In a bespoke session at this year’s London Book Fair, Suzanne Collier and Hermione Ireland discussed five areas to consider when developing your career.

1. Get training

Training is valuable and can be an easy way to get experience. It will build your confidence, help you get promoted and unlock new ideas.

Look at the jobs you’re applying for and read the ads. Identify your existing skills, those you’re missing and what’s essential or nice to have. For example, if a job description specifies fluency in languages, you will need to learn those languages. However, if the ad says it’s an advantage to speak another language, this would be a ‘nice to have’.

Other examples include knowing InDesign, understanding metadata or how Facebook ads work. Many of these skills can be supplemented by informal or formal training.

From the Independent Publishers Guild (IPG)’s Skills Hub (free for IPG members), to the Publishing Training Centre (PTC) and BookMachine, there’s plenty of choice for developing your skills with industry-specific or other relevant training.

2. Get noticed

Attitude is paramount, particularly when seeking internal promotion. You need to instill confidence in your line manager and help make their life easier, with a ‘can do’ attitude and the ability to communicate and solve problems.

It’s important to work smart, not all hours of the day, to prove you’re a great worker. A good leader is not the first one in or the last to leave. And don’t let people exploit your good nature!

If you’re ambitious, discuss your goals with your line manager. Let them know you’re keen (but not that you want to be managing director), that you value your job and would like to stay in the business. Ask them to help with your career roadmap and get you to the next level. If you work with someone whose role you aspire to, talk to them, informally or formally, about what to learn while in your current role.

3. Manage staff when you lack experience

Management and leadership skills are different, and you need experience of both. Management is usually taking responsibility or control of things or people, ensuring delivery of a project. Bring people with you and don’t isolate team members. Leadership is more about taking people on a journey, focusing on their goals, encouraging and motivating them. If you have the chance to manage, try to bring in your leadership skills, and vice versa.

Volunteer to lead projects when you can, those that allow you to lead a team or take charge of a situation. Perhaps something new comes in or you feel your boss has too much to do. Offer to take on a project but be specific about your role to avoid getting the most junior or mundane tasks.

If someone is working on a difficult project and you can see a solution, offer your advice and input and ask if you can take ownership in any way.

In the absence of in-house opportunities, consider voluntary organisations with committee roles – for example, the Society of Young Publishers. This can be a great way to gain management and leadership skills, which you can transfer to an office environment.

Don’t worry if you’re applying for a role which requires management experience and you’ve only managed one person. The skills you’ve learned are just as relevant to managing a team of several people. Focus on what you like about managing, how you manage difficult people and have demonstrated lateral thinking when working with other teams.

4. Gain commissioning experience when you have none

Do you work outside editorial and want to make the leap into commissioning?

Meetings and one-to-ones can give you an advantage, with the chance to come up with clever ideas. Discuss your ideas and proposals with the publisher or senior commissioner and back them up in writing.

If you have knowledge of a niche market, immerse yourself in the subject and become the go-to expert within the company.

Subject knowledge can sometimes outweigh publishing skills. If you have a passion for a particular genre and want to work for a publisher who publishes in that genre, research the subject area and the market – the authors, jackets, content, prices, the competition. And predict trends if possible.

Suzanne has a great example of this. Previously working in sales for a specialist transport publisher, her role involved talking to customers and so she learned what books people were looking for. She scoped out ideas, which were taken up by the publisher. This gave her the confidence to speak to senior people in the business and propose more ideas about what they should be commissioning.

Commissioning requires time and energy. Be commercially aware and know what sells. Look for strong ideas and other angles that will give you the edge. Keep an open mind – pay attention to social media, listen to people, talk to retailers.

5. Decide whether to stay or go

You’ve been in your role for a while and want a new challenge. Do you stay in the hope of being promoted, or move on? Every situation is unique, from your skills, the company you work for to the opportunities available. Some businesses have a strong culture of wanting to keep talented staff, others are tied to their budgets and will let people leave.

There are two key signs to consider. Are you being encouraged and developed, or held back and discouraged?

Perhaps you have the chance to take on more responsibility, but your company can’t or won’t to pay the extra salary. You could negotiate but, whilst you should never undervalue yourself or work for free, it can be better to stay put, gain experience and aim for short-term promotion. After a while you could ask for more money or you may feel the time is right to move on.

Hermione has experienced better promotion opportunities by moving – including being offered permanent, more senior roles after completing freelance maternity covers.

She’s also been promoted within a business after handing in her notice. She doesn’t advocate taking another job just to negotiate a better one, but you may find that if you’re offered a job elsewhere your company won’t want to lose you.

Sometimes, however, it’s better to move, whether for a fresh start, new challenge or a more senior job title. Be prepared to take risks and don’t be scared to move if a new job comes up.

Suzanne Collier is the founder of bookcareers.com. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneCollier and     @bookcareers.

Hermione Ireland is managing director of Académie du Vin Library. She is the tutor of the PTC’s Introduction to Marketing for Smaller Publishers virtual course.

Follow her on Twitter @hermioneireland.

The way we communicate at work has been transformed over the last 18 months. More important, however, than the change itself is its transformative permanence, and how we plan, manage and follow up on meetings, webinars and workshops, conferences and online events, and even job interviews.

Unless you have a background in journalism, the likelihood is that you haven’t been trained on ‘camera communication’: speaking on camera, to camera and with and to an audience you either don’t know or can’t see. And because humans are so adaptable, we’re getting on with it the best we can, with varying degrees of success. The following tips will provide you with a basic toolkit to use in most circumstances that you’ll encounter.

