I don’t think that I had the typical experience most publishing hopefuls have when trying to get into the publishing industry.

I had had a couple of unsuccessful job applications in the past, but I had submitted those when I was pretty much straight out of school and lacked the skills and experiences for any sort of job, let alone one in an industry as competitive as publishing.

Instead of labouring away at fruitless applications, I spent time working in both the retail and customer service industries before landing myself the often-romanticised role of bookseller at my local Waterstones branch. Though I’d argue that all my jobs have helped me develop skills needed in the publishing industry, it was this role as a bookseller that proved most beneficial. I saw what went through the tills; I spoke to customers about what they were excited about – and often, in the small Northern town I worked in, it was very different to the books I saw being reviewed in the newspapers. In short, I learned a lot.

Though I loved my job and the people I worked with, I still hankered after a role in publishing. I resolved to keep an eye out for any opportunities and happened to see a tweet about the Blake Friedmann Open Doors Project. I thought that I might as well apply – what did I have to lose? Apply I did and no one was more surprised when I succeeded. (You can read more about my time as an intern here.)

After my experience I was fortunate enough to be offered some freelance work by the agency, which I carried out alongside my university studies. Then, in the August of 2021, the role of Book Department Assistant came up. I applied and was ultimately successful, starting in my role a mere fortnight later. It was all very straightforward and felt quite surreal - aside from the pandemic postponing my initial internship, there had been no bumps in the road.

However, I know that getting into the industry can be really difficult for some, so here at the agency we have compiled some tips on the best way to do that:

Follow publishers and literary agencies on social media to keep updated on what is going on in the publishing industry. If you want to be an editor follow editors, if you want to be a literary agent follow agents.
Spend time in libraries and bookshops. What are people buying? What are people reading? It may surprise you. When I was a bookseller, I was constantly surprised by what we sold and what we didn’t. Having a good knowledge of the current market is indispensable in this industry.
Read The Bookseller. This is our trade magazine and in addition to just general publishing news has a lot of job vacancies advertised there.
Get experience! This is easier said than done, I know. However, most roles within publishing rely upon so called ‘transferrable’ skills that can be acquired in any industry. Just make sure you make it clear in your applications how this experience matches the job description.
When applying for jobs, make sure you read the job description carefully. Tailor your cover letter to each job you apply for, highlighting your relevant experience.
Read! This is especially relevant if you want to work in editorial or agenting, but as I said before, having a good knowledge of the books currently selling is essential to succeeding in this industry.
Be open to the departments you apply for, as some departments are a lot more competitive than others. Working in any department will give you valuable knowledge and experience that you could then use to get a role in your dream department, whether that is editorial or sales. It’s all about getting a foot in the door, after all!
Check publisher websites regularly for recruitment initiatives and job opportunities. Lots of publishers and agencies regularly run schemes designed to help people get into the industry – our Carole Blake Open Doors Project is a good example of this.
Don’t get disheartened! A lot of the time it comes down to luck and timing – there are only so many publishing jobs, after all! Not getting a role in no way reflects your value as a human being, and its important to remember that!

Some Useful resources

Book Trade Charity: www.btbs.org

The Spare Room Project: www.thespareroomproject.co.uk

The Society of Young Publishers: www.thesyp.org.uk

Book Careers: https://www.bookcareers.com/

Twitter accounts to follow

@PublishProfile

@SpareRoomProj

@bookcareers

@SYP_UK

@_CreativeAccess

@Inspiredjobs

@_indie_insider

@popublishinguk

@publishing_post

@pubinterns blog

@jobsinbooks

@_TheFlip

@bookcareers

@jobsatharper

@hachettecareers

@prhcareersuk

YouTube accounts:

Ain Chiara (https://www.youtube.com/c/AinChiara)

Eleanor Marie Rose https://www.youtube.com/c/EleanorMarieRose

Leena Norms has a great playlist on her experience in publishing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tvhRRZ-P9c&list=PLb1-lu-abhnXgFekR6TdCYb3Eq3WC0N2n

Booksandquills has another great playlist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlZzKd2u4d4&list=PLaGhIHM9WMtY-_mASFeld4CwCxTTT7E7h

Ever wondered what screenwriters’ agents do all day? Ellen Gallagher is here to satisfy your curiosity.

