Erin L. Cox
Editor’s note: Erin L. Cox has been named Publishing Perspectives’ new publisher. This is a return to the company for Cox, who was our business development director from 2009 to 2019. We’re pleased to be hearing warm welcomes to the news from so many members of our international professional book business readership. Today (April 11), we’re glad to have this chance to bring you her thoughts on this new role. —Porter Anderson
By Erin L. Cox, Publisher | @erinlcox
‘The World of International Publishing’
In 2009, I was new to the world of international publishing when we started Publishing Perspectives to provide news, features, and international perspectives that would be relevant to readers no matter their country.My career up to that moment primarily had been based in the United States market, working in publicity at Scribner and HarperCollins, then selling advertising and creating non-editorial literary programs as the book publishing director at The New Yorker. Unlike publishing colleagues in editorial or subsidiary rights who may have gone to Frankfurter Buchmesse or sold books into international markets, my experience was focused entirely on promoting books to American readers.
“I know that some of the best ideas come in learning about other parts of the industry—other countries; types of publishing; different voices; different perspectives. It’s in those interactions that we change, we grow, we better the industry.”Erin L. Cox
Because of that, I had no sense of the needs of publishers in other countries—the differences in reader tastes and interests in other markets; the varied challenges that came with the use of technology; the creation and popularity of new formats; varieties of bookselling; the proliferation of social media; the need for sustainability; and more.
So I spent the first 10 years of my tenure at Publishing Perspectives learning a lot about international publishing and building relationships with colleagues (and friends) in many parts of the world. I also learned about STM publishing; scholarly publishing; the education markets; various types of technology; the different types of promotion that publishers use to reach readers in other countries; among other things.
This international education not only helped my work at Publishing Perspectives—it also made me better at those projects that were US-facing. By understanding this larger world, the challenges and the successes, I was able to be more creative. I was able to solve problems in new and unique ways, I was able to bring a different “perspective” to the work.
Even when I left Publishing Perspectives in 2019, I still sought out international news because I knew what it could do for my work. Believe me, I understand how easy it is to just focus on your day-to-day job. I also know that some of the best ideas come in learning about other parts of the industry—other countries; types of publishing; different voices; different perspectives. It’s in those interactions that we change, we grow, we better the industry.
In March, I joined Andrew Richard Albanese, a longtime friend, colleague, and former reporter at Publishers Weekly, in launching a new media site called Words & Money, bringing libraries into the center of the larger publishing conversation at a time when they’re most threatened. While, again, I didn’t know that much about the library market, I partnered with Andrew because I knew I would learn a lot and it would make me better at the work I do.
Erin L. Cox at Frankfurter Buchmesse’s longtime discussion and presentation venue, Das Blaue Sofa, in 2009
Our goal at Words & Money is the same goal we continue to have at Publishing Perspectives: to provide essential news, interviews, resources, and programming to our readers. I’ll be publisher of both publications, and what I seek is not only to support my editorial colleagues in the fantastic work they do, but also to make sure we are continuing to provide all of our readers with essential tools, resources, interviews, and events that will help them navigate their work and the road ahead.
I also hope that we can expand to new audiences and inspire people to be innovative in their work; to try new ways of doing things; to be bold in their pursuits; and to build bridges connecting us.
I hope you’ll join us in this adventure.
Publishing Perspectives is a brand of Frankfurter Buchmesse GmbH, was founded in 2009 by the German Book Office New York. It operated under Frankfurt Book Fair New York from 2017 to 2021 and is currently operated through MVB US, Inc.