1. Writing is key

The first point is that online speaking begins with writing. Yes, that’s what I meant to write: online speaking begins with writing. To build rapport, create some level of familiarity, take away the strangeness and the ‘coolness’ of digital communication, it’s a good idea to contact your interlocutors-to-be at least 24 hours before your ‘call’ takes place.

This ‘written first contact’ will allow you to introduce yourself, provide background and context to the call and outline your objectives (if you are not chairing the meeting). Plus, you can ask questions about the technology, the attendees, the duration and the mechanics of the video meeting. This is considered best practice in face-to-face meetings, but somehow, with digital, we think that it’s acceptable to click on a link and ‘turn up’ on the screen with no preparation. Well, it’s not. The more you invest in the pre-meeting phase, the easier and more efficient the live event will become.

2. Practice makes perfect

The second step is to create a free account with as many video applications as you can and practise in your own time. You can then familiarize yourself with the technology and its features, and also record yourself and get used to looking and speaking at the camera. This is important, because most of us tend to look at the faces on our screen when we speak; looking at those happy souls while you listen is fine, but you should try and treat the laptop’s built-in camera, or your additional camera, as a person.

The camera has behind it the faces and eyes you would normally look at in a face-to-face environment. This will feel odd and gravity will pull your gaze towards the screen. Persevere - discipline yourself to look towards the camera. The impact on, and the perception from, those listening to you and watching you will be more professional, more persuasive, and more in control. This takes time and practice, but it’s worth the effort.

3. Use your hands

Another key component of your on-camera ‘performance’ is the use of your hands. We have become so used to seeing still heads on video calls that the only environmental aspects we notice are backgrounds in people’s rooms. However, hands are a powerful communication tool, one that will make your video calls more personal, more interesting and bring you closer to other participants. Use them deliberately and regularly, but be mindful of their proximity to the camera as too close an approach may be counterproductive.

4. The follow-up call

As important as the pre-meeting procedure, if not more, is the follow-up post-video call. Sending a thank-you note, a summary of actions, an acknowledgement of what went particularly well or badly and a request for feedback is good practice for any meeting. It’s especially good for online meetings, as these post-meeting messages will help you to build your relationship with the client, colleague or interviewer, and rapport for future video encounters. It takes effort and discipline; the feedback piece in particular will build your confidence and your technique. You will gather a portfolio of recommendations that you can apply to future calls and share with colleagues and friends alike.

5. Be yourself, be lively

Finally, be enthusiastic, be energetic and smile. A big weakness of video communication is that it is easy to lose that precious chemistry and heat between humans. You have to make an extra effort to maintain some electricity and interest between the two parties. Be yourself and be lively. You’ll have more fun and other attendees will too.

We live in exciting and testing times. Embrace the opportunity and experiment every day. Video calling is here to stay and you can master it. Start with the recommendations outlined here and you will soon develop a more advanced repertoire of tools and techniques.

Carlos Gimeno is founder of Cg and a freelance trainer. You can follow him on LinkedIn.

If you are working as a copy-editor, or training to be one, you are probably aware that there’s much more to the job than reading a text and correcting the odd typo. Copy-editing is a multi-faceted discipline that requires simultaneous focus and competence in several skillsets.

These top tips will ensure that you start each editing job well, remain organised and efficient throughout, and always stay on the right side of colleagues and authors.

1. Assess the job

Aim to find out as much as you can about the job before you begin, preferably before you accept it if you are freelance. Make sure you know what is being asked of you: what’s the word count, what’s the deadline, what’s the budget/hourly rate, what level of editing is required?

Next look at the text and estimate what level of edit it will require, whether you can comfortably complete it in the time available and whether you’re happy with the remuneration offered. Issues with any of these points are better dealt with early on.

2. It’s all in the brief

Read the brief two or three times before you begin your edit; you could print it out and take a highlighter to the most important bits. Make sure you really understand it and query points that aren’t clear.

Keep referring to the brief throughout the job, especially if you have taken a break to work on a different text; it’s too easy to forget or confuse instructions only to find out later that you edited half a text following a different publisher’s brief and house style because that’s what was in your head!

Before returning an edited file, check the brief one last time – just in case.

3. Divide and conquer

Work out the tasks required for the edit, compile a checklist and undertake them one by one, ticking them off as you go. Don’t set out to edit in one fell swoop from start to finish – you will miss things!

Coding or styling the whole document first is a great way to get an overview of the text, and a huge tick on your to-do list. Get time-consuming or fiddly tasks under your belt early too, such as editing bibliographies or standardising particular terms or spellings. Check and edit tables and figures and their numbering and text mentions in one go.

The more tasks like these you can get out of the way, the freer you are to focus on sense and expression when you complete your full read of the text.

4. Listen to the author

It is essential in fiction editing to connect with the author’s ‘voice’ and edit sensitively and respectfully. Even in non-fiction texts, you can pick up on an author’s preferred style of expression and turn of phrase.

Within the parameters of the brief and house style that you’ve been given, work with the author’s voice so that their text remains theirs and isn’t stripped of their personality. Follow grammatical rules and conventions, and improve syntax for sense and clarity, but hold back from altering expression for the sake of it – it’s the author’s book, not yours!

5. Know your place

Whether you’re working on trade, academic, corporate or web content, understanding the role you play is fundamental, but so too is knowledge of and empathy with the parts played by others.

