It was brilliant for the Creative Access team to be back in one of our favourite UK cities Leeds for our northern careers showcase at ITV Yorkshire, with a fantastic panel of speakers including Rawan Elsa, archivist and publishing assistant at Peepal Tree Press, Rhianne Deans, editorial/clearance co-ordinator at Emmerdale, Shamima Noor, communications co-ordinator at Fuel Theatre, Sonny Hanley, controller of content services at ITV and Ayodele Ogunshakin, story liner at Coronation Street, hosted by Ian Cottrell, director of channel operations at ITV.  

Ian introduced sharing how he started out at ITV in 1999 with a degree in IT and was the first person in his family to go to university but didn’t know what to do next. Fast forward to 22 years later and he is now in a senior position at ITV Yorkshire.  

Meanwhile, Sonny knew what he wanted to do from the age of 9 – he wanted to grow up and make films. Luckily, he grew up in Leeds and felt that pursuing a career with ITV Yorkshire was a perfect fit for him. He shared how he started out making programmes and then switched into technology before moving into operations. He’s had three careers at ITV and has been at the organisation almost as long as Ian, for 18 years!  

Rhianne works on Emmerdale, one of ITV’s flagship shows filmed at ITV Leeds. The show has been going for over 50 years and we were even lucky enough to have a tour of the studio after the event. Rhianne’s role includes writing synopses of the scenes for press or for actors, collaborating with script editors and making script changes to ensure the scripts fit within allotted time. She got into the industry through an internship at Arrow Media through Creative Access, and before joining Emmerdale, she worked on Channel 4’s All Creatures Great and Small.  

Leeds local, Shamima works within theatre communications. She has been working in theatre for 5 years after starting her career with a traineeship through Creative Access in 2017 at Leeds Playhouse, after which she then worked for a few dance and theatre companies. Shamima grew up in Leeds, studied there and stayed on in the area to develop her career, proving that you can live outside London and develop a rich career in the creative industries. She works for a London based company and goes down to London about twice a month.  

Rawan is currently undertaking a PhD, alongside her work as an archivist and publishing assistant. She has a fascinating role and has spent the last few years archiving letters, documents and manuscripts for Peepal, an independent publishing specialising in African literature. She describes herself as wearing many hats, as she also runs an online book club making literature accessible to people beyond the UK.  

Ayodele worked at a summer camp in the US after university. She initially thought it was a bad decision, but the experience of working with children proved critical in her getting a role at Blue Peter. From there she moved up to studio assistant and after going to a Creative Access workshop on how to become a storyliner, she got her first break as an assistant storyliner on Coronation Street. She describes being a storyliner as an “odd position”. She works in a team of other storyliners, answering to the producer.  

“What have you done that’s outside the box? Utilise that!” – Rawan  

Our panel all cited the importance of transferable skills and experiences when trying to break into the creative industries. Shamima explained that in her first internship at Leeds Playhouse, they were mostly looking for passion for theatre and good personal skills. She’d worked on her student paper, been a student outreach officer, written a lot outside her degree, and handled the social media channels for societies she was a part of at university. She was able to marshal these skills into a CV and cover letter, which then got her the role.  

Rawan echoed this explaining: “experience is invaluable”. Even though her degrees are important and she’s enjoyed her academic journey, it was the internships and volunteering at places like Elizabeth Gaskell’s House that displayed her passion for history. Alongside this, she states that she identified people she admired and spoke to them on twitter, went to careers fairs and networking evets – all of which helped her land her roles.  

When it comes to specific roles, such as storylining, Ayo recommended watching lots of TV as ‘research’. She took on a runner role to expose her to the innerworkings of the TV industry, but she says: “Don’t discount the non-TV experience you have”. Lots of TV work is about teamwork and that can come from university, volunteering and roles outside the sector.  

“When people are open to a chat, they might be open to helping you find work, so take those chats seriously” – Ayo  

Networking is a key skill for finding work, mentors and even likeminded peers within the creative industry. Rhianne empathised that networking can be awkward, admitting that she used to be really bad at it, but she told our audience that they’d be surprised by how many people want to share their knowledge. People are busy so you shouldn’t feel worried about following up and reminding them. She also advised the audience to not confuse being formal with being professional – you can be jokey and show your personality which can then engage people and make you stand out.  

Shamima agreed explaining that these events are nerve-wracking, but you find your own rhythm. “Ffrom the start it was clear to me taking part in events was going to be key. After-parties after each event you should go to show you’re committed.”  Similarly, Ayo recommended thinking of networking as ‘connecting’ with people instead, which takes the pressure off the interaction.  

“You’re not just there because of luck. You’re there because you’ve excelled. If you trip up, pick yourself back up again” – Rawan 

On this note, our panel then began to discuss how imposter syndrome can manifest itself and how they overcome it. Rawan had some wonderful advice for our audience, she explained that she looks in the mirror and recites positive affirmations about herself to reassure herself. She suggested writing them down and even sticking them around your room when you’re feeling low.  

Rhianne and Sonny both work at ITV and have both found their networks within the organisation a great source of comfort when they have been feeling insecure in their positions or have had a bad day at work. Sonny told our audience to remember: “They chose you! If you don’t believe that, just go ask your manager.” 

