BFLA Open Week: A Few Surprising Things About Publishing

Written by Caitlin Tubbs-Galley

On my first day interning at Blake Friedmann, I realised just how much I didn’t know about the publishing industry. Over just two weeks, I learnt so much. It was life-changing – to my career in publishing, and to my confidence as a young professional. The Carole Blake Open Doors Project sets a major example for the rest of the industry as does Blake Friedmann as an agency themselves. The internship was proactive, inclusive, exciting, and impressively tailored to my interests. I could probably talk about it all day, but instead I’d like to share a few things I learnt that may be helpful to writers and aspiring publishing professionals alike.

1.      Agents submit to specific editors not just ‘publishers’

If you get to the point where you have secured an agent (yay!) and you work with them to make your manuscript as great as it can be, it will then go out on submission. Your agent will send it out to publishers who will hopefully acquire and then publish it! Okay, you probably knew that already, but what I personally didn’t realise, is the agent isn’t just ‘sending it out to publishers’ for you, they are meticulously crafting a list of specific editors from specific imprints. They work hard to stay tuned in to every note the industry sings, their eyes constantly flitting from page to page, news article to news article. They spend a lot of time and energy to figure out, to put it simply, which editor wants what. All of this work gives your book the best possible chance at getting acquired. In fact, not just getting acquired, but getting acquired by the perfect editor for your specific type of book. I love this about publishing, it means agents, editors, assistants, and rights teams, are all thinking in terms of passion, of emotional investment, of real belief in the work. Of course, they are still very much thinking with a business mindset. They want to ensure lots of people will buy your book and love it, but alongside that comes a deep investment in your writing from everyone involved, and I think that’s pretty special.

2.      Imprints are essentially just branded lists of books

There is a bit of a joke in the industry about the confusing nature of divisions and imprints, so I think it might be useful to break it down a bit.

Division – one section of a bigger publisher, basically small companies owned by a big company (for example Dialogue, which is a publishing house owned by Hachette UK)

Imprint – the different lists of books within a publishing division (for example Dialogue has Dialogue Books which is more literary and Renegade Books which is more commercial)

The lists are branded to help separate them. So, Renegade Books is physically branded differently to Dialogue Books, as well as being very different in their goals and the books they publish. To clarify, a ‘list’ is literally just the list of books that specific imprint publishes. For example, Dialogue might say they have a highly successful commercial list, and they would be referring to Renegade Books. To make it more confusing, the books one specific editor acquires might be called their ‘list’. Someone might say, hey Caitlin, your list includes so many bestsellers! They would essentially just be saying, wow, every book you’ve personally acquired for the imprint has done really well.

Honestly, this sort of thing is more for people working within publishing. It is a way for editors to communicate clearly with agents, and vice versa. It is very useful for agents to know, in as much detail as humanly possible, what editors are looking to acquire, and what they have acquired in the past.  So, these imprints, these brands, are just another way to do that.

3.      Rejections hurt, but they are imperative.

There is so much that goes into taking on an author and their manuscript. Agents, especially those at BFLA, are looking to take authors on holistically – they want to support writers in the best way possible, hopefully for their whole career, and, if they aren’t feeling confident in your writing, they won’t waste your time. Know that, as a writer, agents are taking your work seriously. They understand how hard it can be because they have worked with so many writers and seen the struggles as well as the successes. But sometimes, even if they do love your work, they aren’t 100% confident. As you probably know, there are so many reasons why this might be, but, when it comes down to it, it just wasn’t right for them, it wasn’t the right match.

