The magazine for the Society of Young Publishers

Summer 2008

Contents
3 4 7 10 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 35
Editorial Getting Ahead in UK Publishing Camille Poir LBF: A First-Timers Perspective Ashwin Khurana Meet the Oxford SYP Committee 2008 A Day in the Life of Graham Marks Sarah Jones Freelance Glance Charlie Wilson UK Young Publishing Entrepreneur 2008 Darren Fuller Sebastian Faulks at the Oxford Literary Festival Jo Godfrey Book Review: Copy-editing by Barbara Horn Ailah Ahmed Competition! A Whirlwind Romance Emma Murray A Brief History of Publishing Faith McDonald Book Club Forum: Boy A by Jonathan Trigell Serena Alam Ask Ros: Careers Clinic Ros Kindersley Dates for Your Diaries Chairs Column

In Print Team
Editor: Daniela Nava Deputy Editor: Toni Din Designer/Production Manager: Rebecca Fox Sub-Editors: Alec Dubber, Ashwin Khurana, Toni Din Oxford In Print Coordinator: Faith McDonald

Editorial
ello everybody and welcome to another issue of InPrint. Hopefully by now youll have all recovered from the excitement of the London Book Fair which is now only a distant memory. Im sure youre all fondly looking back, remembering the aching feet and sore throat, so if you feel up for a bit of reminiscing, look at pages 49. There youll find an article dedicated to the wonderful SYP seminar plus a general overview of the fair. Feeling that spring is in the air and love is all around? Then turn to page 26 to read Emmas article about a very peculiar love story unfortunately one without a happy ending. If youre self-employed and struggling to come to terms with the British tax system, dont worry because help is at hand. Go to page 16 and Charlies article will provide you with a wealth of useful information and advice. And dont forget to have a good look at page 24 for our very exciting competition. Its going to be really good fun answering the clues to the crossword and if youre lucky youll be the winner of our amazing prize: a very useful book on copy-editing which is reviewed on page 22. Finally, Id like to thank Tori Hunt and the group of freelancers for their invaluable help in putting together this issue. I hope youll enjoy it!
Daniela Nava is full-time freelance editor, proofreader and translator. For more information visit www.thenakededitor.co.uk

London Book Fair seminar: Getting Ahead in UK Publishing

Camille Poir reports back from the inaugural SYP event at LBF
ne of the SYPs biggest events this year, the Getting Ahead in UK Publishing seminar, was held on 15 April to crown a busy day at the London Book Fair. Turnout exceeded expectations, and the Marlborough Rooms proved too small to house the more than 120 students and young professionals members of the SYP or not yet who came to pick up tips on how to find their first job in publishing or how to progress in their careers. The three speakers here to share their experience were introduced by Alison Baverstock, a lecturer on Kingston Universitys Publishing MA and author of several illuminating books on publishing. She asserted the importance of this kind of event in an industry which offers variety and flexibility, but often lacks career planning and internal training schemes. Iain Stevenson, director of the MA in Publishing at UCL, opened the talk by emphasising the benefits of embarking on a publishing-related MA in the UK (not necessarily the UCL one!), which provides not only comprehensive training but also opportunities for building a network, which can include professional guest speakers as well as your peers. In this respect, a publishing course is equally beneficial for people looking to get started and for those already in the industry who are seeking to evolve in their career. Stevenson then moved on to enumerate what he considers the three steps to success: firstly, be flexible and consider all options not everyone can be an editor for Faber, although this may be their ambition at first, but there are many different publishing areas and roles and it is becoming increasingly possible to move between departments and types of publishing. The key is to remain open-minded. Secondly, develop a sense of professionalism as the industry is becoming more and more professional, it is crucial nowadays to possess

a suite of specialised skills. Knowing what a 13-digit ISBN is for, or being able to read accounting sheets, helps. Finally, you must build a network, and this starts with joining the SYP and attending events: as Stevenson said, the people around you there are your future colleagues and employers! After telling us about her own career and difficult beginnings, Ros Kindersley, the managing director of the recruitment agency JFL Search & Selection, went on to dispense some very practical tips. As we all know, degrees are not enough (even with a 1st), and it has become an absolute necessity to develop relevant work experience alongside academic qualifications. Aspiring candidates should also seize any other opportunity to demonstrate their motivation and enhance their CV: join a book club, take part in a local literary festival, visit bookshops (and even work in one for a while, as this is a good way to know what sells). Be aware of the many different jobs on offer and do not forget new online and digital-related positions. As to the application process itself, a polished and thoroughly proofread CV is crucial, but there is no need to make it an artistic masterpiece: a simple, clear layout is best. Beware of fancy email addresses get a sensible, sober one. During interviews, an interested and well-prepared candidate who asks questions and answers well stands out. Always follow up with a Thank You email, which will help you to be remembered. Once you get the job, be proactive: promotions are not handed to you on a plate, they come to those who deserve them. Oh, and forget about money although salaries are slowly getting better, you are doing this for the love of books and of the job, to contribute to education, culture and society, not to become a millionaire! Last but not least, Jeremy Trevathan, Publishing Director at Pan Macmillan, reminded us that publishing is a highly competitive industry and that a passion for books is not sufficient: one must also be business-oriented. Even an editor is constantly making business decisions and betting the money of

it has become an absolute necessity to develop relevant work experience alongside academic qualifications