Ayo actually did do this once during a period of low self-confidence at work. Her line manager told her that she was doing well, despite thinking otherwise. She told the audience to remember that that’s what your line manager is there for.  

“The perfect candidate doesn’t exist” – Sonny  

As for moving up in your creative career, Sonny said it is vital to step outside your comfort zone. “No one knows their job 100%, I’ve been here for 18 years and I still don’t know anything”, he said. He continued that therefore, when he’s hiring, he always hires 80% – he knows that no one is going to have every single skill needed but if the confidence and passion is there that will see you through.  

Rhianne agreed and explained that of course knowledge and skills are important, but the most important thing is how you fit into a team. If you work within an organisation that has many teams and you want to take a sideways step, Rhianne recommended utilising the network you have within the company and getting to know the roles and the team dynamics to help you. 

“There’s no set time frame! If you want to do it, it’ll happen” – Rhianne 

Finally, our audience asked our panel about the age-old problem of rejection. Rhianne stated that unfortunately, rejection is part of the industry and you do have to grow a thick skin however, she continued, there are lots of people who want to help you so make sure you keep making those connections. While Rawan suggested that “rejection can help you take a step back and reassess what you really want.” 

Thank you so much to our wonderful panel for their insights into their respective fields and highlighting the breadth of roles on offer in the creative industries in the North, as well as to our audience for coming along and asking such important questions!  

Hachette UK has announced its 2022 traineeship programme, partnering for the second year with literary agency Curtis Brown and booksellers Waterstones. It will open for applications today, with 10 trainees joining Hachette UK at the end of October for the year-long programme. Hachette UK will again be working with Creative Access, the leading social enterprise in progressive career development and support, to recruit exceptional talent from under-represented groups, with all applications for the traineeship being made via the Creative Access website.

The trainees will spend the year within one of Hachette UK’s publishing divisions, the central function teams or the education business, specialising in either editorial, digital marketing, publicity, audio, operations, sales, communications, production or rights. Those specialising in editorial will spend a month of their traineeship at Curtis Brown to learn how to represent authors and matchmake them with publishers. All the trainees will spend a month at Waterstones to learn the art of bookselling and to understand consumer buying behaviour and will also participate in a bespoke learning and development programme, with the opportunity to learn about the journey of publishing a book from pitch to production.

This will be Hachette UK’s fifth intake of trainees and the programme will continue to focus on making publishing more accessible to under-represented groups, as part of the publisher’s ‘Changing the Story’ vision for diversity and inclusion. It is actively seeking applications from candidates from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds, applicants from lower socio-economic backgrounds and particularly men from both of these backgrounds, to improve the representation of these groups in Hachette UK’s staff base.

Lisa Waterman, Group HR Director at Hachette UK, commented: “Our traineeship in partnership with Curtis Brown and Waterstones has been such a successful initiative as part of our Changing the Story programme and further strengthens our ongoing commitment to inclusion. This innovative scheme, originally conceived by Sharmaine Lovegrove, patron of Changing the Story, gives our trainees direct contact with our publishers, authors, agents and ultimately our readers to give them an incredible introduction to the industry. Our 2021-22 cohort of trainees have been such a success and we hope this experience has given them the broad knowledge to build brilliant careers in publishing. It demonstrates that when we work together as an industry, we can make a lasting and positive change.”

Josie Dobrin, CEO at Creative Access, commented: “We are delighted to once again be partnering with Hachette UK to offer 10 incredible paid traineeships across its divisions for talent from groups under-represented in the creative industries. The placements will give the successful applicants a year of experience working in publishing across different areas of the industry, providing them with the ideal foundation to thrive in a long-term publishing career.”

Kate Skipper, Chief Operating Officer at Waterstones, commented: “We are thrilled to be partnering with Hachette UK for the second intake of their industry-leading trainee programme, which provides such a vital new route into the industry. We can’t wait to welcome this year’s trainees into our shops, with the aim of providing a behind-the-scenes look at what makes a bookshop tick and allowing trainees to experience the thrill of putting a book into a customer’s hands. We hope the experience will prove invaluable for those at the start of exciting publishing careers, offering a glimpse of bookshop magic and some understanding of the passion which drives booksellers.”

Felicity Blunt, Literary Agent at Curtis Brown, commented: “It is an honour to get to continue to work with Hachette UK for the second year of their traineeship scheme. The candidates they placed with us in year one were singularly impressive and dynamic, with so much to offer the industry. Curtis Brown places each candidate with an agent and office that is aligned with their reading interests. The trainees are exposed to a variety of deal-making, client care and editorial process. As this element sits alongside the experience of working for a publishing house and a bookseller, we believe the Hachette UK traineeship scheme offers individuals a deep understanding of the publishing ecosystem as a whole, allowing them to zero in on the facet that most appeals to them.”

The 2022 grant recipients of the Mo Siewcharran Fund, administered by Creative Access, are Saqi Books, The Reader and the Regional Theatre Young Director Scheme. Each organisation will be taking on a paid intern from a Black, Asian or ethnically-diverse background because of the Fund.