When you query the author, be polite when you mention problems with the text; it is their intellectual property, their sweat and tears, possibly their life’s work that you are dealing with, after all. It’s not the author’s job to know about style issues or to make decisions about display, so don’t trouble them along those lines.

When you contact the publisher, you can be direct and assume knowledge of editorial conventions and practice; be careful not to sound forthright or bossy, though. The publisher gave you the job; they won’t give you another if they feel you don’t respect them.

Make sure that typesetter and proofreader instructions are fit for purpose. Style sheets are a great aid to the copy-editor while working, but what you send in with your edited file is for others to use, so make sure it’s user-friendly, clear and concise, without repetition or room for misinterpretation.

The copy-editor sits in a privileged position between those who originated and own the text and those who will turn it into a finished product – that’s a wonderful, and responsible, place to be.

Bonus tip!

Don’t attempt to survive on coffee and biscuits! Screen work requires regular breaks, and a sedentary work life requires an active antidote. Even at your busiest – especially at your busiest – make some ‘me time’, grab a refreshing drink and a healthy snack, and walk round the block (or whatever your exercise of choice may be) for 10–30 minutes at least once a day to clear your head and wake up your body. Your wellbeing is much more important than any book!

Heather Rawlin is a freelance editorial project manager, an Advanced Professional Member of the CiEP and a tutor for the Publishing Training Centre’s Essential Copy-Editing and Essential Proofreading courses.

Visit her website, Future Perfect, and follow her on Twitter @perfect_heather.

So, you’ve been asked to proofread something. Maybe you’re newly qualified and starting your first job? Perhaps you’re considering training to become a professional? Or maybe a friend has asked you to give their short story a once-over? Here are five pieces of advice to help you on your way.

1. Do the ‘housekeeping’ first

Get the dull, mechanical bits out of the way early and you’re free to focus on the text. In a Word file, scroll down the document, scanning horizontal spaces to check that they’re all even. If there are footnotes, check their in-text indicators are present and correct. If there’s a table of contents, check that chapter/section titles exactly match those in the actual location (it’s surprising how often they don’t).

Open the search box and hit the space bar twice, then press enter; this will catch double spaces and allow you to reduce them to single ones. Go through the document, deleting extra spaces, then start again, continuing until there are none left.

On PDFs, check that running headers, page numbers and page headings all match and are in the same place on each page. Setting the view to show the whole page, then using the left and right keys on the keyboard to quickly ‘flick’ through the file, will help you spot if a ‘fixed’ element moves slightly on some pages; it’ll appear to ‘jump’ like a flipbook animation.

2. Slow down. Then slow down more

Now you can focus on the text. Allow yourself to really focus.

With experience, your prooofreading speed will increase – but when you’re starting out, slow right down and pay atttention to every letter, looking at what’s really on the screen rather than what your brain expects to be there.

Have you spotted the two typos? Reading at your normal speed (even if you normally pick out typos in published books) you’re likely to miss things.

If you’re (for example) a Brit proofreading texts in US English, it can help to read out loud in a theatrical voice. This may feel ridiculous, but it will help you spot discrepancies. For example, if a ‘u’ accidentally appears in what should be ‘color’, or if the text mentions a ‘lift’ rather than an ‘elevator’.

Find ways to slow yourself down and you’ll pick up more errors.

3. Refresh your grammar

There’s a good chance that you’ve got a decent innate sense of grammar. But trust me, it’s worth taking a refresher course.

Before I studied to be a qualified proofreader, I’d been writing professionally for about nine years. I was a strong writer, but I’d never actually learnt grammar at school. A grammar course tailored to editorial roles will show you exactly what you know and don’t know, and will bring structure to your knowledge and use of grammar.

4. Query carefully

Be precise with your feedback. If the text cites organisations such as ‘N.A.T.O. and the BBC’, don’t write a comment like ‘N.A.T.O. but BBC?’ and hope they’ll see what you’re getting at. Be explicit: ‘Q: Should abbreviations use full points or not?’ (at all places where it’s relevant) will avoid any confusion.

Remember that many clients will read your comments and queries in a rush, while (more rarely) others might compile them into a list for a different team member to check separately. Clear feedback will ensure consistency and reduce the chance of misunderstandings.

5. Read the brief and style sheet again

You read the brief and/or style guide before you started, didn’t you? Well, when you’ve finished a job, check it one more time. This has two positive consequences.

First, it’s a reminder of what you need to consider after you’ve read the text. If the brief is to standardise to a certain style choice, then the text, unless it is quite short, will frequently contain instances of the ‘opposite’ choice.

Second, you can go back over your work and check that you’ve captured all the specifications. “Did it really say ‘no Oxford commas’ when I started the job? How did I forget that? And -ize endings! That means that when I changed ‘realize’ to ‘realise’ on page 15 I should have left it alone.” Remember to check one last time before sending your work back to the client.

Bonus tip!

To avoid easy-to-miss, but embarrassing, mistakes, run a whole-document search for specific words that are easy to misspell.

Sam Kelly is a professional proofreader specialising in non-fiction and academic texts. He is also a tutor for the Publishing Training Centre’s Essential Proofreading course.

Visit his website, Undisputed Proof, and follow him on Twitter @samkellyproof and LinkedIn.

I’m writing this as I look down over the main square at the Frankfurt Book Fair. Yes, I’m one of the few (brave or stupid, depending on your point of view) who ventured out this year to attend the much-loved event. You may hear that it was quiet and that is certainly true, with attendance down significantly over previous years. However, quiet is not always bad; quiet can give you an opportunity to have a deeper conversation, or to spot an opportunity that you might normally have skimmed past.