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the company. Trevathan illustrated the importance of flexibility when he said that he had moved from production to rights to editorial, and he concluded with a description of the perfect publishing professional: adaptable, curious, adventurous, patient and a multi-tasker. Baverstock added a word about the importance of collaboration with your colleagues before a number of questions were addressed to the speakers. Stevenson explained that he applied the same criteria as in a job interview to select students on the MA at UCL: mainly, a good CV and evidence of a genuine interest in publishing. His advice was to take advantage of all the training opportunities your company might offer you and of appraisal sessions with your employers to express your aspirations. Alternatively, changing jobs quickly if you are unhappy is fine as long as it does not become a pattern. Finally, all speakers agreed that awareness of what is happening digital-wise is a plus, but that having too many IT skills can be dangerous since you might be catalogued as the digital person and stuck in this role. After a talk which most found very helpful and inspiring, the evening ended with drinks and the chance to do some networking And good news came from the LBF organisers the SYP would be allocated a larger room for its seminar next year! Camille Poir is studying the Publishing MA at UCL

LBF speakers: Iain Stevenson, Ros Kindersley, Jeremy Trevathan

From 14-16 April, Ashwin Khurana is propelled into the world of the London Book Fair. Amidst the clamouring gaggle of publishers there is hope in the form of books and what they stand for: sharing knowledge and building partnerships worldwide
he labyrinth of intersecting lanes, the hustle and bustle of anxious publishers bumping rudely into the heels of my feet as they hurry to their next appointment, and lets not forget the fashion actually, on second thought, lets. These are my observations of the London Book Fair a mere three minutes into entering the massive Earls Court Exhibition Centre. Even the pigeons appear lost (how do they get inside?) as they flap their wings in drunken unison, unable to find a way out. Great, I mutter to myself, now I face the challenge of artfully dodging rushing publishers and bird poop. Then I see it, the life-saving Information Point, and I know all will be fine. Armed with a seminar schedule and a sense of purpose (to write about the LBF in all its glory) I feel equipped to tackle this enormous rights fair head-on. I am a man on a mission, as I dance through the corridors of stylish stands, each with their own brightly beaming personalities encouraging

passers-by to stop, look and chat maybe even do a deal. I take the opportunity to browse and to chat with some industry types who work in sales and publicity and, to a lesser extent, editorial. Large corporations and independent publishers alike, all stands are buzzing in a flurry of activity and intense negotiations. There are also a number of stands representing Arab publishers, and they are the focus of this years fair: 2008 recognises the potential for Arab authors, classic and contemporary, to find a readership in English-language territories, and for English-language works to be read in Arab regions. Away from the business end of

Jeremy Trevathan

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The London Book Fair: A First Timers Perspective

things, I am equally impressed with the variety of fascinating publishing seminars. Topics include digital marketing, childrens classic literature and selling rights. Digital marketing is about harnessing the power of existing technologies to promote and sell more books, thereby strengthening the publishing brand and increasing accessibility to a product. Ros Lawler from Random House discusses how MySpace is used to promote authors books globally. As an author builds friendships via this hugely popular networking site, friends can read selected excerpts, in much the same way as with the Search Inside facility on Amazon. The hope has been, Lawler continues, that this would translate into book sales, and it has indeed. In a similar fashion, Facebook and Bebo are able to acquire online user details to pinpoint potential buyers. The interactive nature of these social networking sites, whereby you can share information via widgets, is transforming the way online communities interact. Personal recommendations, star rating systems and blogs highlight the importance Web 2.0 users place on non-expert opinions. My one gripe: nothing is said about the privacy implications of social media (cynics of Facebook unite), which would fit neatly into the scope of this talk. Other ways of using new digital technologies to increase sales are

also considered. Elizabeth Mackey from Microsoft speaks about LiveSearch Books, which is about to be launched in the UK. This platform gives publishers a new model, she explains, for reaching customers. As publishers opt in to put books on this website, applying relevant and up-to-date metadata (author, book title, ISBN, etc.), readers can locate whatever it is they are looking for and buy it directly from the publisher, Amazon or Waterstones. Another seminar includes a brilliant panel discussion entitled Reviving Great Childrens Literature: The Classics and Beyond, which illustrates the enduring passion for classic books, such as Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson. Julia Eccleshare, childrens editor at the Guardian observes how a book can create a lasting bond between parent and child. Years later, when that child becomes a parent, he or she may search for their childhood favourite only to find it out of print. With this in mind, certain publishing houses, such as Puffin and Jane Nissen Books, have begun to republish books that were once well received but have since been overlooked in the push to market newer titles. Another seminar, on the key topic of selling rights, highlights some interesting issues, including the agents need for excellent negotiating skills and to know from