I know it might be hard to accept, especially if you were desperate to be represented by a specific agent – but these rejections are a huge benefit to your long-term career as a writer. Hear me out. I understand how hard it is to receive rejection after rejection. I got rejected from countless jobs and internships over the past year, and it felt plain awful. No frills could dress that mess. But then, eventually, I was offered the internship at Blake Friedmann, and here’s why I am so grateful for the time it took. I used to get emotional about every rejection, get attached to every role and question my ability to work in the industry. But when I got shortlisted for the internship, then had my first call with the lovely Sian, and eventually met the whole team, it became clear to me. As I sat on the train making my way home from my first day, I realised just how perfect Blake Friedmann was for me. An inclusive environment, creative people genuinely excited about the work they do, and a general work ethic I related to. There were times in my job search when I thought I might have to pretend to be something else, to fit a mould of someone who I thought would be successful in publishing. But sticking it out and persevering meant I eventually found the place that was the perfect match for me.

I never thought I would admit it, because I am a strong advocate for the fact the job search slog can be soul-crushing. But it’s true, the rejection, the perseverance, is imperative. Please, don’t change your writing for anyone – and I don’t mean stop editing, workshopping, accepting feedback, because those are all vital - what I mean is don’t go against your morals, don’t try squeeze yourself into a mould you just don’t fit into. If you do, you’ll simply burn out down the line. Please remember – agents love books, they love the type of books they represent. This is an industry of highly invested, spirited people. So, please, stick to your craft, be undeniably you, and if you can write a cracking book, I promise you will find the perfect agent, the perfect match.

THE FIRST VIRTUAL CAROLE BLAKE OPEN DOORS PROJECT

The circumstances of this extraordinary year meant that our Carole Blake Open Doors Project launched its very first virtual version this summer. We’re very happy to share Tabitha Topping’s piece about her Open Doors experience with us, pioneering our virtual approach – and even more delighted that she’s continuing to do some freelance work for the agency alongside her studies now!

’If I’m being entirely honest, when I applied for the Carole Blake Open Doors Project at the Blake Friedmann Literary Agency I had little to no idea of what a literary agent actually does, nor how they fit into the wider publishing ecosystem. All I knew was that the experience involved publishing in some way or another and that I fitted some of the requirements. It would be remiss of me not to apply, was my line of thinking. Thoughtless, even. I dutifully submitted my application, fully expecting to add it to my ever-increasing stack of rejections. Therefore, there was no one more surprised than me to find out that I had been successful in my application and that I was to spend two whole weeks shadowing agents and generally infiltrating the opaque world of publishing. Me! Out of everyone, they chose me! I gleefully noted the dates down in my diary, and allowed my mind to wander; imagining the meetings I would sit in, the publishers I would meet…

This was in March 2020. I think you all know what happened next. As the nation hastily went into lockdown, all Blake Friedmann staff shifted to home working and the Open Doors experience was understandably put on hold. It’s hard to think back and remember the whirling uncertainty and doom-mongering around that time, but I do remember being glad that it hadn’t been altogether cancelled. I assumed soon everything would return to normal and I would be in London in no time at all.

Needless to say that is not what happened. As lockdown became even further entrenched the whole idea steadily became more far-fetched and implausible. It was therefore somewhat surprising when Sian from Blake Friedmann got in contact with me at the beginning of July. She asked me whether given the current circumstances, I would be interested in doing the Open Doors experience remotely? Of course, I leapt at the chance. I didn’t know what it would involve or how it would work, but it was too good an opportunity to waste.

Using the medium of Zoom my days were jam-packed with virtual meetings. I met people from the agency, I met editors, I met book-cover designers, I met literary scouts – it seemed as if I met everyone! They were all from different publishing backgrounds, all with different experience and expertise, and all were so friendly and patently eager to share their knowledge of the industry. They answered my rather inane questions with such patience and enthusiasm that at times I felt weak at the knees. I also got the chance to sit through in-agency meetings, as well as meetings between members of the agency and other publishing individuals. Then, as the Frankfurt Book Fair was looming, I also attended meetings with the agency’s foreign counterparts and learnt all about the vagaries of foreign markets. This all being through Zoom, of course.