The Fund was set up by John Seaton in loving memory of his wife, Mo, who was the director of Nielson BookData.

Read BookBrunch’s article in full here.

Creative Access is celebrating its 10th anniversary with a new website and brand identity as industry heads such as Stephen Page and Tom Weldon pay tribute to the social enterprise’s impact.  Read more here.

In response to COVID-19, Kickstart placements have given young people the opportunity to work in a range of creative industries, bridging the gap of unemployment that the pandemic has caused. Annabella Costantino, recent MA Publishing Media graduate from Oxford Brookes University, is a current Kickstart placement holder at inclusive children’s fiction studio, Storymix.

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

Hi! I’m Annabella and I work as a General Assistant to the Founder at Storymix. I also volunteer for The Publishing Post as a Contributing Writer and Copyeditor, and am growing my skills as a freelancer editor. I grewup in the East Midlands and moved to Guildford in 2016, where I studied BA English Literature with Creative Writing at the University of Surrey, graduating in 2019. Later that same year, I moved to Oxford to study MA Publishing Media at Oxford Brookes University. This was where I learnt about the publishing industry and it solidified my interest in children’s books.

How have you found the role at Storymix?

I’ve learnt so much! It has been great to see the internal processes of a publication and how different departments work together, in-house and with freelancers. The team is very friendly, quick to help and fun to work with. I have particularly loved to see how editorial and marketing work for creative projects in development and how to pitch a book to publishers. As it’s a remote position, I haven’t met any of my colleagues in-person though, which is common in the COVID-19 climate.

What does your role there involve?

My job is varied, which is why I love it. First and foremost, I offer administrative support to Jasmine Richards, founder of Storymix, by liaising with her professional network. I support ongoing projects by storylining and editing, as well as creating articles, blogs and social media content on behalf of Storymix, supporting marketing and PR strategy. Some examples are a set of inclusive book recommendations and a blog post for Black Books Matter, covering the publishing processes for Aziza’s Secret Fairy Door. I am also a reader and reviewer for prizes, providing feedback for Jasmine. It’s a very creative job where I have developed my attention to detail and organisation skills – and all in just a few months!

Why is Kickstart a good initiative by the government?

The Kickstart scheme has really helped young people whose careers have been negatively impacted by the pandemic. COVID-19 has significantly affected recruitment processes for recent graduates, with less job availability and opportunities to network with new people. The Kickstart scheme has connected companies with gateway organisations such as Creative Access, who in turn, have offered support to candidates and increased opportunities in a highly competitive job market.

How has Creative Access supported you during your placement?

Creative Access has offered training and workshops throughout my placement, specifically for the Kickstart cohort. This included an induction, where I got the chance to meet other Kickstarters and set SMART goals. This helped me to suggest ways of monitoring my progress at Storymix, taking the experience to the next level. Creative Access also offer several online masterclasses, in addition to our workshop schedule.

What are your hopes and ambitions career-wise?

My ambitions are that I can take my experience and work in a children’s publishing house, preferably in editorial. I would also love to return to the publishing scene in Oxford, if possible. My passion for words is what has taken me this far, and the chance to continue working on inclusive publications that positively impact readers would be amazing. Reading makes a difference, and I can’t wait to work on more books that I am passionate about. Publishing is an exciting industry and I have already met so many talented people. I have high hopes for the future and it’s great to see progress – one book at a time!

When Annabella isn’t at Storymix, you can find her portfolio on LinkedIn, including her interviews with publishing professionals and upskilling tips on The Publishing Post website. You can also find her on Twitter.

To explore Kickstart Scheme opportunities via Creative Access see here.

It’s time for our Spotlight Series blog post once again! Creative Access Chair and Executive Chair of Faber Books, Stephen Page OBE talks to our Marketing Assistant Larah Yearwood about all things publishing and Creative Access…

You began your career in bookselling, how did you get into that?

I grew up near Birmingham and I actually never thought of working with books or in publishing. I didn’t read very much, and I was very content with playing catch with my brother and playing the drums in my band. I then went to Bristol to study History but truly in my mind, my future was coming back home to the band and then going to London and becoming rockstars. Fortunately, that didn’t happen. So, to pay the rent I got a job in a bookshop with my twin brother, and at that time (1987) I wrote to all the major bookshops during a period of expansion. Essentially, I got a job in publishing to support my errant desire to be a rockstar. I quickly realised I loved the book world in a way that rock and roll hadn’t proved to quite as enjoyable as I imagined.

You moved to Faber in 2001, why was this the company for you?

When I was a bookseller, I began my self-education in reading, and it just turned out that so many of the books I was reading were published by Faber & Faber. I grew up in a house of music. My dad was a teacher, but his real love was classical music and putting on concerts and my mum’s love was reading – so there were plenty of books in the house. Alongside Penguin Books, Faber was very present, so it became an identity for me.

Faber then went through an extraordinary period in the 1980s where the double F was born and there were iconic book covers that were born with black and white backgrounds with small images and were highly branded. Because of this Faber was imitated by other publishers. So, I had quite a branded version of publishing in my head, but Faber carried the writers I absolutely love, such as Seamus Heaney, Milan Kundera, and Lorrie Moore. They were writers that made me feel like a reader, like an adult. I did also work at an independent start-up called Fourth Estate and I loved working in the independent sector. But when the chance of working for Faber came about, I knew I had to take it.

