Rosedale Press Publication Roles

I. Executive Producer (position filled)

This is the person ultimately responsible for the publication existing at all. The Publisher / Executive Producer owns the vision, taste, budget, standards, final decisions, and launch strategy.

Responsibilities

• Set the overall vision for the publication

• Define what the finished book should feel like, look like, and represent

• Make final decisions on budget, printer, designer, timeline, and launch plan

• Approve the final publication concept, title, structure, and design direction

• Make final calls when there are tradeoffs between cost, quality, and timeline

• Represent the publication publicly as the founder of Rosedale Press

• Make sure the project stays aligned with the larger vision for ATX Writing Club and The Rosedale Society

Qualities that lead to success

Strong taste, clear judgment, decisiveness, high standards, patience, and the ability to protect the integrity of the project without overcomplicating it.

II. Editor-in-Chief (position filled)

The Lead Editor is responsible for the editorial soul of the publication. This person decides what belongs in the book, what does not, and how the selected pieces should work together as a complete reading experience.

Responsibilities

• Make final decisions on accepted pieces

• Shape the table of contents and reading order

• Work with the editorial team to identify the strongest submissions

• Give high-level editorial direction on selected pieces

• Help writers elevate their work to its strongest possible form

• Decide when a piece is ready for design

• Approve the final edited manuscript before layout

• Protect the tone, standards, and literary identity of the publication

Qualities that lead to success

Strong editorial judgment, serious reading taste, clarity, conviction, and the ability to help writers improve without flattening their voice.

III. Sales Lead (position filled)

The Launch / Sales Lead makes sure the finished book does not just exist, but reaches the right people in the right way. This role owns the public presentation, sales page, launch emails, inventory plan, and member communication around the release.

Responsibilities

• Create the launch plan for the finished book

• Write or approve the sales page, launch emails, and announcement copy

• Decide how copies will be allocated between contributors, members, sponsors, sales, and archive copies

• Coordinate the release to ATX Writing Club and The Rosedale Society

• Set up the purchasing flow if copies are sold

• Track inventory and fulfillment needs

• Decide how the publication should be positioned publicly

• Use the publication to strengthen the larger brand of Rosedale Press, ATX Writing Club, and The Rosedale Society

Qualities that lead to success

Clear communication, strong sales instincts, good timing, taste, and an understanding of how the book fits into the larger community.

IV. Managing Editor (position filled)

The Managing Editor keeps the entire project moving. They’ll make sure submissions, revisions, contributor information, permissions, and deadlines stay organized from the first call for submissions all the way to the finished book.

Responsibilities

• Build and maintain the main project tracker

• Manage incoming submissions and keep files organized

• Communicate with contributors about acceptances, revisions, reminders, and declines

• Keep track of contributor agreements, bios, captions, and headshots

• Make sure everyone is working from the most up-to-date files

• Gather feedback during the design and proofreading stages

• Keep a running list of corrections until the book is approved for print

Qualities that lead to success

Organized, dependable, detail-oriented, proactive, calm under pressure, and comfortable juggling multiple tasks at once.

You’d be a good fit if...

You’ve coordinated projects, managed events, edited newsletters, run community programs, or helped organize collaborative creative work.

V. Submission Reviewer

Submission Reviewers help identify the strongest work and make sure every piece gets thoughtful consideration. Their feedback helps shape a publication that feels carefully curated.

Responsibilities

• Read assigned submissions by the agreed deadline

• Evaluate each piece using the review criteria

• Share brief notes on what works well and what could be improved

• Flag pieces that need fact-checking, permissions, or additional revision

• Identify strong work that may be a better fit for future issues

Qualities that lead to success

Thoughtful, curious, fair-minded, well-read, open to different styles and perspectives, and able to separate personal taste from quality.

You’d be a good fit if...

You regularly read books, essays, literary magazines, criticism, or long-form journalism and enjoy talking about what makes writing effective.

I'd like to volunteer for this role

VI. Publication Designer / Art Director

The designer will help turn a collection of writing into a beautiful physical object that people want to keep on their shelves for years.

Responsibilities

• Develop the overall visual direction for the publication

• Design the cover, spine, and back cover

• Create the interior layouts and typography

• Prepare photographs and artwork for print, if needed

• Create files that are ready for the printer

• Make updates based on feedback during proofreading and print review

Qualities that lead to success

Strong visual taste, attention to detail, a love of books and print design, a collaborative mindset, and an understanding of how design shapes the reading experience.

You’d be a good fit if...

You’ve designed magazines, literary journals, art books, independent publications, or other high-quality print projects and can share examples of your work.

I'd like to volunteer for this role

VII. Production Manager (position filled)

The Production Manager makes sure the book gets printed correctly, arrives on time, and stays within budget.

Responsibilities

• Gather and compare quotes from printers

• Order and review sample books and materials

• Track timelines, costs, and production details

• Coordinate file delivery, proofs, approvals, and shipping

• Monitor the printing process and shipment status

• Keep records of key decisions and specifications

Qualities that lead to success

Organized, practical, detail-oriented, comfortable communicating with vendors, and good at solving problems.

You’d be a good fit if...

You’ve worked in operations, project management, manufacturing, print production, purchasing, or vendor management.

VIII. Photo / Art Editor

The Photo / Art Editor helps make sure every image in the publication looks great in print and adds to the overall experience of the book.

Responsibilities

• Find and organize high-quality images

• Track image credits and permissions

• Review images for print quality

• Work with the designer on image selection and placement

• Maintain the image list and caption information

• Confirm that all images have permission to be published

Qualities that lead to success

Visually minded, organized, detail-oriented, and knowledgeable about image quality and composition.

You’d be a good fit if...

You’ve worked as a photographer, designer, creative director, curator, photo editor, or have extensive experience working with visual media.

I'd like to volunteer for this role

IX. Rights and Permissions Coordinator

This role helps protect both the publication and its contributors by making sure we have permission to publish and sell every piece of writing and every image.

Responsibilities

• Collect contributor agreements

• Track permissions for writing, images, and quoted material

• Keep organized records of approvals and licenses

• Confirm contributor rights and publication rights

• Prepare the final list of credits and permissions

• Flag any potential issues before publication

Qualities that lead to success

Careful, organized, detail-oriented, and comfortable keeping track of documents and records.

You’d be a good fit if...

You’ve worked with contracts, legal administration, archives, publishing operations, project coordination, or records management.

I'd like to volunteer for this role

X. Copyeditor

The Copyeditor helps improve clarity and consistency while preserving each contributor’s unique voice.

Responsibilities

• Create and maintain the publication style guide

• Copyedit accepted pieces

• Review edits for accuracy, consistency, and voice

• Flag factual, legal, or permissions concerns

• Keep track of questions for contributors

• Prepare clean files for the design stage

Qualities that lead to success

Strong editorial judgment, consistency, curiosity, and respect for each writer’s voice.

You’d be a good fit if...

You’ve edited long-form writing, developed editorial processes, or managed large volumes of written content.

I'd like to volunteer for this role

XI. Proof Captain

The Proof Captain is the final set of eyes before the book goes to print.

Responsibilities

• Review designed pages for errors and inconsistencies

• Check page numbers, captions, credits, contributor names, and headings

• Keep a single list of corrections

• Confirm that changes have been made correctly

• Review proofs both on screen and on paper

Qualities that lead to success

Patient, thorough, detail-oriented, and able to focus deeply for long periods of time.

You’d be a good fit if...

You’ve worked in proofreading, editing, quality assurance, technical writing, or you’re known for catching details that other people miss.

I'd like to volunteer for this role