– When I started as an editor at WSOY in 1982, there was a lot I had to learn for myself. I made many mistakes and learned something new from each of them. Beginner orientation wasn’t really part of company culture at WSOY in those days, but the spirit and mood in the house was good and encouraging.

In the large publishing house, Mr Touko Siltala was able to work together with Marketing and Sales.

– That gave me insight into the commercial side of publishing.

It was important for an editor to know which factors affected book sales, how to write advertising copy, how to present books to booksellers, and how to interview authors before an audience etc.

In 2008 Touko and his brother Aleksi Siltala made a big decision. They resigned from WSOY and founded Siltala Publishing.

– There had been such upheavals within WSOY that it didn’t feel like the right place for us anymore. I do have wonderful memories from those 25 years – everything I know I learned at WSOY.

The first years with their own company were a period of intensive learning. The brothers were intimately familiar with publishing, but starting a small business from scratch, finding financing, and determining the company form were all new.

– Concrete sales and marketing were new to us, as was dealing with printers. Of course we knew the production process of a book, but going through it all on our own demanded our full attention. Planning the whole operation, how everything goes together, was and is fascinating and exciting.

For the first few years the brothers were on their own.

– Now we have expanded in a sensible way. There are five of us full-time workers and two part-timers, and of course a vast freelance network. My son Sakari Siltala has a part-time job managing the foreign rights sales of our authors. Aleksi and I can concentrate on publishing work.

The work of a publisher means keeping track of the whole. Touko Siltala is in daily contact with authors, various players on the publishing scene, and the media.

– My day consists of highly intensive email correspondence, negotiations on the phone, meeting authors and business partners. Editing books and reading manuscripts and proofs is often relegated to evenings and weekends.

The brothers work seamlessly together. They speak the same language.

– Our fundamental outlook on publishing and on our company is fully congruent. My brother is an excellent colleague. This is the best job I’ve ever had. Our spirit here is a mix of alertness, relaxed openness, and humour.