Between meetings I busied myself writing news articles for the agency’s website, reading submissions and manuscripts and offering my suggestions and edits. I drafted social media posts, proof-read contracts and even wrote a submission letter for one of the agents! Despite being remote I never felt for a moment that I lacked for anything – and even at times felt that I perhaps gained more than if I had done the experience in person. I was always busy and made to feel very much a part of the agency. I simply wallowed in information and advice and came away feeling that the industry was in fact very much permeable – even for the likes of me!

 If you’re harbouring any curiosity about the world of publishing I would very much recommend applying for the Carole Blake Open Doors Project – you won’t regret it!’ - Tabitha Topping, Carole Blake Open Doors 2020

Carole Blake Open Doors Project: "Bring a Blake Friedmann-shaped door-stop"

by Connor Faulkner

In the deepest, darkest reaches of the North, where an industrial smog still layers the landscape, a young boy sat looking out of his window, his gaze searching for a faintly-glowing beacon in the distance. That young boy was me. The glowing beacon was a nearby dustbin fire. The apparently up-and-coming city of Sheffield always seemed impossibly far from London, and this manifested in a self-perpetuated stubbornness to go below the North/South divide, but thanks to a bit of luck, I found myself in The Retreat at Kings Langley, ready to hastily commute myself into the lovely offices of Blake Friedmann, right in the middle of Camden. A big, big cheers to David Hicks of The Book Trade Charity for sheltering me in this alien sprawl, where everyone pronounces ‘the’ properly.

Upon applying to the Carole Blake Open Doors Project just before the dawn of the New Year, I never thought that I’d find myself swanning around the capital a few months later. Even then, I expected to have been glued to the printer, and practicing my best receptionist phone voice. So, you’ll understand my delight when I was thrown in at the deep end, once I arrived at the Agency and a plethora of submissions and meetings awaited me. But there was much more, too: I was told the ins and outs of foreign rights, I mercilessly shadowed agents (and pestered them relentlessly; apologies to Hattie, Tom and Juliet), and even tried my hand at reading the odd contract, (apologies to Resham and Sam if I land Blake Friedmann in a legal palaver sometime in the near future).

I delved into the heart of the industry for a jam-packed fortnight: I had things to do, I had responsibilities, and my opinion mattered. I even got to embarrass myself at the book launch of the wonderful Sonya Lalli’s equally wonderful feel-good novel, The Arrangement.

I took in as much as humanly possible at meetings with lovely people from publishers such as Allen & Unwin and Jacaranda, to the giants of Hachette and Amazon. This array of experience really kicked me into gear. Previously, I’d assumed that publishing simply wasn’t for me purely due to my location, but the Open Doors Project taught me that this isn’t the case. My time at Blake Friedmann was certainly no guarantee that I’ll one day sneak my way into the industry, but it gave me all the tools and invaluable information I need to stand a much, much better chance of grabbing that dream job.

Another thing that the Open Doors Project taught me, is that you need a very realistic world-view when gazing upon your dream job and the industry which encapsulates it. Aside from also making me aware of my tendency to ramble and make slightly inappropriate comments under a guise of northern ‘charm’, my rapid two-week stint at Blake Friedmann was incredibly enlightening: I learnt that there are vast complexities and intricacies within the industry, which can only be discovered through experience. It turns out that there’s much more to publishing than whacking out books left, right and centre…

In terms of advice for any lucky individual who gets chosen for the project: I can tell you that David Hicks doesn’t like rhubarb, to go steady on book-launch wine, and you had better be prepared to carry three tote-bags of books back home with you. Thankfully, bags filled with literature make for a great self-defence weapon when someone takes your seat on the journey home, so make sure you get as many books as your shoulders can handle.

So no, you don’t need to be born in the right place to one day make your mark in publishing. You just need to have enough drive and determination to make it happen. And you need to read. A lot. Get looking for jobs at every publishing house you know of. Expand your list of people you follow on Twitter, you unsociable sod. Join the Society of Young Publishers, get on The Bookseller website, pester anyone and everyone in the industry until you’re blocked from contacting them. Well, maybe not to that degree. The Carole Blake Open Doors Project is the best chance you’ve got at getting a foot in the very heavy, possibly mahogany door into publishing. Just make sure you’ve got sturdy shoes on. Or, even better, bring a Blake Friedmann-shaped door-stop.

