“A house without books is like a room without windows.” Heinrich Mann

Growing up (in a small village in northern Bavaria) I  bought books rather than sweets with my pocket money. This love for the printed word never declined over the years, therefore the decision what subject to choose after finishing grammar school came easy to me. It had to do something with books…

In the end I made my way to the Johannes Gutenberg-University in Mainz to study Book History. My minor subject British Studies manifested the wish to go abroad after my Bachelor’s Degree. So after handing in my thesis on the topic of private book collecting I started the application process for Stirling. Why? Because after doing a degree with lots of history on the book I wanted to experience the more practical side of publishing. I feel that I did make the right decision to come here and I am really looking forward doing my Master’s in Stirling. I feel a career in publishing is never a wrong choice, books have been around for centuries and in my opinion will be here quite a while longer!

After finishing my Bachelor’s degree in Book Studies and Sociology at the Johannes Gutenberg-University in Mainz, I decided to move across Europe to continue my journey in Publishing Studies at the University of Stirling. Literature has been a constant companion of mine, from early childhood until today, and therefore the decision to pursue a career in the publishing industry was an easy one. As passionate as I am about books, I find it essential to never lose focus on reality and the hardships that come with being a publisher in the 21st century. I am highly interested in new digital developments and eager to expand my knowledge regarding ebooks and apps and the extraordinary opportunities that come with them.

I am most excited about the book project we will be working on. This is a unique opportunity to not only work creatively but to learn about every aspect of publishing books or magazines. I am especially thrilled to be given the chance to design a product cover to cover, and cannot wait to see my work in printed form.

Before I was even close to finishing my English degree at the University of Dundee I had already started to entertain the idea of undertaking a course in publishing.

Although I have always enjoyed creative writing, I also displayed an interest in the process of how an idea or an author’s manuscript is transformed into the final product. My first and only experience of the publishing process so far was when I opted to join my High School’s yearbook production team. Even though we hit quite a few bumps along the road, it was a proud moment when we finally saw months of hard work come to life in the form of a physical copy.

The University of Stirling’s MLitt in Publishing Studies stood out to me over other courses available because of the broad, hands-on introduction that it provides to the publishing industry. For me, the course appears to contain the perfect balance between theory and practical skills in every section of publishing, which allows everyone to have a taste of each role before deciding what sector appeals to them the most.

Although it is still early days, I am excited to see what the rest of the course brings. Please feel free to follow my adventures on twitter @lauracraddock.

My journey began in the states at a university called Roger Williams University in Bristol, Rhode Island. I was studying American Studies with a minor in Creative Writing when my junior year (third year) came around and it was time to decide where to study abroad- an earned right for upper classmen. My three options because of the limited nature of my major were Stirling University, Edinburgh University, and a university way down in Sydney, Australia. I had to choose one and deep down I knew Sydney wasn’t the place for me, and having always been on a campus setting, being in the city at Edinurgh was scary to me. Univerity of Stirling was the right fit, so this Goldilocks packed 50 pounds of luggage and made the trip over, fully intending to go home after four months.

I arrived in February of 2010 and haven’t left, excpet for holidays of course! After being here a little short of a month I was already looking into transferring. I got all my paperwork in and sorted out my visa, and was ready to complete my undergraduate degree. I graduated in June 2012, and 2 years in Scotland just didn’t seem enough for me so I applied for my Masters. At first, I had the same attitude that I had while transferring which was if I get in, that’d be great, if not then maybe it’s time to go home- which I quickly discovered was a survival mechanism to keep myself calm during the process. But, as the summer wore on and it got closer to the acceptance date, I became more and more nervewracked. When I finally got my acceptance letter, I screamed so loudly I woke my flat mate up. I’m looking forward to the prospects and the doors that doing this course will open for me.

I actually have been writing my own book for about two and a half years now. The title is Fledgling. I have my own website so feel free to have a look! {Beatha. Gaol. Sgriobh} It is entirely set in Scotland and was inspired by my study abroad semester. Coming here gave me a new sense of creativity and this is the brain child of that creativity.