A caveat from Ellen: this isn't the way every day pans out, or even a complete picture of everything that goes on in the Media Department, not by a long stretch. No two days are quite the same in the world of agents, that’s partly why I enjoy my job so much!

8.30am – Begin checking emails on the way to work. I don't want to miss anything, and am utterly obsessed with organising my emails into folders. I work across a number of clients and projects, and I want to make sure that any emails that have come in are filed correctly so they can be dealt with promptly. Organisation is King in the Land of the Agents!

9.25am – Arrive at the office. Make a giant pot of coffee; it's always wise to endear oneself to one’s colleagues by providing caffeine-based sustenance. Similarly, cake is highly popular and should be procured and shared as frequently as possible.

9.30am – Right, it's email-handling time. I respond to as much as I immediately can, and put the rest in a ‘to do’ folder to be worked on throughout the day. Emails range from rights enquiries or contract negotiation to new client scripts and treatments, and everything in between.

10am – I have a lovely phone chat with a client, and we cook up some ideas about what to do next with his work. I end the call excited to read the script he’s going to send me.

10.30am – Now we enter the Invoicing Zone. I keep track of invoices and payments to ensure that clients get paid when they should. Our finance manager Sian is an invaluable ally, as she is a font of fiscal fortitude.

11am – I spend an intense half hour arranging meetings; some for our department, and some on behalf of our clients. I am the master of the diary, no meeting shall escape my iron calendar. I have a pleasant jokey exchange with a producer’s assistant about the awesome efficiency with which we just arranged that last meeting.

11.30am – I roll up my sleeves to delve into some contract drafting. There are always deals to be done, and putting together a contract which protects the writer’s interests is a vital part of the agent’s job. Contract language may sound a bit like it was invented by aliens who had learned English from reading the instructions on a shampoo bottle, but it’s the best wording to make a document as legally watertight as possible.

1.30pm – Lunch! I head to the kitchen and assemble a sort of mad salad which mostly consists of whole tomatoes. I really like tomatoes at the moment.

2.30pm – I peruse the ‘to do’ email folder again. Some of the emails in here require research or looking back over existing documents to respond properly, so I do lots of that. It’s essential to be thorough to make sure nothing gets missed, especially when rights are involved.

3pm – A client has written a fab script, I've read it and told her I love it. There’s a producer whom I think would love it too; I get in touch with them and they're keen to read it, so I send it across.

3.05pm – Ooh, an email has gone round saying somebody has returned from an overseas book fair and has brought some sort of food back for everyone. A mildly twisted ankle is sustained in the customary BFLA stampede for the kitchen.

3.10pm – The post has come in – we distribute contracts, financial statements and other documentation that needs handling on behalf of our clients. Lots of filing and record-keeping ensues. Organisation, once again, is the buzzword!

3.30pm – Time for a meeting. A producer has come in to tell us what they're looking for, and to hear about our clients and what they're up to. Cups of tea are enthusiastically quaffed.

4.30pm – I put some scripts on my eReader to look at this evening. I must prioritise existing clients’ work, but also I check out as many new submissions as I can from writers seeking representation.

4.45pm – I try to tie up as many loose ends as possible toward the end of the day. This includes logging script submissions (where we have sent clients’ work for consideration) and doing any last-minute email responding to keep the decks as clear as possible for the next day. I also use this time to read up on as much industry news as possible, in publications such as Broadcast, Screen International and online sources. It’s important to be aware of trends and developments in film and television so that information can be used to benefit our clients.

Around 5.30pm – I head out of the office with my eReader stocked up with scripts. There might also be a screening or play read-through in the evening that I’ve been invited to by a submitter or film school, but if not I'll go home to read and eat dinner. Another action-packed day of agenting awaits me tomorrow, bring it on!