For me, there are a few themes coming out of the Fair this year.

Retro is in

The competition for the “Best Book Design from All Over the World 2021” (Stiftung Buchkunst) has some fantastic entries this year, but all of the winners have (in my opinion) a similar or related aesthetic: retro. The font selections, the colour-ways, the designs all seemed to step out of the 1970s. Perhaps we’re all looking into yesteryear for inspiration, since for the past 18 months we haven’t been able to meet in person!  Perhaps there has been so much change in the world that people are looking to the familiar, and seeing something new. 

People are on the move

I don’t think I’ve ever had so many conversations with people who have recently made a career change, or who are planning a career change, or who are still in the wishful-thinking stages. Most of them seem to be staying within the publishing industry, but I’ve spoken with literary agents who are thinking of retraining as editors, editors who are thinking of becoming sales reps, and sales reps who are interested in learning skills about production!

All of this is, of course, stirred up by the state of the world, and I can’t help but wonder if things will start to calm down a bit. And yet, isn’t it exciting? Seizing the opportunity to take stock of your life and professional situation, look at the options, and take some concrete steps in a new direction. Confession: I’ve done this myself in the past year, and I couldn’t be happier.

‘Transferable skills’ are out, ‘interoperable skills’ are in

Professional development has been using the phrase ‘transferable skills’ for ages. The earliest recorded usage that I could find comes from Thomas Paine’s Rights of Man in 1791; please correct me if I am wrong! And yet, that phrase implies a definitive shift or transfer, from point A to point B. 

Instead, what I’m sensing in the publishing world today is a requirement for ‘interoperable skills’, where you can take your skill with you from point A to point B, then back to point A, and jump over to point X, then Y, and the move diagonally into a different alphabet altogether. And (of course) you need to be able to do all of this simultaneously in your career, your side gig, your entrepreneurial work, your social media, your hobby, etc. 

People are no longer looking for skills or professional development opportunities that are limited to a single sphere. You might be a medical copywriter by day, but moonlighting as an entrepreneurial founder for a sustainable fashion marketplace. What skills are interoperable between those two spheres?  Gone are the days of learning a single skill, and then transferring that learning into a new practical situation; now it’s about existing in multiple situations simultaneously, and having an interoperable skill set that allows you to thrive and grow within each of those spheres.

It looks like I’m not the only one who read The Squiggly Career this year!

Blended is still awkward

Blended events, where some experiences occur in person, while others occur in the digital space, sound like a great way to meet the needs of a diverse audience. Unfortunately, (in my experience), I’m never in the right space for the events that I want to attend! I might physically be in Frankfurt, walking the halls, when I realise that the talk I was looking forward to is being hosted virtually. Then I find myself frantically looking for a table or spot to sit so I can log-on and watch remotely, only to find that my laptop battery is dead. 

As an event organiser, you can’t please all of the people all of the time, of course. But finding ways to enhance the digital and physical blend, rather than just occuring in adjacent space/times, would be ideal. 

Overall, I’m glad that I decided to come to Frankfurt this year. The Fair might be quieter than expected, but I’ve really enjoyed the opportunity to have deeper and more meaningful conversations. And don’t forget the bretzels, the brats, and the bier…

Astrid deRidder is Director of Content at FutureLearn and a board trustee of the Publishing Training Centre.

Connect with her on LinkedIn.

A career-shaping passion for reading

I grew up as a bookworm in a multilingual household where storytelling was the norm. This early fascination with stories and language led me to pursue English Literature and English Language & Communications at university. Literature reading lists and seminars fed my obsession with books, grammar and language development theories. I wanted to work with books, but didn’t know how or where…

A taste of publishing

I knew nothing about publishing at the time. I figured there must be someone making all those books, but wasn’t sure what the major publishing houses actually did. After some internet searches, I came across the publishing industry.

My placement year offered the opportunity to intern as a publishing assistant at an independent press, to learn more about the business of publishing and whether it was for me – it was!

After graduating, an editorial career beckoned. I applied for publishing roles but didn’t get very far; there were fewer entry-level schemes back then. I eventually got a job as a copy-editor at a market research business where I worked for five years. In that time, I switched to remote working (pre-Covid!) to pursue a master’s in creative writing, to learn more about the craft of storytelling and fuel my ongoing obsession with books and language.

While studying at the University of Edinburgh, I teamed up with some course mates and co-founded The Selkie Publications CIC, a non-profit literary magazine that supports and promotes work by under-represented writers (another passion of mine).

The impact of Covid-19

My master’s degree and experience with The Selkie reminded me how much I missed publishing. So after finishing my degree, I continued to apply for editorial roles, when the coronavirus pandemic hit.

It had a huge impact on the small business I worked for, including redundancies and the startling realisation that I didn’t know what to do after losing my job. My applications for publishing roles saw little success. Why, despite five years of copy-editing, and plenty of admin, experience was I was being turned down for entry-level editorial roles?

A turning point in my career

Then I discovered The Literary Consultancy’s Editorial Skills Training Scheme, in collaboration with the Publishing Training Centre. Curiosity led me to apply, successfully, for the chance to develop more specialist editing skills. It was through this programme that I learnt about freelancing and how different editing books is from business reports.

The programme was an excellent introduction to different types of editing, and it prompted me to think hard about investing in further training. Other freelancers advised taking a proofreading course to gain the necessary skills and understanding of proofreading terminology needed to build a good foundation for a career in copy-editing.