the outset exactly what must be achieved in terms of payment and contract. Nicholas Lom, a media lawyer at Simons Muirhead and Burton, elaborates upon the fine skill of drafting a contract that allows for further payments when things actually get done, like paying a film producer more when a book is adapted successfully into a film. In other words, paying too much early on cannot guarantee a film. A depressing thought for all budding agents out there, but a realistic lesson in negotiation. At the end of the three days I leave feeling excited for the future of publishing in the UK. When Nujoom Alghanem, a poet and film-maker from the UAE, recites her uplifting poem entitled Angels of Absence, all I can think is: here is a voice that needs to be heard, a talent that can shape the future of contemporary poetry. However, publishing is a risk-taking industry is there a publisher in the UK that can give life to a greater range of Arabic literature, and help these authors find a place amongst evermore second-rate autobiographies by C-list celebrities? Well, I like to think so. Ashwin Khurana is studying the Publishing MA at UCL

Illustration Going to the fair by Edd Horder www.eddhorder.com

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Meet the Oxford SYP Committee 2008

Introducing the hard-working team members that run the Ox ford branch of the SYP

Chair
Jo Godfrey
o is chairing the Oxford branch in 2008, having joined the Committee last year as Social Secretary. She is a Publishing Editor working on Higher Education Law textbooks at Oxford University Press, and hopes to work her way towards becoming a Commissioning Editor. Jo enjoys the variety of her current role and has met some interesting people in the industry. Shes particularly looking forward to David Fickling speaking as the Oxford guest in June and the annual punting trip in the same month. As Chair, she hopes to facilitate a close relationship with London and to raise the profile of the SYP in Oxford. When Jos not working she plays the cornet and flugelhorn in a local brass band, as well as frequently visiting friends in London.

Book Club Coordinator

Emily McLeod
mily has coordinated the Oxford SYP Book Club since autumn 2005. Her current role is in alumni relations at The Queens College at the University of Oxford. Emily hopes to bring some interesting books, thoughtprovoking discussion and maybe one or two authors along to the SYP Book Club in Oxford over the course of the year. But left to her own devices she tends to choose obscure, lengthy novels in translation, so come along to the Book Club and feel free to help her pick some titles!

Alan Crompton

lan works as the Co-Events/Social Secretary with Amy Jackson organising the monthly SYP speaker meetings and social gatherings, having been a member of SYP for six months previously. He is an Editorial Coordinator at Wiley-Blackwell in Oxford, working on Life Science Journals. In the long term Alan would like to move into a production and content management role, working on typesetting and layouts for academic titles. He loves the people he meets in publishing consistently friendly and forever passionate about literature and publishing in all its forms but hates the money (dont we all?!). Alan is looking forward to The Return of the Comic Book in June, and hopes to organise many more fascinating speaker meetings for the SYP. He is also an aspiring masterchef with a keen interest in world affairs and movies.

Co-Events/Social Secretary
Amy Jackson
my is the Co-Events and Social Coordinator with Alan, and is an Assistant Editor for the English Language Teaching division at Oxford University Press, working on coursebooks for Spanish primary schools. Amy has worked in publishing for less than a year and she loves her job, as well as the creativity involved in publishing and the fact that its such a varied industry. Organising speaker meetings made her realise that there are so many areas to touch on that theres pretty much a place for anyone within the industry. Amy hopes to make everything bigger in Oxford for SYP events, and can often be found prancing around in a silly costume on stage!

InPrint Liaison Officer

Faith McDonald
aith has been a member since July 2007, and started working as Production Editor at Taylor and Francis in the autumn of that year. Faith wants to learn as much as she can about all aspects of the book industry, and really enjoys her present role working on books on a variety of subjects.

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Co-Events/Social Secretary

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Her favourite part of the job is dealing with words all day and learning new things about language, but she loathes commuting to work from Oxford. Shes looking forward to some of the speaker meetings Amy and Alan are cooking up, and she herself hopes to bring interesting coverage and feature pieces to InPrint this year. She also doesnt like being upside-down.

Oxford Brookes Liaison Officer

Claire Williams
laire is the point of contact for Brookes students who want to know more about the SYP, and she decided to join the committee after attending the Careers Conference in November. Currently studying for an MA in Publishing at the Oxford International Centre for Publishing Studies at Oxford Brookes, her main goal for the future is to find a job! She wants to work in publishing as she loves books, but is not so keen on this low pay that everyone keeps talking about. She really enjoys the SYP speaker meetings as they are a great opportunity to learn about different areas of publishing. Claire hopes to publicise the SYP not just to students of publishing at Brookes, but also to students of other disciplines who may be wondering what to do with their degree. Claire is originally from the northeast of England, and very proud of it!