If you could name your favourite book or author, who or what would it be?

It changes with the seasons for me! I’m passionate about 19th-century books and I love Russian writers such as Leo Tolstoy and Anton Chekov along with novels by Charles Dickens. Bleak House is for me one of the greatest books ever written in my opinion. One of the things I really love about the publishing industry today is that there are so many strong up-and-coming writers. I just read a wonderful novel by Claire Louise Bennett, and it’s called Checkout 19 and I was as excited about that novel as I am reading Chekov, to be honest.

What were your motivations for joining the Creative Access board back in 2020?

When I came into publishing, coming from the Midlands, it felt very counterculture. A lot of publishing was very Oxford/Cambridge and south of England. So, given that over the last 20 years publishing had been trying to make itself more for everybody, I felt rather uncomfortable – as a middle-class white man – knowing that the industry didn’t appear to be for everyone.

Our staffing was looking homogenous, and questions about what was being published and why, were being asked. The sad truth is that without Creative Access we made very little headway as an industry in creating change. It was with Creative Access, while I was at Faber, that we found a partner with who we could really make a palpable change and find wonderful cohorts of potential employees to bring through on internships.

So, I wanted to support Josie and Creative Access and their brilliant team in any way I could. It wasn’t just about publishing, it was about managing to give a really practical partner to the whole of the creative industries, all of which have the same problem, that there’s too much expectation that people will be willing to work for not very much money for quite a long time and people coming from particular university backgrounds. I wanted to do more than I could do at Faber, and I just really admire what Josie and her team achieve.

If I can bring some of the things I’ve learned, help grow the organisation, and chair it while speaking up on behalf of the issues that Creative Access represents, then it would be a very proud thing for me. It’s fantastic work and it’s not about me, it’s about creating positive change. Last summer the BLM protests really highlighted the upset and hurt over the lack of change my generation of leaders had made. If we leave the creative industries anywhere near the approximation of what they are it would be a total failure and that felt truly awful.

What’s next for you as Chair for Creative Access?

As Chair, it’s a supporting role and a role to give the Creative Access team confidence to have the maximum impact and that’s what the board is about, to give Creative Access the backing to really be ambitious about making change. What Creative Access has been able to achieve has been extraordinary for quite a small-scale organisation. I think we’re in the foothills of this change and if we can build Creative Access to become an even more impactful organisation, the industries themselves will have a partner they can transform themselves with more quickly. That’s what I’m after. I’m always motivated by making things work and Creative Access works.

Final question, what do you love doing when you’re not reading?

Playing the drums! During the pandemic, one of the things I really missed during lockdown was playing music with other people. I also decided to learn something new, and I love Jazz, so I decided to learn how to play the drums with brushes. There are limits to me being a musician. I’m not terrible but I’m not brilliant. Playing music for me is like a wordless version of reading literature. It’s a way of experiencing the mysteries and wonders of life. The language of music is the language I grew up with really.

You can follow Stephen on Twitter here.

We know so many of you want to get your foot in the door of the publishing world, so we assembled a fantastic panel for our latest Masterclass from The Bookseller’s Publisher of the Year, Orion Books, to give you all the advice needed to stand out from the crowd. Chaired by Creative Access alumna Tanjiah Islam and featuring another Creative Access alumna, Rhea Kurien, here are the tips you need to thrive in publishing.

Patricia Deever, Publicity Assistant for Orion Books, has been working for the company for two years. She graduated from university and attended the Hachette Insight into Publishing Day where she had an eye-opening experience. It was then that she realised that publishing was the career sector for her. Patricia started as an intern for Hachette and worked in the marketing department before rotating to the children’s editorial department. She secured that traineeship by getting feedback, getting inside knowledge on publishing, being creative with her pitch, showing commercial acumen, and letting her personality shine through.

PR is versatile and Patricia made it clear that “no two days are the same in this role.” Patricia believes that bringing your best to the role and having confidence in your skills and background are also important. While she doesn’t think you necessarily need a master’s degree to progress in publishing, she does think it’s important to “have fun and be creative with your application and make your own opportunities.” When asked about making your application stand out, Patricia said:

Jasdip Nandra is the perfect example of how transferable skills can be truly valued in the publishing industry. Jasdip has a varied background. He studied science and achieved a master’s degree in Chemistry, yet he is now the Finance Analyst for Orion Books. Being a publishing outsider, Jasdip had to learn about the publishing business and discover why it’s “a weird and wonderful world, but a personable area to be in!” When he changed his career, Jasdip had to be adaptable to excel in a new environment. He had to learn about the trade and know what his strengths and weaknesses were. Making contacts from the sector and making himself known was key to his success.

Ultimately it paid off, as Jasdip felt he could apply his existing skillset to his new role well and continue to make new connections. Finance plays a bigger role in publishing than some people may realise but it’s a journey, a process that every book goes through and Jasdip, the skilled problem solver that he is, is there to make sure it runs as smoothly as possible. What does Jasdip think is important to bring to your new publishing role? Life experience. Orion wants to bring in as much life experience and diversity as possible. What have you learned? Who are your contacts? How do you complete your projects? These are driven by your life skills rather than education and that’s the best thing you can bring to your interview.

