holt, W. W. Norton, Bloomsbury, The Wylie Agency, New York magazine, The New Yorker, Fast Company, and Elle. After six weeks of extensive guest lectures; hands-on workshops and seminars; and comprehensive discussions, this year’s students are well prepared to enter publishing.

Contact the Columbia Publishing Course

Lindy Hess, Director
212-854-1898
Lah129@columbia.edu

Susan Caplan, Assistant Director
212-854-9775
Sc2719@columbia.edu

Email the CPC
publishing@jrn.columbia.edu