Publicity Officer
Sophia Blackwell
ophia gained her publicity experience by organising and promoting poetry, cabaret and fundraising events. She has worked in publishing for almost four years and is currently a Marketing Executive at Routledge. She aims to be a fabulous Head of Editorial or PR. Sophia loves that people in publishing are intelligent and genuinely passionate about their work, and loathes cynicism about the industry and the fact she will never drive a Porsche. Shes looking forward to the Careers Conference as it always reaffirms her faith in the industry, and, as Publicity Officer, she hopes to pack out Oxford events and put more people in touch with each other. Sophia is a performance poet, loves to dress up and reads anything she can get her hands on.

Kate Hind

Kate first met the Committee at one of the infamous pub crawl/treasure hunts, procuring her current role after a few drinks. Despite this she does a very good job making sure we have enough money to keep doing what we are doing! She works at Oxford University Press as Production Editor for the History list, and her goal for the future is to become a Blue Peter presenter. Kate loves how sociable publishing is as an industry, and the constant opportunities to network, but loathes doing indexes, and questions are they really necessary?!. Kate is really looking forward to the punting party, as she plans to dress like a pirate, swig rum and shout yarr at unsuspecting passers-by. Her favourite pastimes are reading, listening to rock music and playing board games, Singstar and Guitar Hero.

Webmaster for Oxford SYP

Michelle Brister
ichelle met the London Committee at the London Book Fair last year and decided to join up in Oxford. Michelle is a student studying Theology at university, and is interested in the publishing industry and books. Shes not yet sure whether shell end up in publishing and what sector she would join, but having just been accepted on a one-year Masters course she will remain a student for the time being. During her work experience at Random House, she enjoyed the chance to preview books and also liked the friendly office atmosphere. Michelle is particularly looking forward to the SYP Conference this year. She hopes to bring a slightly different perspective to the Oxford Committee as a student and someone outside the publishing industry.

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Treasurer

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A Day in the Life of a Childrens Editor

by Sarah Jones
Graham Marks has spent his whole career working in Childrens Publishing and now writes young adult novels alongside being Childrens Editor for Publishing News
What is the best and worst thing about your job?
I have two jobs: the best thing about being Childrens Editor at Publishing News is that I am totally and uniquely plugged into the business; the worst thing is that it takes me away from my own writing. As a writer, the best thing is selling a new idea; the worst is then realising you have to write it. Then the next very best thing is writing The End, followed by getting the first copy of your latest book in the post.

What is the best piece of advice you can give to a budding Childrens Book Editor?
Dont be bullied by writers - never forget that there isnt one alive who doesnt need editing but dont bully them either. And if you can get them to think that the changes you want were their idea, so much the better.

What do you think are the biggest challenges to be faced by a Childrens Book Editor?
Probably their authors, followed swiftly by their MD the former wanting to know why their advances werent higher, the latter why they are paying so much for books.

Do you see the age-ranging of childrens books being introduced in the near future? Will it be a good thing?
It looks very much like the Childrens Book Group of the PA will get its way and bring in the age-ranging plans this autumn; although I dont think its a good idea at all to put an age range on a books cover, I have no problems

To what extent do you think the loss of the Nestl Prize will lower the sales of childrens books?

The Nestl, or Smarties Prize as I still think of it, was the most high profile national award AND it was voted for by kids. It garnered lots of column inches in the press and gave the industry much-needed publicity; I also think it will be missed by the schools which were involved in the judging. I dont know about losing sales, but it will certainly be missed and its a great shame that Booktrust doesnt seem to have been able to get a new sponsor.

How far do you think publishers tailor childrens books towards parents rather than children? Is it a positive thing?
At the younger ages (pre-school and picture books, etc.) you have to take the parents much more into consideration because the intended audience cant yet buy for themselves; above that age, when kids are making their own choices, I dont think publishers think too much about parents views.

Do celebrity childrens book authors (e.g. Katie Price & Co.) thrill you or chill you?
Neither. They are just a part of the mix (a high-profile part, but thats the whole point), and have been around forever; some are better than others Madonnas efforts of markedly higher quality than Kylies and almost all of them have an extremely limited shelf life.

Essentially, what do you think makes a childrens book sell well?

The package: originality of voice and idea, combined with size of marketing budget and the nous of the PR/Publicity/Marketing guys.

Tell us an amusing anecdote about your job!

This isnt an anecdote, more of a comment, but I am constantly amused by the digital pictures I am sent at Publishing News: out of focus, badly framed, astonishingly dull and featuring truly vampiric red-eye how could anyone ever have looked at them and honestly thought that would look great in the trade press!? Sarah Jones is studying towards an MA in Publishing at University College London

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with ranging within the retail environment, which already happens in some shops.

