Commissioning editor
Find the author of the next bestseller. Successfully publish their book to make money for your company.
About the job
What it's like
You would identify unpublished books you think would sell well. You’d agree a deal with the author and successfully publish their book to make money for your company.
It would be your responsibility to by select new authors and titles that will help your book publishing company to stay profitable.
You’d also check how well your published books are selling and decide whether it is worth printing more copies.
Based on what you can see is popular with the public, you might come up with ideas for a book and commission someone to write it. You’d assess the costs and organise the schedule for publication.
You would:
keep up to date with trends in the book market
identify future markets and new products
decide whether to accept submitted manuscripts
develop ideas for books and identify suitable authors
prepare publishing proposals, including costs, projected sales and income
issue contracts to authors and agents
make decisions on reprinting, revising, producing new editions and putting titles out of print
make sure that authors and printers stick to the schedules and meet the deadlines
You would work closely with other departments in the company such as sales, marketing and production. You might also supervise editorial staff.
Hours
Expect to work long and irregular hours, including evenings, to meet the needs of your commissioning schedule.
Environment
You would be based in a busy office environment.
Travel
You would travel to meet with clients and authors. You may have the opportunity to travel overseas, to attend book fairs, for example.
Explore more information about this job
Here are some useful links to learn more about this career:
Like the sound of this career?
Browse courses in Scotland related to 'Commissioning editor'
Select qualification level(s)
Other careers that you might like
Copy editor Journalist Newspaper or magazine editor Sub-editor
Related industries
Many jobs can be done in lots of different industries. We've highlighted the ones we think are most important for this job.
Creative
Top skills
Skills are things you're good at. Whether you know what yours are or not, everyone has them!
It's useful to learn which ones are important in a job so you know the areas you need to brush up on. It can also help you work out if you're suited to a career.
Top specialised skills
These are the top specialised skills that have been found in job vacancies across Scotland. From March 2024 to March 2025.
- loans
- public relations
- marketing
Meta skills
Here are some of the meta skills you'll need to do this job.
- negotiating
- making decisions
- time management
- developing a plan
- attention to detail
- researching
- working with numbers
- creative
- written communication
- verbal communication
Your skills are important
Our unique skillsets are what make us stand out from the crowd. Learn about each skill in depth and discover what employers look for in your applications and interviews.
Getting in
Explore each section to find more information about getting into this career.
Colleges and universities will list subjects you'll need for entry to a course. Some useful subjects include:
English
Media
Skills for Work: Creative Industries
Foundation Apprenticeship: Business Skills
Foundation Apprenticeship: Creative and Digital Media
You can get a head start in this career by doing a Foundation Apprenticeship in S5 and S6.
You'll get an SCQF level 6 qualification which is the same level as a Higher. You'll also learn new skills and gain valuable experience in a work environment.
Discover what's on offer at your school on Apprenticeships.scot.
There are no set qualifications for this role however most applicants have a degree such as journalism, English, communication, marketing or media.
For entry to a Higher National Certificate (SCQF level 7) or Higher National Diploma courses (SCQF level 8) you need National 4/5 qualifications and one to two Highers or equivalent qualifications.
Entry to a degree (SCQF level 9/10) usually requires National 5 qualifications and a minimum of four Highers. Some universities ask for qualifications to be gained in one sitting.
You can also enter a degree with a relevant Higher National Certificate (SCQF level 7) or Higher National Diploma (SCQF level 8). With Advanced Highers, HNC or HND qualification you may enter the second or third year of some degree courses.
For entry to a postgraduate qualification (SCQF level 11) you need a relevant degree and may require experience.
Knowledge and experience or creative industries, business and marketing. You could gain this through Foundation Apprenticeships in Creative and Digital Media or Business Skills (SCQF level 6), or by doing a college or university course with industry and work experience.
Find the right course for you
Browse courses in Scotland related to 'Commissioning editor'