Chair of the Masterclass and CA alumna, Tanjiah Islam, is the Marketing Assistant for Orion. Tanjiah was placed by us as an intern at Scribe UK Books and she thought she would become an editor. Then Tanjiah found marketing and she realised that editorial was not for her. After applying for many marketing roles, she landed this one with Orion. Tanjiah put the work in to make her CV and personal statement shine by tailoring her application to this specific role. So, what is it that Tanjiah looks for in your applications? Tanjiah is looking for your passion and research in your applications as well as your communication skills and confidence. She wants to know why you’re the right person for the job and what you would bring to the role and company. Do you know the company’s core values? It’s something you should definitely know and research when applying for a role.

One of Orion’s values is every story matters. Tanjiah really wants to know not only why she should hire you but why she must hire you. An important point to remember from Tanijah is “Your experiences and your voice shape the narrative and understanding of the world, so we need as many different voices as possible in the industry.” As the cool kids say, “trust your sauce!”

Fellow CA alumna, Rhea Kurien was placed by us at Harlequin UK and has since risen to become Digital Editorial Director for Orion Dash. How did she rise to this position? Well, apart from being brilliant, Rhea made sure she networked with colleagues and made sure she was someone people wanted to work with. Before working for Orion, Rhea actually made the decision to leave the publishing industry and work in the charity sector. Books, however, kept calling her name and it wasn’t long before she rejoined the publishing world as an Editorial Assistant before working her way up the career ladder and also becoming Commissioning Editor for Head of Zeus.

Proving there is no harm in asking for help, during her career progression, Rhea reached out to Creative Access for guidance, and we were able to help by finding a mentor who believed in Rhea and saw her potential. Rhea strongly believes that networking in publishing is vital. Whether it’s emailing a potential colleague, complimenting their work, and establishing interests to making friends in the industry, networking is the most important thing you can do. A highlight of being a CA intern for Rhea? Making so many friends!

We are extremely grateful to Patricia, Jasdip, Tanjiah, and Rhea for sharing their knowledge and advice in our Masterclass. Thank you also to those who contributed and took part in the discussion. For those of you who are looking for a role in the publishing sector, be sure to check our opportunities page.

You can read Rhea’s blog for interview tips here.

You can watch the full Masterclass here.

The programme follows Penguin Random House’s commitment to better support emerging creative talent from under-represented communities as part of its accelerated inclusivity action plan.

Creative Access and Penguin Random House have re-opened applications for their new mentoring programme which will see senior leaders from the publisher take on mentees from groups that are under-represented in the publishing industry.

In this second round of the programme, Creative Access will find and match 100 people with senior leaders from across Penguin Random House. The programme is aimed at those from under-represented communities who want to pursue a career in publishing, whether they are in education or have some work experience in publishing or other creative industries. The programme also welcomes applications from those currently not in education, employment, or training. Alongside this, the Penguin Random House HR team will pair each of their leaders with a second mentee from within the company to offer support and advice on career development and progression.

The programme, launched in October 2020, is running as two six-month cohorts over a 12-month period. The second cohort is open for applications until 25th April 2021 and mentees will be matched with mentors comprising Penguin Random House UK’s entire Senior Leadership team (including CEO Tom Weldon) alongside a number of other Heads of Department across the company. To help set the new relationships up for success, Creative Access will offer training to both mentors and mentees.

This programme follows Penguin Random House’s launch of its Books for Everyone, by Everyone action plan in July 2020, which set out a renewed commitment to being a more inclusive company and publisher. It outlines a number of actions focused on removing barriers for entry and offering greater support for career progression and development for those in the company, including a commitment to match each leadership team member with two mentees.

Josie Dobrin, CEO, Creative Access:

Val Garside, HR Director at Penguin Random House:

If you are interested in applying for this programme, please apply here.

Diversity and representation in publishing is something that has long been a topic of conversation. More recently, the representation in children’s books has been reflected on in the media. Creative Access caught up with author and founder, Jasmine Richards, who specialises in children’s publishing, to find out what more can be done to address the issue, as well as discussing Jasmine’s own projects…

Q: What is your current role / tell us a little more about Storymix?

I am an author and the founder of STORYMIX, which is a children’s fiction studio that focuses on inclusive representation and fabulous storytelling. We create young fiction series for publishers and work with authors and illustrators from BME backgrounds to create those books. It is one of the key ambitions of STORYMIX that our writers and illustrators will also go on to secure their own publishing deals and thus meaningfully change the makeup of the publishing landscape.

Q:What is a fiction studio, and how did you get into it?

So you might have heard of book packagers – companies that essentially put together books for publishers by pairing up the right talent with the right ideas. This is essentially what STORYMIX does, but I am not a fan of the word packager. It sounds too manufactured to my ear, when a lot of love and care goes into what is actually created. I really like ‘book incubator’ as a phrase. As the founder of Storymix I come up with a commercial and high-concept idea and then find a writer and/or an illustrator to bring the project to life. Packagers do a lot of younger fiction, so in that 5-7 or 7-9 space, but will also do middle grade and YA (Young Adult fiction).