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Freelance Glance
Charlie Wilson shows how tax doesnt have to be taxing
ne of the most common questions newbie and aspiring freelances ask is How does tax work?. The subject has been on my mind this week not only have I just completed work on Tax For Dummies, but Ive been marking the end of my financial year by spending several hours knee-deep in receipts, invoices and spreadsheets. Benjamin Franklin hit the nail on the head when he said there are only two certainties in life: death and taxes. As much as you may detest recordkeeping, calculations and handing over a single penny to HMRC, its a fact of life for a freelance. Thus, Ive decided to share some of the useful things Ive learned along the road from tax dunce to tax doer. I have to confess, Im a bit of a Monica when it comes to organising my paperwork. On rainy Friday afternoons, when Im cross-eyed from proofreading or wrestling with writers block, youll find me indulging in Admin Hour, amid Excel docs, piles of paper and vibrantly coloured stationery. Creating a logical accounts system (and sticking to it) makes life a lot easier. If your bookkeeping method is of the file-invoices-and-receipts-down-theback-of-the-sofa variety, beware. Youll struggle to keep a grip on how much youre earning and spending, and on who owes you what. Come tax return time youre likely to go into meltdown, and if youre unlucky enough to face an HMRC inquiry, the taxman will definitely not have a sense of humour about the chaos that is your accounts. Failure to keep adequate and accurate records leads to fines; its that simple. When you first go freelance, the freedom to offset business expenses against your income (thereby reducing your tax liability) can be giddily intoxicating. Its easy to get carried away thinking about what you can ram through your books to bring down the tax bill. The reality, however, is that business expenses aret the cushy deal they may appear to be at first glance. HMRC has strict rules governing what expenses you can claim, and to what levels. For example, because I work

Get organised

Dont get carried away

from home I can claim a proportion of my household bills. The operative word here is proportion I can claim expenses for a proportion of a room, used a proportion of the time. In reality, this works out to be a teeny, tiny expense, and saves very little in tax. My last electricity bill was 50; I was able to deduct just 1.33. Not exactly a tax saving to get excited about!

For me, one of the hardest things about freelancing is getting paid but knowing I mustnt touch some of the money. Life was far simpler when I received after-tax pay each month! Now, I must have the self-restraint and sense to put aside a wadge of my income ready for the next tax bill. When I started out, I was woefully naive about such tax planning. For most of my first year, I spent what I received from clients. Then, towards the end of the year, it began to dawn on me that Id been spending money that didnt belong to me at all. Between 20 to 30 per cent belonged to HMRC (and the Student Loans Company had dibs on a further slice). To top it off, Id completely misunderstood HMRCs payment on account system. It was a rude shock to discover that my first tax bill would comprise not only the tax I owed for the last financial year, but half as much again as a payment on account for the current financial year. Since that first year, Ive ensured that I place a proportion of my income into a high-interest savings account, ready for the next tax bill. That way, I dont wake up in a cold sweat in the run up to a tax bill because I know the money is ready and waiting. Even better, I make a tidy profit in interest.

Prepare for tax bills

No one expects you to grasp the intricacies of the UK tax system easily or overnight. However, getting it right is essential, especially if, like me, you do your own accounts and dont hire an accountant. So you need to learn how self-assessment works, and get help where necessary. There are a wealth of books and websites on the subject, and organisations such as Business Link can help. HMRC have plenty of helplines and online support, but do beware: first, their help materials are often impossible to comprehend (they spectacularly fail to embrace plain English); second, when you ask HMRC for advice, they will always give you an answer that leads to you paying the maximum amount of tax thats legal. The government lay down tax law, and others interpret it. Therefore, your best port of call if youre stuck may be an independent tax adviser. If you have any questions about freelancing, you can email me at info@perfectlywrite.co.uk. Charlie Wilson is a full-time freelance and her company is called Perfectly Write

Dont think twice about getting advice

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UK Young Publishing Entrepreneur Award 2008

Darren Fuller reports from the award ceremony at the London Book Fair

UKYPE winner Emma Hayley (right) with runner-up Tom Chalmers

fter three days of intensive meetings, long walks around the vast exhibition space of Earls Court and intermittent stand-browsing, the presentation for the British Council and London Book Fairs second UK Young Publishing Entrepreneur (UKYPE) award, held on the last afternoon of the fair, offered refuge and introduced a final burst of excitement to the collected audience. The presentation ceremony of this prestigious award was presided over by Andrew Senior, Head of Creative Economy at the British Council, who explained how the Young Creative Entrepreneur awards are designed to support and drive growth in creative sectors, with the Young Publishing Entrepreneur Award acknowledging publishing advocates with exceptional entrepreneurial skills and talent. Each shortlisted candidate this year is to be awarded with a guided trip to Argentina where they will tour its publishing industry and attend the Buenos Aires Book Fair. The winner of the British Council/London Book Fair UK Young Publishing Entrepreneur 2008 award (a BBIA/Nibbie award) was announced and Emma Hayley, Publisher at Self MadeHero, took to the stage to receive her award from guest presenter Cherie Blair. London-based Self MadeHero publishes graphic novels, including a series of Manga Shakespeare adaptations and graphic novel versions of the classics such as Bulgakovs The Master and Margarita and Kaf kas The Trial. This years entrants to the UKYPE award had proved strong competition for Hayley, and she explained after the ceremony how delighted she was to

