This post originally appeared on the Society of Environmental Journalist's website and is reposted here with permission.
Between the Lines
For the latest installment of Between the Lines, an author Q& A, SEJournal book editor Tom Henry digressed from the writer’s point of view and sought out advice from a publishing company that specializes in energy and environment books. Founded in 1984, Island Press is a nonprofit that has published books by E.O. Wilson, Paul Ehrlich, Sylvia Earle and many other well-known writers. David Miller, Island Press senior vice president and publisher, gave us his thoughts. 
SEJournal: Island Press obviously has a focus on books about nature, energy and the environment. But in what other ways does it distinguish itself from other publishing firms?
David Miller: Island Press often gets thought of as being somewhat narrower in scope than we in fact are. Today, environmental issues touch pretty much every aspect of our social and personal lives — not just the natural world. They affect our cities, health, economics [and] politics; that is, nearly every aspect of our lives. For example, issues around social justice and equality have become critical factors in the way we look to build a more sustainable society and repair the environmental damage we’ve already done.
Island Press looks to be equally broad in the way we develop our role as a publisher in an increasingly digital world. We see an opportunity to think differently, as we are doing with innovative efforts like our Urban Resilience Project, which works with authors (and many thought leaders who aren’t our authors) to develop articles and opinion pieces that promote a broader vision for what a resilient city should be. Our partnership marketing efforts promote our authors and their books through a network of nearly 100 regional and national environmental organizations.
Of course, publishing books remains at the core of what we do and thoughtful editing and imaginative marketing and selling are still vitally important. Our size and focus allows us to do both while forming much closer relationships with our authors than larger publishers often do. We understand the issues that matter to our market, and we share our authors’ commitment to making a difference. We believe that an effective partnership with authors is the best way to do so.
Read the full article HERE.
