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TCU Press Production Manager Molds More Than Books Melinda Esco Shares Her Experiences in the Publishing World

By Rebecca Allen Sitting behind a desk stacked with designs, proofs and the occasional baggie of almonds, TCU Press Production Manager Melinda Esco rarely shows signs of stress or anxiety.

Esco is the only paid, full-time employee of TCU Press.

After its editor resigned last summer, the press has functioned with Esco and a volunteer director, English professor Dan Williams. With a staff of only two, TCU Press is deep in the midst of an industry-wide tumult, largely a result of changing technology and declining book sales.

Publishing companies are scrambling to master e-book technology, locate strong executives and successfully face domineering Amazon.com. Publishers are pouring more money into books with lower returns, forcing many companies to close altogether. TCU Press publishes approximately 15 books of varying genres per year, but with only two professionals and a handful of eager student interns, this has become more and more difficult each season.

Although acknowledging the many obstacles the press faces, Esco remains positive about the press’s future.

“I think we’re going to stick around,” she said. “We know we have the university’s support, so we’re looking forward.”

Intern and TCU senior Rileigh Sanders recognizes that this attitude is typical of Esco.

“Though we’re all aware that the Press is struggling financially and sharing a big workload, that doesn’t bring stress or conflict to the environment,” Sanders said. “We just do what we can the best that we can. I’ve learned that from Melinda.”

Director Dan Williams shares Esco’s optimism. No one can rightly predict the direction the publishing industry will take in the near future, Williams said, but “the press is currently doing quite well in several areas and enjoying favorable recognition and support across campus.”

During her time at the press, working with student interns, Esco has taught many lessons – not all of them planned.

One of those lessons is about the importance of family and friends. With a photograph of her grandson on her desktop background, it is no surprise that Esco enjoys sharing her grandson Blake’s latest comic moments. Listening to Esco talk personally about authors and family alike, Sanders and other interns agree that they pay more attention to how they interact with people in their own lives.

“I value the relationships in my own life because that’s what I admire in Melinda,” Sanders said.

No matter how rough a day begins, Sanders said, “I feel welcome and positive about how it’s going to go. That’s the kind of environment Melinda creates everyday.”

Whatever the context, Esco remains true to her character. She is the same open, friendly grandmother on her lunch break and in a formal interview.

Melinda’s Journey to the Present Esco always wanted to go into publishing and design. First inspired in middle school after seeing an exhibition of paste-up art, she began as a typesetter at the University of Houston. While there, her boss and mentor taught her to learn all of the technology that she could.

She still holds close to this advice. She encourages those around her to do the same, especially with the rapidity of technological advancement in the present. Esco also cites such changes in technology as the biggest challenges she has faced in her almost 30 years in the field.

“But it’s just so satisfying to hold the book at the end of the process,” Esco said. “You spend so much time with each book, working on the mechanics. It’s gratifying to see the finished product.”

The allure of this feeling at the end of each book’s production has carried Esco through the challenges and obstacles. Her intimate familiarity with the publication process – and the emotional highs and lows that accompany it – not only enhances her talent at her current position as production manager at TCU Press. It also draws her into the designer community.

Esco enjoys opportunities to meet with other production managers from across the country and soak up their knowledge and experience. She has also maintained close friendships and connections with other designers in the field.

One can feel the inspiration and passion emanating from her smile as she describes both the press and the industry as a whole. “It’s a place of a lot of creativity, in many different forms. Writers, designers, authors, all come together. Dynamic. It’s exciting. It’s intense – in a good way.”

Both Sanders and Esco agree that TCU Press is like a family. Though the demands of the job are extensive, Esco says she still loves coming to work each day.

“There are opportunities to meet interesting people, interesting ideas, learn about history,” Esco said. “I never know what the day will hold.”

True to character, Esco always looks forward to the future of TCU Press. Esco’s primary goal is to carry out the press’s e-book initiative. Though this initiative stalled after the loss of the press’s editor, Esco hopes to relaunch these efforts and join much of the publishing industry in this growing branch of production. Director Williams shares Esco’s enthusiasm for the project.

“We are hoping this initiative will open up new revenue streams,” Williams said. “At present all signs are positive.”

Despite obstacles, Esco has led TCU Press to the verge of a technological renaissance through her tireless effort and dedicated optimism. But she’ll never say so. At this moment, you can find her fixed at her desk, in front of her computer – her grandson grinning behind layers of open windows – sifting through messages, interns’ questions and the latest production demands of this season’s books. For Esco, the demands of the day may each reach completion, but the promises of tomorrow’s efforts ever linger.

Q&A with Melinda Esco How did you get into this field when you first began your career?

I always wanted to go into publishing. Even in junior high school, I was in the journalism club, and as a senior in high school I worked for an advertising agency. That was when I first saw paste-up boards. When I saw those mechanicals, I knew that was what I wanted to do. I really wanted to be a paste-up artist.

What would be your advice for those wanting to go into the field now?

My professor at the University of Houston (and my boss) told me to learn all of the technology that I could, and that is still very true. Really more true than ever with as fast as technology changes now.

I know the Press is going through a lot of technological and marketing changes right now.

In what direction is TCU Press headed?

I think we’re going to stick around. I think as an academic press I can see us entering more of a partnership with professors as a resource for curriculum. Professors historically had to publish for tenure, and it was a long belief that they should publish at another university, but this is changing because of the nature of publishing. Publishing through your own university’s press now offers a certain amount of protection of intellectual property, or so it seems to the professors and colleges. We’re also becoming more involved with the students, and I definitely see that continuing.

What are your specific goals for the next five years? What’s your own personal wish list?

Well, first, to follow through with our e-book initiative. We started out strong, but with all of the chaos of the last year we’ve gotten so behind, but I just think it’s such an important area to develop. I’d also like to start a journals division. Other academic presses have them, but we don’t.

How do you foresee your publication of actual books continuing?

We probably won’t ever stop doing books. If anything, they may become bigger in value.

If you had to describe the Press to someone, if the Press was a person, how would you describe its personality?

It’s a place of a lot of creativity, in many different forms. Writers, designers, authors, all come together. Dynamic. It’s exciting. It’s intense – in a good way. There’s this opportunity to be more connected to students. It’s like a family. There are opportunities to meet interesting people, interesting ideas, learn about history. The people who come through here are from all walks of life. The actual surroundings of the Press don’t fit its personality at all, but it’s comfortable.

What is or has been your favorite aspect of your career?

My favorite position has been production manager. It’s just so satisfying to hold the book at the end of the process. You spend so much time with each book, working on the mechanics. It’s gratifying to see the finished product.

What has been the biggest challenge you’ve faced at any point in your career?

Changes in technology. Even more so now because it changes so rapidly. It’s difficult to try and keep up and translate what will happen on press to what needs to be done in pre-press.

You’ve mentioned that as a requirement for the field and as a challenge. Aside from technical skills like keeping up with software skills, what qualities do you think are most important for this field?

You have to understand what happens on press. Someone has to know how books are printed and understand that. You have to be able to focus, to juggle lots of projects at once. You’re always working under pressure on a deadline. You have to be flexible, not letting changes in plans get in the way of doing what you’re supposed to be doing. You can’t get frustrated. It sounds like a lot, but I love coming to work here. You meet fabulous people, and I never know what the day will hold.