have won: It is a great honour to win the award and to gain recognition as a small independent in the book industry. We work very hard at Self MadeHero and to receive an award is a huge boost to our morale. More than that, it will mean that more big players in the industry will take us and our work seriously. I think that it is also a boost to the graphic novel and manga community here in the UK, and to all the artists, writers and editors that I work with. The publishing industry trip to Argentina is also going to provide Hayley and Self MadeHero with a timely opportunity to forge new links in a market with which they are looking to work more closely. Self MadeHero has not distributed its books in South America, so I am very keen to talk to Argentine publishers to sell foreign rights to our series, Hayley explained. I will also be interested to see in what way, if any, manga has hit Argentina. And, if as I suspect, it is in its infancy, I think our Manga Shakespeare series will prove attractive for publishers wanting to branch out into manga. I am also keen to see how we may be able to encourage the use of our books in the classroom, and whether the use of Interactive Whiteboard technology has taken off in schools there. Winning the UKYPE award has provided Hayley and Self MadeHero with both prestigious industry recognition for their achievements to date and a unique opportunity to investigate a new foreign market. When looking to the future, Hayley is keen to build on her current success and is preparing to engage with an issue that is currently at the forefront of every publishers mind the digital transition: I plan to continue the production of our printed books we have a pretty rigorous production schedule but I also want to develop our educational resources for teachers and our online digital content. These will be our two main focuses outside of traditional book publishing. British Council & London Book Fair UK Young Publisher of the Year 08: Full Shortlist Tom Chalmers (Legend Press) Helen Conford (Penguin Press) Ed Faulkner (Virgin Books) Ele Fountain (Bloomsbury) Poppy Hampson (Chatto & Windus) Emma Hayley (Self MadeHero) Darren Fuller is studying the Publishing MA at UCL

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Sebastian Faulks at the Oxford Literary Festival

Jo Godfrey was present at an interview with the bestselling author

he opening night of the 2008 Oxford Literary Festival saw Sebastian Faulks interviewed by Sunday Times literary columnist, Peter Kemp. In a surprisingly open interview, Faulks spoke candidly about the secrets of writing a good novel and about his authorship of the forthcoming new James Bond novel, Devil May Care. Although primarily there to promote his new book, Engleby, which was released in mass-market paperback just days before, Faulks was happy to discuss his other works, including bestsellers Birdsong and Charlotte Gray and took a variety of questions from the packed audience in the marquee in the grounds of one of Oxfords most literary colleges, Christ Church. Engleby, a novel set in the present day, is something of a departure for Faulks, who is best known for his sweeping historical novels, usually set in France and generally in a period of war. Asked why he had previously chosen to write about the past, Faulks noted the difficulty of writing successful novels set in contemporary England describing English culture as somewhat self-parodying. Faulks also noted that the secret of writing successfully in a somewhat crowded subject area, such as World War One and World War Two, was to add a new piece of information something that the reader didnt know before. He illustrated this with examples of the building of underground tunnels in Birdsong and French complicity with the Holocaust in Charlotte Gray. When asked about the planning process

for a big novel, such as Birdsong, Faulks likened the process to that of building a bridge across a large river at the start he makes sure he has established at least five core pillars of the plot, and during the writing process he fills in the gaps between them. In doing so, he can leave space for the characters to grow and develop with the story and allow the plot to develop more spontaneously and less rigidly. Engleby was a departure from this method altogether as Faulks notes that the character of Mike Engleby essentially wrote the book himself and the plot was not planned from the beginning. The literary world was somewhat surprised at the decision to make Faulks the author of the forthcoming new James Bond novel, published to mark the 100th anniversary of Ian Flemings birth. Somewhat cynically, Faulks noted that the book would not have got such media coverage or public interest had the author been a more predictable thriller writer. In another departure from Faulks usual writing style, he completed Devil May Care in just six weeks and noted rather pointedly that, in a profession where many struggle to make a living, authors are often forced to distinguish between what they do for love and what they do for money. The talk concluded with questions and Faulks was then free to sign books in the temporary Blackwells set up at Christ Church for the duration of the festival. As I left I noted that the vast pile of Faulks books that had been there at the start was reduced to virtually nothing a sure sign of the enduring popularity of one of Britains bestselling authors. Jo Godfrey is Publishing Editor on Higher Education Law textbooks at Oxford University Press

The literary world was somewhat surprised at the decision to make Faulks the author of the forthcoming new James Bond novel

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Book Review:
Ailah Ahmed

Copy-editing by Barbara Horn

(Horn Editorial Books and the Publishing Training Centre, 2008) Paperback (435 pages) ISBN: 978 0 9553404 1 3 45

arbara Horns book is tailored towards the aspiring copyeditor, proofreader or student who would like to further their understanding of the editorial process. A familiarity with BSI symbols (the symbols used for correcting proofs) is required, but aside from this, as Horn says, no other prior knowledge of publishing is necessary. This book has developed from one of the Publishing Training Centres professional courses Copy-Editing by Distance Learning. This explains why it is more of a manual than some of the other copy-editing books on the market that are designed for experienced editors to use as handbooks or style guides.