I come from an IP (intellectual property) development background and my formative editorial years were at a packager called Working Partners, who developed Beast Quest and Rainbow Magic. I learned so much about the craft of editing and story structure there. I also worked for OUP Children’s and ran the in-house development team which was called the Creative Kitchen. For me, the packaging seems like an obvious strategy to bringing more and better representation into children’s books.

Q: Tell us your perceptions of the children’s publishing industry when it comes to diversity of representation in the books themselves?

I would love to see a move away from ‘issues’ books. They are important, but they are only one part of the story. Young people from all backgrounds have the right to see themselves in all kinds of stories!

Mystery stories, horror stories, sci-fi stories, and funny stories.

I think children’s publishing needs to feature books that reflect all parts of our society. A diversity of setting and characters are the fuel needed for really engaging storytelling. I’d love to see more stories in translation or really unusual re-imaginings of traditional tales from around the world.

Ultimately, it’s not just about doing the right thing in celebrating all children – it’s about doing the right thing for storytelling, giving readers the richest possible tapestry of characters, experiences, and places. It’s about encouraging curiosity about the world and the people that live in it.

Q: Do you think that is shifting?

I think children’s publishing has shifted in recent years and there’s been some brilliant, inclusive books that aren’t issues-based, but there’s still a long way to go. I want to see more fun, representative children’s stories at the younger age range, so for 5-7 or 7-9-year-olds, as there really seems to be an aching lack of representation there. We need to focus on giving all children the spotlight from the start, so that they can all see themselves and not feel excluded from reading.

Q: What more needs to be done?

Change needs to start with publishing itself – the staff, at all levels, need to be more representative of the society we live in. I hope Storymix might become an incubator of editorial talent from BME backgrounds as well as writers from these backgrounds as the business evolves and grows. I signed the open letter to the industry as part of the Black Writer’s Guild, where we outlined how publishing needs to give all backgrounds and viewpoints a seat at the table. As we’ve seen from the PRH ethnicity pay gap report, staffing within publishing still has a long way to go to be fully equal, but even the existence of an ethnicity pay gap report is a start.

You can view Jasmine’s STORYMIX website here.

You can also follow Jasmine on Twitter: @storymixstudio or @jrichardsauthor

To mark this year’s #workinpublishing week, we were thrilled to be joined by Stephen Page (Creative Access Board Chair and CEO of Faber & Faber) and Silé Edwards (CA alum and an Agent at Mushens Entertainment) for our latest masterclass. We could not think of a better way to brighten the gloomy November afternoons!

Creative Access CEO, Josie Dobrin, opened the session by welcoming the audience and reflecting on the success of Creative Access in the publishing industry: “We’re proud to be bringing in and nurturing more talent from under-represented communities than ever before; this year alone we have supported recruitment for over 250 roles for more than 35 book publishing companies. Many of our alumni are rising up through the ranks, reaching more senior ranks and having a huge impact on all aspect of the publishing industry; from marketing campaigns, to books commissioned, to acting as ambassadors to those considering pursuing careers in the sector.”

Stephen started his career working in a bookshop in London. Reflecting on his own journey into publishing, Stephen admitted that “knocking on a door and getting in is hard in publishing. But having said it’s hard, it is still is possible”. What makes the publishing industry such an exciting industry to work in is the ever-changing environment. Silé started her career in publishing by undertaking internships in the sector (as well as an entry-level role with Creative Access at the Publishers Association) and working her way up to an agent at Mushens Entertainment.

Responding to a question from a listener about cover letters, Stephen said he looks for a good strong, economic letter that shows that the candidate really has understood and researched the business and someone who can demonstrate the skills and outlook they can bring to the business. He reminded listeners, “you’re writing to get a specific job, not just any job in publishing”. Silé followed by sharing her thoughts; “the best cover letters are when people know this is the job they want to do” and if someone gives examples of how they are engaging with the industry. Silé really appreciates when candidates can effectively show their transferable skills in their cover letter.

Silé shared her top tip of how she started to engage in the publishing industry using the power of social media. She followed many influential people from the publishing world on Twitter and almost intrinsically, she picked up the language of the publishing world. To take the first step to act on Silé’s advice you can follow Stephen and Silé on Twitter! Silé added that LinkedIn is a great tool to connect with people to see their business side.

When asked by a listener if publishing is a fulfilling career, Stephen responded that even though there can be frustrations, he finds it a very fulfilling career. All aspiring publishers and agents have to be good at dealing with failure. Generally, publishers release more new content than other creative industries such as film and music. According to Stephen, the longer you are in publishing the more fulfilling it is, as you have more of a chance to get involved with social issues linked to publishing. Stephen talked about his own experience, meeting with an array of different writers with the Publishing Association.

When reflecting on her own experience, Silé admitted that she was very lucky to find out early on in her career that she wanted to work for publishing. She shared how she made the most of her internships to learn as much as she could about the publishing trade, “I found what I wanted to do by listening to other people who have been working in the industry for years and I asked them what they want and can do for the industry, and seeing where I fit within that.” Silé was most attracted to the business side of publishing, which is how eventually worked her way to becoming an agent. She added, “I like making money and I like books – agenting is the perfect marriage of the two.”