Building for the future with expert training

The PTC’s Essential Proofreading course was fantastically thorough – it was comprehensive and covered everything I needed to know about the proofreading process from beginning to end. My tutor was helpful and provided detailed feedback, including the next steps to take after completing the course.

The course has given me the confidence to approach clients, and the knowledge to adapt to their requirements and deliver high-quality work. For example, one of the key learnings was when to leave things alone! Trust me, it’s harder than it sounds.

Since completing training, and with an industry-recognised qualification under my belt, I’ve been fortunate enough to work as a freelance proofreader with a number of publishing clients. I now plan to build my experience and client base to get more frequent work, and to continue training – in fact, I’ve just started the PTC’s Essential Copy-Editing course!

Taliha Quadri is a freelance proofreader, events officer for the Society of Young Publishers and co-founder of The Selkie Publications CIC.

Follow her on Twitter @talihawrites.

Publishing work is changing faster than ever before, but for people with the right skills and agility, it’s still a great industry to be in.

Those were two of the headline messages at the IPG’s Spring Conference in mid-May, which welcomed nearly 600 people to hear from over 45 speakers, with the opportunity to network—albeit virtually..

The Conference looked back on the host of disruptions that publishers have faced since early 2020. The Covid-19 pandemic has dominated of course, but macro issues like Brexit, urgent cross-industry questions around sustainability and diversity, and sector-specific concerns like Open Access and budget cuts have all forced businesses to think afresh about the way they operate.

The evolution of tech

Another challenge, and a big theme of the Spring Conference, has come from technology. Keynote speaker Azeem Azhar suggested we are in an “exponential age”, with technologies evolving faster than we have ever known. Sessions on ecommerce, social media and audio all confirmed the massive changes that have emerged in the way we produce, promote and sell content now.

Tech has also altered the skills required of publishing professionals and the way they operate—not least during the pandemic, when home working and video calls have become routine. As Publishing Training Centre tutor Alysoun Owen said in a session on publishing skills, digital expertise is now essential.

Wellbeing matters

Peter Cheese of the Chartered Institute of Professional Development questioned whether our working lives would ever return to their pre-pandemic ways, and said employers had been prompted to reconsider how they look after their staff. “Covid has forced us all to pay more attention to how we connect with people… and to look after their wellbeing better. We’ve got to carry that forward.”

In an important follow-up session on mental health, coach Paul Bulos said the stresses of juggling home and work lives had taken their toll on many people. “Burnout is a serious mental health issue, and it’s important we all know the signs and how to respond. It’s increasing, and the impact can be devastating.”

Reasons to be confident

Amid all the personal and professional challenges facing everyone at the moment, several top independent publishers suggested there are lots of reasons to be confident. “It’s an exciting and optimistic time, despite the worries we’ve been through, said SAGE’s Ziyad Marar, who said the pandemic has shown independent publishers at their most creative and innovative. “I’m very optimistic about the future for indies,” agreed Kogan Page’s Helen Kogan. “There’s never been such a level playing field between small and large publishers.”

A Conference session with a couple of new publishers showed it has been possible for start-ups as well as established companies to thrive. “We’ve all learned to be agile, and to find new ways to do things,” said Diana Broccardo of Swift Press. “It’s been encouraging to see how resilient publishing has been… we should embrace the chaos,” added Rachel Williams of Magic Cat Publishing.

The value of bookshops

Faber & Faber’s Stephen Page said the pandemic and lockdowns had reminded everyone that publishers contribute a great deal to the cultural and educational life of the country. “People have reached out to us for consolation and inspiration during the pandemic… What we do really matters.”

A retail-focused Spring Conference session showed that Covid has had a similarly positive effect on people’s perceptions of bookshops. Waterstone’s’ James Daunt said that while consumers had been buying books online during lockdowns, they had badly missed their visits to physical stores. “People have been craving the inviting atmosphere of bookshops… they’ve realized that they need to use independents or lose them,” added Andy Rossiter of Rossiter Books.

Facing the future

With pandemic restrictions and Brexit-related challenges easing, publishing can hopefully look forward to more settled times – as well as physical rather than virtual conferences, book fairs and training at long last. But it is already clear that some things will never return to pre-Covid norms. The last year has led publishers to think deeply about their purpose and identity, said Stephen Page. “The pandemic has made us all consider what matters… and how we become the best version of ourselves in the future. It’s incumbent on all of us to lean in and bring to bear the opportunity we have to create a world in which we all thrive.”

The IPG provides a wide range of events, resources and services to help independent publishers do better business. It has around 600 members with combined turnover of more than £1 billion.

For more about its work, visit its website or follow on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn  and Twitter.

In a fast-moving industry like publishing, investing in your skills can ensure you rise through the ranks and enjoy a long, happy career. Each year, The Printing Charity supports many ‘rising stars’ through investment in their training and development.  

Training throughout your career

As our careers progress, we learn a great deal along the way. From challenges and shared experiences with colleagues, to organisational ways of ‘doing things', we develop and grow our skillsets from various sources and interactions every day.

This on-the-job learning is vital for any organisation and individual, but external, certificated training also plays a valuable role in personal and professional development. It:

• challenges you with an alternative viewpoint
• ensures you learn about industry best practice
• allows you to build recognisable skillsets to carry beyond your current role
• enables you to extend your network beyond your organisation

Professional development during uncertain times

As the coronavirus pandemic continues, it can be hard to find the enthusiasm to invest in personal development. However, using any additional free time to find new ways to develop as an individual, both professionally and personally, can stand you in good stead for the future.