Thorough exercises follow each chapter and there are 100 plus pages of model answers that can be found at the back. An introductory chapter entitled The Copy-editors World explains a copy-editors role and their relationship to the author, commissioning editor, desk editor, picture researcher or designer. While proofreaders and editors with some experience can skip this, it is valuable for anyone new to editorial. Horn guides the reader through an overview of the publishing process, from assessing and accepting a text to the copyediting, typesetting, proofreading, collation and indexing of proofs. Chapter one is about marking up text and covers the hierarchy of

headings, numbering, lists and some other structures such as quotations, poetry and epigraphs. There are numerous diagrams and exercises that follow each explanation and they are clear and fairly easy to follow. This is a good starting point for someone looking to build up their knowledge and experience. The explanations and exercises are all based on marking up on hard-copy. Horn does not go into detail about on-screen editing techniques. If this is something you are interested in then I would recommend looking at some of the established handbooks or style guides previously mentioned. Copy-editing is also for reference, with further chapters that provide information about covers and binding, which is quite basic, and then in more detail about prelims title page, imprint page and good examples of copyright notice and moral rights. Horn moves on to endmatter appendices, glossary and notes and reference. A section that informs on legal issues is a good basic introduction to the topic of copyright, ownership, permissions, and infringement and plagiarism. Again, this is a good starting point from which to research further and develop your understanding if you wish to do so. Ive been on an intensive threeday copy-editing course at the PTC which helped to clear up some of the fuzzy areas in my understanding. I can recall learning

to edit a range of text from poetry to graphs and tables. It can be quite challenging, but is a great way to practise. Horn has dedicated a chapter to specialist text which shows how to mark up in detail plays, manuals and the text in cookery books, etc. There are also brief paragraphs on the editing of blurbs and jacket or cover copy. A separate and lengthy chapter is dedicated to tables, technical figures and copy-fitting for editing academic text. At 45 it is quite an expensive book to buy, especially if youre considering editorial or publishing as a career path. In this case it may be worth looking into the Publishing Training Centres list of courses or seeking it out in a library. If you are currently working in publishing then you may want to recommend it to your company. Copy-editing is no doubt a useful text if you are looking for a good overview of the editorial process and accessible information about the technical skills and theoretical grounding required for copy-editing or proofreading.

Copy-editing is available from Book Publishing Books priced 45. www.train4publishing.co.uk Ailah Ahmed is Editorial Assistant at Tindal Street Press

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competition
Down 2. 4. 5. 6. 7. 9. 15. 16. 18. 20. 23. 25. 26. 31. Winner of the 2007 Orange prize (surname) Book passage Surname of the most borrowed author from British libraries in 2007 Oxford publisher Compiler of salary survey Book Award nickname (plural) Edinburgh publisher The money keeps coming back to this publishing CEO (surname) Richards partner Murdochs lot German book fair The big river of books One of Random Houses London homes Chair of the SYP whos lacking tension (surname) Him and his big mouth (surname) This publishing house is a French ax Surname of the chair of the LBF SYP seminar This SYP vice-chair is always in the chase (surname) Costly model author (surname) Youre reading it Acronymn of publishing charity Owners of Mills & Boon Surname of The Bookseller deputy editor that sounds like a lack of vitamin D Avian publisher Publisher based in NW1 Sponsors of the British Book Awards The author of the new Bond (surname) Encyclopedia Cook who cheats (forename) Manga Shakespeare e-reader that could burn books Green-fingered book wholesaler Pottering author (surname) Publisher based in Harlow The Project started on a Friday and ended on a... Across 1. 3. 6. 8. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 17. 19. 21. 22. 24. 27. 28. 29. 30. 32. 33. 34.

The Publishing Training Centre and Horn Editorial Books have just published a new guide for aspiring copy-editors. Copy-editing is normally 45, but were giving away a copy free to the lucky winner of our crossword competition. Just solve the crossword puzzle (left) and youll find that the letters in the shaded squares spell out the title of the Official Magazine of The 2008 London Book Fair. Email that title to inprint@thesyp.org.uk to be in with a chance of receiving a copy of this useful book. The winner will be drawn at random from all the correct entries.

Both a manual for aspiring copy-editors and a useful reference for those with more experience, Copy-editing offers guidance on how to hear the text, check technical figures, suggest changes and apply appropriate styles, impose consistency, and communicate with authors and other colleagues. There is information on working on paper and electronic files, dealing with copyright and, of course, resolving troublesome grammatical problems. Each chapter includes exercises that let you practise what youre learning on material drawn from different kinds of publications aimed at a variety of readers, from children to academics.