In the last few years, transparency in publishing especially around wages has become clearer, for example, Faber and Faber pay at least the London Living Wage for all staff. Publishing is not built as a business – some parts are slow – particularly the editorial side where there are few vacancies. Stephen highlighted the importance of understanding the full scale of the jobs available in publishing, there are an array of different jobs other than editing. Silé commented on the slow process of getting a book ready for the shelves, “it can take a year or eighteen months to get a full book, you have to sometimes wait for the book to be completed to be able to show your work to move onto a promotion.”

When talking about the future of publishing, Stephen and Silé were nothing but optimistic. Like all media, publishing was challenged by the digital revolution. Stephen shared, “in the last 5-10 years it became clear that publishing has weathered the digital revolution – there is more confidence in investing in publishers and writers. It’s a very optimistic time to be looking at publishing as a career.”

On the topic of Masters degrees, Silé raised the important issue that a Master’s qualification is not necessary for those wanting to get into publishing, there are other ways to get into the industry. More internships are becoming available in publishing and the industry is trying it’s best to become more inclusive. Silé highlighted The SpareRoom Project that aims to make London roles more accessible for people who live in other regions. She encouraged everyone who is interested in publishing to go for a role in the industry.

Finally, the hosts tackled the big question about the book that has made the most impact on their lives. Silé chose The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas as the book that had the most impact on her career. It was thanks to Thomas’ book that Silé started to see a shift in the publishing industry in reaching out to a wider range of readers. Choosing a book that really got Stephen into reading, he selected the French literature classic Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert stating that he found “all of life in the book”.

Silé finished the session with valuable advice to anyone wanting to get into publishing, “you should be able to talk about books confidently, practise on your family and friends!” Rounding off on a positive note, Stephen expressed his optimism for the industry he works in, expressing his confidence in the next generation, “never in my career have I been optimistic about the career I work in and for the next generation that will reimagine publishing.”

You can watch the whole masterclass on our Youtube channel here. With huge thanks to Stephen and Silé for sharing their wealth of knowledge… We hope this masterclass sparked some motivation and inspiration for all our aspiring publishers and don’t forget to check out our current publishing roles here.

Creative Access got the chance to speak to author Kalynn Bayron about her latest book, Cinderella is Dead – a young adult retelling of Cinderella with a Black, queer protagonist at its heart. We discuss favourite fairytales, representation, and advice for aspiring writers. 

Q: Tell us a little bit about yourself!

I’m Kalynn Bayron, author of Cinderella Is Dead. I live in San Antonio, Texas but I grew up between Anchorage, Alaska and Portland, Oregon. I am a classically trained vocalist. I love musical theatre, horror movies, and, of course, books!

Q: Your passions are broad, from sports to music. What was it that led you to writing?

I think I’ve always wanted to be a storyteller. That’s the common theme that runs through most of the things I’m passionate about. Literature, music, theatre, movies—they’re all mediums for expressing emotions, for telling stories. I knew I wanted to write because I was a reader, first. I read everything I could get my hands on from a pretty early age. And even though I was always reading, I didn’t see a lot of people who looked like me on the page. I started writing for that younger version of myself who wanted to see Black girls in ball gowns, saving the day, and being the heroines of their own stories.

Q: What is Cinderella is Dead about?

Cinderella Is Dead is the story of 16-year-old Sophia Grimmins, a young girl living in the kingdom of Mersailles—it is the place where Cinderella lived and died 200 years before. Cinderella’s story has become the backbone of this society and young women are expected to follow in her footsteps by attending the now mandatory annual ball, where they are chosen by prospective suitors. This kingdom has used Cinderella’s story to manipulate and control the women and girls who reside there. As Sophia is preparing to attend the ball she grapples with how this story doesn’t speak to who she is or what she wants. She’s in love with her best friend, Erin, she doesn’t want to be married, and she watches the people around her fail to help her at every possible opportunity. The ball is a turning point for Sophia. She makes some decisions there that put her on a collision course with Mersaille’s ruler, and in the process she uncovers some earth shattering truths about Cinderella, Prince Charming, and the fairy godmother. It’s a story about raising your voice, about telling the whole truth when it comes to our history, and about telling Black queer girls that they are enough just as they are.

Q: What made you want to tell Sophia’s story?

Cinderella is a pretty popular tale. I wanted to retell a story that was instantly recognizable and deconstruct it in a way that centered the kinds of people who are nowhere to be found in the story itself, mainly Black, queer people. I wrote this story that explores not only how fairy tales have the power to personally affect who we become, but also allows the reader to see this fairytale world through Sophia’s eyes—this young girl who is actively harmed by the societal norms the fairytale itself perpetuates. It’s a continuation of the Cinderella story and a kind of reworking of that already established framework that makes it accessible to people like me, while also being wrapped in this dangerous, magical mystery.

Q: What’s your favourite fairytale?

Probably not something that’s very well known, but there is a story called The Juniper Tree. It’s about a young boy whose mother dies and his new stepmother resents him so much that she kills him and then frames her younger daughter for his murder. Then he comes back as a bird to try and get the towns folk to solve his murder. Very dark, very creepy. But I’m kind of drawn to stories that have elements of horror and fantasy blended together.