The pathway for progression might not always be clear, so don’t be afraid to seek guidance from others, whether that’s a colleague, close friend, or someone in your network.

A great place to start is with a personal development plan. Identify potential training courses, discuss them with your network, and validate that the course is relevant to your needs and worth the investment of time and money. If you have an annual appraisal at work, mention any training needs then, so that your line manager knows that you have done your research.

Recognising talent with the 2021 Rising Star Awards 

At the Printing Charity, we encourage young people working in our sector to think about enhancing their personal skills through our Rising Star Awards. The awards recognise young talent, while creating a firm foundation for the sector’s future.

A Rising Star is someone with great potential, who knows exactly what training and development they need to advance in their chosen field. They can receive up to £1,500 to help them reach their career goals.

Each year, we fund several rising stars to undertake training courses, including with the Publishing Training Centre (PTC).

At the interview, we want to know what the candidates have done to invest in themselves to date, who they have  discussed the proposed course with, and how they have validated that it’s relevant for their personal development plan.

The feedback we receive from winners regarding PTC courses is always very positive.  

“Professional development is vital to both professional and personal progress. I’m currently studying the PTC’s ‘Essential Proofreading’ course and have already learnt so much about proofreading. The feedback I’ve received upon completing assignments is detailed and of great use. Studying this course is not only beneficial to me in my publishing job, but it is also a fantastic introduction to the world of freelance proofreading which I hope to venture into in the near future.” 2020 Rising Star

How to apply

To be named a 2021 Rising Star, you need to:

• Be working in the industry
• Be aged between 18 and 30
• Know what you need to advance your career

Why not make this the year to take ownership of your development and accelerate your career in the right direction? Find out more about the awards and apply here here. Applications close 7 March 2021.

“Becoming a Rising Star Award winner in 2020 helped open doors in a year when everything seemed to be shutting. The application process, whilst challenging, proved a rewarding experience and a fantastic chance to meet some of the industry’s leaders. The course has been fantastic and allowed me to get to grips with the details like never before. Not only has The Printing Charity made the qualification possible, but receiving the award has given me extra confidence when taking the next steps in my career. The awards also led me to meeting, albeit virtually this year, the other recipients doing incredible work. I feel honoured to be amongst them. I would encourage anyone who is thinking about applying for the Print Future Awards to do so.” 2020 Rising Star

Sophie Kirby is Head of Education & Partnerships at The Printing Charity.

Follow the charity on social media @printingcharity and sign up to their newsletter via  www.theprintingcharity.org.uk.

Writing is a solitary activity, but it doesn't have to be something you do on your own. Finding a good writing group, one that is right for you, is the best thing you can do for your writing and writing career.

Writing groups come in many sizes, formats and frequencies. Through them, you discover that others are trying to do the same thing, struggling with the same overwhelming doubts and toiling in the same creative landscape.

You can meet likeminded others, no matter their background or circumstances.

Something as simple as meeting another writer who understands the challenges of writing a novel can bring dawn to the dark. Talking to other writers will tell you that everyone finds it hard. If they didn’t, they're probably lying about how much thinking time came before the writing!

Finding the right group

My top tip is to find a writing group that meets in person some of the time, (pandemic notwithstanding), and delivers a range of sessions for writers of different levels and genres. That way, you’ll find the support you need and gain new ideas, exercises and processes to try. Their community will be more diverse because they’re catering to writers from all walks of life, not just those who completed the same writing course.

Start with local groups that have sessions closer to home (or online) and offer the support you think you might need. If you’re not sure, go to one session. You’ll know within five minutes if the group is right for you. Try out as many as you can before deciding. Also, don’t be shy, ask for more information if you’re not sure. Most organisers are happy to answer questions if you’re a bit nervous of showing up on the day.

If writing is rewriting, as the saying goes, then all writers will need feedback at some point. Getting quality peer feedback is vital. Don’t spoil your first impression with an agent by sending them a first or incomplete draft. Take it to a writing group for a first pass from others who know their stuff.

Critique from friends and family is important. Your confidence can always use a boost from their praise and encouragement, but taking a piece to a writing group is a safe first step in the transition to strangers reading your work.

A friend who reads avidly can tell you they liked it, but they might say it 'got a bit slow in the middle'. Another writer can tell you why the pace is lagging, why it matters if it's not adjusted, and suggest how it might be tightened up.

In our sessions at London Writers’ Café, we ask ‘What's working well and what could be improved?’ We give constructive, practical advice to anyone who reads, to help them move the piece toward their original intention, whatever that may be.

Only another writer can perceive strengths and weaknesses and give you clues on what to do next. That said, writers are not professional editors, in the same way painters are not curators, but they're often just as insightful for emerging writers looking for input. Professional editing can easily come later if you feel you’ve got all you can from other writers.

Five reasons to join a writing group

1. Social: writing groups that meet in person over a drink are invaluable. You’ll often find that’s where you’ll learn the most about writers and writing. Don’t run off straight after the session. Hang around and chat for a bit.
2. Creative process: every writer has a process for creating their stories, although it can change with each project. You’ll share tips and tricks from others that will help inform your own way of working.
3. Finding your level: going to a writing group to find out what others are up to is fine – we all do it. You might also use it to judge where you know a lot against where you need to work harder or learn more. Stay humble and you’ll be surprised how quickly you’ll rise to the challenge.
4. Procrastination versus goal setting: volunteering to share your work is hard, but it does give you a clear deadline. If you need pressure to work, find a group where their format gives you a due date. It can also give you a solid writing goal to aim for, even if you’re not ready to share right now.
5. Markets, misinformation and myths: the most valuable thing that writers gain from a writing group is industry insight. Unfortunately, writers are often left to their own devices – or their ability to Google – to learn how publishing works, how best to submit and see through the most persistent myths and conspiracies. Writing groups that understand the business side of publishing, and go out of their way to inform and support their writers from outside the industry, are worth their weight in ink.