 

 

Carole Blake Open Doors Programme: Live that Publishing Dream

by Ada Igwegbu

Ada on the Hachette rooftop, at the Kim Scott Walwyn Awards

From the outside, and when I say outside I mean the furthest corners of the non-literary world (namely the oil-centric city of Aberdeen, Scotland), publishing appears impossibly closed. The stories that enshrine the industry, paradoxically, shield it from the public. One of those stories is that to participate in publishing—to be an editor, because we are told that this is the one, shining trophy of publishing jobs—you must already belong to the privileged class. If Daddy cannot get you the job, you simply cannot do it. If you do not have relatives in publishing, if you are not middle class and Oxbridge-educated, if you are not London-bred, publishing simply is not for you. However, one thing that we often forget about stories is that they do not always reflect all facets of the truth. Somewhere along the line, the truth gets twisted, skewed and repeated and twisted and skewed and repeated and repeated, and so on. When I first, seriously, considered a career in publishing earlier this year, these stories were the substance of my largest fear. With no literary connections, a pending-geology degree and nowhere to live in London, how could I work in publishing?

Fast forward to now—June, roughly half way through 2017—and I realise that that fear is not strictly necessary. If I had to give one word to describe my experience on the Carole Blake Open Doors Programme, I would have to use “comforting”. It was a comforting experience. Not the most obvious choice of words maybe, but what struck me most while at Blake Friedmann was how haphazardly everyone sort of tumbled into their careers. Tens of interesting, different people in different corners of the industry from publishing houses to literary agents from all over the UK, and in some cases all over Europe, getting a job on the back of chance, and becoming associate agents, editors, publicists, sales managers, marketers. Altogether, there was a lot of failure, a lot of rejections but a lot of hard work and a lot of hope. For me, this is extremely comforting. The message is clear: try, try and try again. Apply, apply, apply. Get your foot in the door, even if that means working for your dream company in a less-than-dreamy role. Mobility is common: people come, go, swap round and come back again, so that first job, whatever it is, may be the ticket to the gold. We often talk about the publishing ‘industry’ when really there should be more mention of the publishing ‘community’. People within the community recognise how difficult it can be, particularly when you are first starting out, and if you work well, there will be always be a myriad of people to support you and guide you in your career. Publishing really is the most friendly of industries.

Interning at Blake Friedmann solidified the vision of friendliness within publishing. Everyone at Blake Friedmann was incredibly generous with their time and willing to explain what foreign rights involved, the negotiation process for new books, what contracts look like and try to do for authors but also, what is next for them and how they hope to grow in their careers. The Carole Blake Open Doors Programme gives interns the opportunity to meet and speak with people involved at different parts of the publishing process, many of whom started off their careers as interns at Blake Friedmann. Over the course of the fortnight, I shadowed literary agents, met authors, spoke to publicists, marketers, editors, sales managers from independent organisations like Jacaranda Publishing and Allen & Unwin to imprints of larger publishers, such as Picador, Two Roads, Hodder, and even Amazon. On more sedentary days at the agency, I read submissions and wrote copy for their website. I was even fortunate enough to go down to Brighton for the Peter James launch party! The experience covered everything I could possibly hope for, and it was made even more accessible through the kindness of David Hicks and The Book Trade Charity, who were so wonderful and provided accommodation during my time in London.

All in all, the Carole Blake Open Doors Programme was a whirlwind of a time—a real door-flinging-wide experience, one which I thoroughly enjoyed and would encourage anyone and everyone to get involved with. Forget Daddy’s connections or an Oxbridge degree; what you really need is a fervent desire to press books into readers’ palms and the drive to work to make that happen.

If you are passionate about good books and want to get into publishing, apply to the Carole Blake Open Doors Programme, join the Society of Young Publishers, scour the Bookseller for jobs. Your publishing story starts with you.