Q: What inspired you to give this classic story a dystopian twist?

It was the question of what happened after Cinderella got her happily ever after. You get married and then…what? You’re guaranteed a long happy life? I imagined a world where maybe, Cinderella didn’t have that opportunity and I wanted to know what the people living in the kingdom she ruled over thought of her and her story. It felt like a good entry point into this narrative that is essentially about a fairytale being used as propaganda to manipulate and control the people living in the place where Cinderella lived and died.

Q: You’ve spoken about how important it is for readers to see themselves reflected in your work. What do you think the publishing industry can be doing to champion diverse stories?

There are so many things, but I wish publishing threw as much support behind our stories as they do for stories by and about white/straight/cis people. There is this myth that our stories don’t sell, so we don’t often get as much support. And then guess what? Our titles don’t do well because there wasn’t enough (or any) marketing and publicity. The title tanks and then we’re told, “See. It didn’t sell.” It’s a vicious cycle that becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy and it actively harms marginalized authors. Our stories are worth championing and our readers are waiting.

Q: What’s your advice for aspiring writers?

Don’t wait to be inspired, sit down and write. Be persistent above all else because we all have days when the words don’t flow, the rejections get the better of us, or things just aren’t going to plan. You have to keep going.

Kalynn Bayron’s book Cinderella is Dead is available to order now.

We spoke to Hannah Bond, who works with our friends at Bookouture – a global digital publisher of all kinds of commercial fiction that is part of Hachette UK. She shares with us her top tips for getting into the publishing industry

1. Do your research

If you’re applying for a job at a publishing house, learn as much about them as you possibly can before you write your cover letter. You’ll find plenty on their website, but also look at the Twitter feeds (most people in publishing are on Twitter…) of key people from the organisation to see what books they are excited about and what authors they’ve been signing. You should know all the big hitters for the company you’re applying to work at.

2. Be specific

Armed with all that excellent research, use it in your application and, if you reach the interview stage, in person. After you’ve read as much as you can about the company, explain to them why you want to work for them – whether that’s because you like the kind of books they publish, or think your transferable skills would be a good fit. Don’t just say you’ve always loved books – talk about things that the company has published that you love, and why. Never, ever use the same cover letter for more than one job application: if your cover letters could work for more than one job, you’re not being specific enough when you write them.

3. Be yourself

Lots of the people applying for publishing jobs have the same sorts of skills and experience, so you need to think about what you can use to make your application stand out from the pack. You might be fresh out of college and feel like you don’t have any interesting experience to bring to the table, but even if you haven’t got very far in your career yet, you’ll still have passions and opinions – let those shine through. Think about transferable skills you might have, even if those are from a Saturday job at a supermarket or running a society at university. Highlight the things that are going to make you attractive to this role, rather than focussing on the usual buzzwords like ‘team player’ without evidence.

4. Be passionate – and let it show!

Hopefully, you’re applying for a job in publishing because you’re really keen to work in the industry. Make sure the people assessing your application know that! Don’t be afraid to be excited and enthusiastic: publishing is a fairly informal industry, and it’s definitely appropriate to let your personality shine through. The hiring manager will be looking for someone genuinely keen to work at their company.

5. Be open-minded

There are lots of fascinating areas of publishing and more great jobs available than people realise. Even if, ultimately, you’re sure you want to work in Publicity, for example, don’t let that stop you from considering entry-level roles in, say, Contracts, Sales, or Production. Those areas of the business are less visible, so fewer people know about them and apply for them, but they are excellent ways to get into the publishing industry and will give you lots of transferable skills and knowledge of how the company works that will put you in an advantageous position when that next job comes up. You might even find you love the area you start in and don’t want to leave! In the same vein, even if your goal is to work for a big trade publisher, look at smaller publishers, academic publishers, and agencies when you’re starting out too.

You could also consider working in a different industry and then moving sideways. If you want to work in Marketing, for example, you could always look to get an entry-level marketing role in another industry, then apply for Marketing jobs in publishing when you have more experience.

6. Make the most of every opportunity

People in publishing are, generally, really friendly and happy to answer questions and chat to people who want to get into the industry. If there’s someone you really admire on Twitter, drop them a message and ask if you can email them or have a chat on the phone about their role. If a publishing house is running a talk or an event, go along if you can and talk to the people running it about the place they work. If you manage to get an internship or work experience, talk to everyone around you and soak up as much knowledge as possible.

7. Don’t get disheartened

Getting into publishing can be tough: it’s a competitive industry and it’s not unusual for there to be hundreds of applications for every position. It might take you a while to get that first job, but don’t give up if it’s what you really want to do. If you’re not getting through to interview stage, it’s a sign your cover letters and CV need work. If you’re getting through to interview stage regularly but not getting the job in the end, make sure you ask your interviewers for specific feedback – they will be happy to give it. As you refine your applications, you might get to the stage when you hear that you’re a really strong applicant, but someone else pipped you to the post: that means it’s just a matter of time, and at some point, everything will click and you’ll be the right person for a position.