We’re offering readers a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the bookmaking process—the people behind the books and the products we create! Through our “Behind the Book” blog series, discover who plays a role in creating a book, what daily life looks like at Norton, and what being part of an independent and employee-owned company means. 

Sophia Purut was a summer intern in W. W. Norton’s print production department, returning upon college graduation as an ebook producer. After two years in that role, she was promoted to senior ebook producer. Remotely based in Durham, NC, she is spearheading Norton’s digital-priority and single-source ebook publishing tests; producing new media prototypes; and coordinating with editorial, design, and media producer colleagues to produce stellar college ebooks.  

How did you end up at Norton, or what enticed you to apply? 

I worked at TIPs Technical Publishing in college but was interested in publishing at a larger scale. TIPs had worked with Norton on previous projects, and my boss graciously helped me in my hunt for internship opportunities. I interned in Norton’s print production department the summer before my senior year, and absolutely loved how everyone was so welcoming, intelligent, and down-to-earth. I knew that as a true indie publisher, Norton was special, so I wanted to work here after graduation and was lucky to join the ebook producer team. 

What is your current role, and what part do you play in the book publishing process? 

I’m currently the senior ebook producer in the college digital publishing department. I work with editors, designers, media producers, and external vendors to transform text files into designed, interactive ebooks. I’m involved in meetings at the very start of the book publishing process, as we determine an ebook’s functionalities, design, production schedule, and production process. I then coordinate with the book team over the next 12–18 months as media is created for the ebook, text files are delivered for conversion, ebook chapters are run through quality assurance (QA), and the final product goes live, and our third-party retailer ebook is routed for distribution. 

For your current role, what does an average day look like? 

I’m leading Norton’s digital-priority (producing an ebook before a print textbook) and single-source publishing ebook testing (where we use an editorially final Word manuscript to produce both an ebook and a print textbook). Recently my days include a lot of meetings as we refine our goals, strategy, and technical needs. This includes using new software and making sure it’s producing clean and accessible HTML to produce a suite of designed components for every text element in an ebook. I have a full slate of ebooks to produce outside of that work, so I’m also always communicating with vendors and book teams as I route ebooks through production and QA. This might mean cracking open an ebook to edit the code, whether it’s rendering a tricky design element with CSS (Cascading Style Sheets), adding media elements such as interactives or courseware, or ensuring our ebooks are accessible for all users.  

What skills do you need to succeed in your job? Did any previous work or life experience help you in your role? 

Great communication skills, attention to detail, and a team-player attitude are a must! I work on different projects with different people on varying timelines, and it’s imperative that I stay on schedule and in communication with my book team members as we route a title through production. Working as a compositor at a local publisher while in college exposed me to the intricacies of both print book and ebook production. I learned how important it was to produce clean work at the start of a workflow, especially when you’re handing off your work to other people. I also took a web design computer science course, and that gave me a strong technical foundation going into an ebook production role. 

Were there any projects or moments that surprised or challenged you? 

My first six months as an ebook producer at Norton felt like the biggest challenge. I started in June 2020, when there was a huge national need for digital textbooks, so it feels like I hit the ground running and never stopped. There were moments where I felt I was “faking it until I made it,” but it was amazing to finish my first year and look back at how far I’d come and how confident I had grown in the role. It’s a huge testament to the ebook production team and how much we support and learn from each other. 

How has your job/role changed while you’ve worked at Norton? 

Ebooks were not the primary sales product when I first started at Norton, so ebooks weren’t considered until the middle of a book’s publishing process and ebook producers weren’t looped into the ideation phase of our books. But as Norton has expanded its digital products and switched to a digital-priority sales model, ebook producers are having much earlier conversations with editors and book teams as we determine how we can make the most exciting Norton ebook for the market. We’ve also released new ebook elements over the past two years, such as 3D models, dynamic data figures, and interactives and Check Your Understanding questions in our Norton Illumine Ebooks, so it feels like the ebooks I’m producing now are much more dynamic than those produced in years past. 

What does Norton being independent and employee-owned mean to you and your work? 

I see how everyone at Norton really cares about their work and strives to create the highest-quality product, so I feel inspired to bring my best to work every day. As an independent publisher owned by the employees, we’re able to stay dynamic and make powerful changes to our workflows and products without answering to outside investors. I feel like the company leadership trusts each employee’s expertise. I don’t think I’d be able to participate in so many different endeavors this early in my career anywhere else.  

What advice would you give someone just starting out in publishing? 

It’s harder to do this remotely, but try to meet your coworkers and learn about their role in the publishing process. Whether it’s stopping by someone’s office to introduce yourself and chat, or setting up an informational meeting, your work life will benefit. Not only will you feel a greater sense of connection to your coworkers, but you’ll have a more holistic view of the book production process that will lend itself well when you’re looped into bigger projects. Book publishing is always evolving, and you want to be able to see where there’s room for growth and change, or who has the expertise you need for a new initiative. 

Lastly, what do you like to do outside of work? Any fun hobbies or recent reads you would recommend? 

I recently moved back to my home state of North Carolina, so it’s been great getting outside for a run, driving to the beach for some early morning kayaking, or heading to the mountains to hike and spend time with family. When I can’t get outside, I love to knit, throw pottery on the wheel, and catch up on my reading. I’m into classic sci-fi and just finished Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert Heinlein; I highly recommend it! 

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