Lisa Goll is the founder and director of the London Writers’ Café.

You can find her on twitter @LisasShare or @LDNwriterscafe, or Instagram @londonwriterscafe.

What’s the best way to impress a potential client?

Show them your T-REX! Rather than the famous dinosaur, this stands for Training, Reputation and EXperience. I obtained the T on completing the Publishing Training Centre (PTC)’s Essential Proofreading course with a distinction in July 2020. Next, I needed to focus on the REX – and this is what I did.

First step: set up a formal business

I launched Well-Tempered Proof after researching how best to market my proofreading services (and keep HMRC happy). Preparation behind the scenes meant I could offer a professional front to potential clients.

This included building a website, writing regular blog posts and investing in essential reference books. I’ve yet to complete a proofreading job without having to consult the New Oxford Style Manual or The Chicago Manual of Style.

Gaining experience and building my reputation

Suddenly finding that there’s no tutor support can be terrifying at first – how does one get experience and build a good reputation? I began by proofreading as a volunteer for a local charity. Being new to proofreading, I had neither testimonials nor a proven track record. However, I did know people who could vouch for my character.

I found my first paying clients through a friend who introduced me to her writing contacts on Instagram. I also got work from an independent publishing agency after being introduced to the chief executive by a mutual acquaintance.

The benefits of a professional membership organisation

Joining the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP) has been great for strengthening every part of my T-REX. Membership means I can tell clients that I adhere to the CIEP’s code of conduct.

Plus, the forums serve as a support network and source of encouragement, and provide access to helpful resources and tips from other members.

The value of networking – with clients, authors and fellow proofreaders

While some networking efforts have led to clients approaching me, it’s crucial to find opportunities too. This is an ongoing challenge, and there’s always plenty to learn.

Sending my CV to local publishers resulted in being hired for two projects. As well as being included in the PTC’s Freelance Finder, I applied to specific publishers, asking to be considered for work and added to their freelancer databases. I was successful with one of these, which was a big confidence boost, especially as I had to pass a proofreading test as part of my application. I haven’t received any work from them yet, but at least I’m on their radar.

Approaching independent authors has required different tactics. Unless they specifically post on social media that they’re looking for a proofreader, I avoid cold calls or emails, and unsolicited, impersonal sales pitches.

I aim to create genuine interactions with people, taking an interest in what they have been working on and showing my support on social media. I’ve been hired several times because someone needed a proofreader and remembered me months after we first connected.

Building relationships with other proofreaders, and professionals, has been worthwhile too. Some have approached me about working together and, even if I’m not the right person for the job, I can often recommend someone else.

Demonstrating my proofreading skills

Initially, I demonstrated my skills by providing free sample proofreads when clients got in touch. It’s important not to undersell oneself, but there’s a balance with gaining experience. This tactic allowed me to decide if I was a good fit for the project and gave me time to work out a fair quote. Enough clients have gone on to hire me to make this a worthwhile exercise.

Adding the free resources page to my website and writing my weekly blog have also been great ways to showcase my proofreading skills.

Staying motivated

Freelancing can be lonely at times. Remembering the social aspect of social media creates a far more pleasant experience for everyone, leads to stronger connections and helps overcome feelings of isolation.

I’ve received some wonderful comments from clients, which are kept on a board next to my computer for when imposter syndrome looms.

A year on, I know that training as a proofreader was the right call for me. There have been many struggles, but my training continues to steer me in the right direction. Next, I plan to evolve my T-REX, by expanding into copyediting and developmental editing. That probably means signing up for another training course soon!

Philip Ridgers is a freelance proofreader and professional musician.

Visit his website, Well-Tempered Proof, and follow him on LinkedIn and Twitter.

The IPG’s Autumn Conference at London’s Shaw Theatre in early November was a happy reminder that publishing is first and foremost a people business. It marked the IPG’s first in-person Conference for more than two years – though remote access was available too – and hosted a reunion of friends and colleagues who had not been together in the physical world since the start of the pandemic.

Addressing the climate crisis

After so long away there was plenty to talk about, and a packed programme of nearly 20 sessions tackled some of the biggest opportunities and challenges facing independent publishers as we near the end of 2021. In the week of COP26 it was appropriate that the Conference opened with an urgent call for action on the climate crisis from sustainability expert Mike Berners-Lee, who said the planet was on a self-destructive course. While publishers need to address their own environmental impacts, they can also inspire responses to the emergency, he added. “If books can help change attitudes and behaviours, they will have been worth it [the carbon footprint].”

Berners-Lee was followed by a session on how the book industry can improve its sustainability practices. It set out the IPG’s recent research into greenhouse gas emissions and waste in books’ post-production journeys from printers to distributors to retailers to customers, and set out five targets for improvement, including more efficient transportation, greener logistics, reusable packaging, more local printing and the ultimate goal for all companies to reach net-zero status by 2040.

The latest challenges

The Autumn Conference also featured keynotes from a trio of leaders in independent publishing: Profile Books’ Andrew Franklin, Nosy Crow’s Kate Wilson and Emerald Publishing’s Vicky Williams. All agreed on the special strengths of independent publishers, and their entrepreneurialism and agility in particular. “Independents publish with more personality – every book we publish matters… what we do is very special,” said Franklin. “There’s a real freedom that comes with independence,” Williams agreed.

But these and other speakers at the Conference acknowledged the many challenges facing independents as we emerge from the worst of the pandemic. They include several people-related issues, like the need for better work on equality, diversity and inclusion issues: “We have to break the cycle [of exclusion] across the industry… now is the time for us to learn from each other and make a difference,” said Vicky Williams. Kate Wilson meanwhile discussed the challenge of keeping staff well and motivated while working remotely, and the need to replace the sense of community that is lost when people don’t share an office.

There was also a look at the major challenges facing publishers in the supply chain at the moment, including shortages of paper in Europe, delays in shipping from Asia and rising costs in areas like production, distribution, wages and energy bills. Ingram’s David Taylor said, “we’re in for a period of inflation,” and suggested that while some costs can be absorbed, book prices might well have to increase up in 2022.

Some hot topics

Other Conference sessions explored specific aspects of publishing including audio, where technology like streaming platforms, AI-driven narration and Non Fungible Tokens (NFT) is transforming the way content is produced and distributed; and copyright, on which PLS’ Sarah Faulder said publishers need to be vigilant in the months ahead to ensure protection isn’t weakened. Speakers at break-outs dedicated to academic publishing meanwhile included historian Peter Mandler on the role of the humanities, and Michael Zeoli on the state of play in the important north American library market.

Highlighting the successes

The Conference had its usual range of case studies celebrating independent publishers’ successes, like the critical acclaim that translated fiction specialist Europa Editions has achieved, and the high-profile publicity generated by the crowdfunding model of Unbound. The event closed with a lively session from performance psychologist Jamil Qureshi, who highlighted the need for positive mindsets in work. “Attitude is more important than intelligence or facts… people can become better just by seeing themselves differently,” he said. It was an upbeat note on which to end an event that celebrated the unique role of independent publishers—and above all the people who make it such a vibrant part of the industry.

The IPG provides a wide range of events, resources and services to help independent publishers do better business, and has around 600 members with combined turnover of more than £1 billion. For more about its work, visit its website.

You can read more about the Autumn Conference on the IPG blog. 

Planning to get a job in publishing? Ever wondered about selling rights? I'm here to tell you what a great option it is!

When I was looking for a job in publishing, I thought I knew what editors did (deep thoughts and chatting to authors, right?) but had little idea of other departments and how they fitted into the publishing world. I answered an advertisement in The Guardian and found myself with a job in rights. I loved it and still do, nine companies and 30 years later. 

So, what is selling rights? It's a way to make content available in a wide range of languages, formats, territories and platforms. Selling rights is all about making money for the rights holder (usually the publishing company and the author) - extra to the money made from publishing and selling the book in their home market and overseas in the original language.

People who work in rights always have an interest in other countries and cultures. They usually have a degree - any subject will work. Work experience in any area is helpful but experience in publishing (when that is again possible) shows some commitment to the industry. A new recruit is not expected to know much about rights but they will need to be able to work methodically and multi-task; absorb a lot of information about numerous books; enjoy meeting people; and get a kick out of being part of the business of publishing.

Here are my three best things about selling rights:

1. Selling rights feels more like a collaboration than a hard sell

You are usually selling to another publisher, either an editor or the boss of the company who decides what to publish in their market. They really want to know about the content, not just the cover, so it makes for interesting discussions about both the book and the different markets.

The customer is looking for content that is right for their company and their market. You are there to tell them what you have that might fit. You are making connections and agreeing deals. It’s a commercial role but also a collaboration. You hope to build lasting relationships with your customers so that you work together over many years. Despite the flexibility of modern communication, selling rights still relies on personal relationships and trust, which can be very rewarding.

2. You meet some fascinating people and travel to interesting places (pandemics permitting!)

It's a very outward looking role, ideal for people keen to learn about other countries and cultures. You need to be outgoing but also good at listening. There are book fairs in London, Frankfurt and Bologna but also in Beijing, Taipei, Guadalajara amongst others, not to mention sales trips to visit customers. You always learn something new on these visits.

In house, selling rights involves contact with nearly every department of a publishing company: editorial and design, so that you know what the book is about and can get material to show to customers; production, to get books printed in translation; sales, to share material - so you have a wonderful overview.

3. You play an important part in the publishing process

You may not be making the book, like editors and designers, but you are often very much involved in what gets published and how it develops from an idea to a book. Companies want to publish books that sell, so you will report back to publishing meetings on what will work in the rights markets. This is endlessly fascinating - you think you’ve just about figured out what works in translation and something happens to confound you; what about a seven-book series about a boy wizard at a boarding school, books that get longer and longer and go up the age range? I don’t think so! You will bring ideas to the meetings, from your conversations and travels, which may become books. Often a book will not be published unless there is potential to sell rights, since it is such an important source of additional revenue. 

It’s very rewarding to see a book in translation that you made happen, or to hear a book on the radio that you sold, or see a large print or an audio book published because of your deal - all through selling rights. You are contributing to publishing decisions, the overall success of a book and the bottom line through a job that is intellectually stimulating, challenging, sociable and most important, all about the books!

Joanna Everard is a freelance publishing rights consultant, tutor, trainer and speaker. Follow her on LinkedIn.