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A Whirlwind Romance
Emma Murray reflects on the highs of a fling and the heartache of rejection

have just come out of a whirlwind relationship. We met about three months ago and it was love at first sight. At first, everything was fantastic. I was flattered, complimented at every turn and generally made to feel like a queen. I told all my friends about this new relationship and they agreed that I was on to a good thing. In my heart, I knew that it would work out; it just had to. The courtship I am describing took place between me and a few major publishers, and I can honestly say it was one of the most exciting periods of my life. So how did I end up with the attentions of such sophisticated suitors? Six months ago, I got a call from LA from a well-spoken chap asking for help writing his autobiography. I was a bit suspicious only the other day I took a call from Thailand from a man in his seventies claiming he had a bestseller on his hands he was an expert in S&M and witchery apparently. However, this guy from

LA seemed perfectly genuine. When I googled him, I found 1,420,000 entries news articles, interview clips, documentary footage, the works. With my excellent powers of deduction, I gathered he was quite a well-known media figure; I had just never heard of him before. Over the course of the next few weeks, I interviewed him twice. On some level, everyone thinks they have led a fascinating life, but this man had stories that made my jaw drop. I was confident there was nothing like this on the market and I just knew it would sell. I had to find us an agent. Thanks to the internet, The Bookseller and various SYP talks, I managed to put a half-decent proposal together and, tentatively, sent it off to three agents. Within a week, all three came back, wanting to take the book on. We were now in the very fortunate position of having to choose between agents. Eventually, we made our choice and never had any doubt

that it was the right one. Our agent sent off my revised proposal to twelve publishers; a mixture of majors and independents. They had three weeks to respond. Within 48 hours, my worst fears were realised when four publishers turned it down. A week later, we heard back from two more publishers; it wasnt good news. The waiting was unbearable. In the final week, we heard that four major publishers wanted to meet us. This was where the courtship began: We love the book, they told us. Its fabulous, they said. The writing is excellent. And the most important words of all: We know it will sell. We left each interview ecstatic, just about daring to whisper those magic words to each other: bidding war. We really believed that they would be physically shoving each other out of the way in the scramble to publish the book. I was in love with the whole process. Already, I could visualise the cover, see it on the bookshelves in Waterstones and sense how it would feel in my hands. Now all we had to do was to wait for the verdict. A few days later, it was all over. Not one of them bid for the book. In short, we were dumped. I dont think words can describe the shock and devastation of it. For a few days, a giant tub of ice cream and mountains of chocolate were my only sources of comfort. However, as I emerged from the black fog, I did see a bright side. My agent is great and we are working on a number of projects together. I also met some lovely people in the publishing world who, although they didnt commit to this book, might just say yes to the next one. Relationships are hard, but I am confident that I will find the right one, fall in love with the publishing process all over again and, hopefully, next time, I wont get my heart broken.

Already, I could visualise the cover, see it on the bookshelves

Emma Murray is a freelance copy-editor, proofreader and ghostwriter. Her website is www.editingandbeyond.com

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Oxford Speaker Meeting: A Brief History of Publishing

Faith McDonald reviews a talk from Claire Squires, head of the Ox ford International Centre for Publishing Studies

Claire Squires

he SYP was delighted to see the return of Claire Squires at Oxfords speaker meeting. This time Claire opted for an enjoyably light-hearted approach towards a brief history of publishing, focusing on the differences and similarities over a roughly 130-year span. The audience was shown a series of images side by side and asked to spot the difference, and many curious comparisons were made between the late Victorian period and the present day. The first photos were of the two heads of HarperCollins, past and present: William Collins, the son of the founder of Collins the publishers (which later merged to form HarperCollins) and

Victoria Barnsley, the CEO of HarperCollins today. Claire used this example to illustrate the general shift in publishing from dynastic family publishing firms to huge multimedia conglomerates (HarperCollins, she added, is owned by Rupert Murdoch). This trend from small to big in publishing is arguably the most significant change of the past century or so. The next pair up for discussion was Charles Dickens and Philip Pullman. Some clear similarities Charles Dickens wrote many of his books in serial form, as does Philip Pullman nowadays. I would have thought the commercialisation, adaptation for the screen, and all

the rest of Pullmans work may have been unique to todays market, but evidently Charles Dickens was a hardworking self-promoter. Claire discussed how much of Dickens work was merchandised and adapted for the stage, and explained how he often travelled around the country, and even internationally, for a decent fee. The excitement surrounding each new Dickens novel was not dissimilar to the hubbub surrounding the latest J K Rowling. Modern-day marketing and promotion of authors, Claire concluded, owes much to the Victorian period. After discussing the establishment of the Society of Authors in the 1880s, which went some way to establishing writing as a professional occupation, and the beginnings of the literary agents role, Claire looked at several examples of changing trends in bookselling. With the founding of the Booksellers Association, and the publication of the trade journal The Bookseller, this branch of the industry began to organise itself. Claire looked at how bookstores have changed over the decades since WHSmith first made an appearance in train stations across the country in the late 1800s. The laying down of the railway also saw the invention of the railway novel. One of Claires final slides considered the similarities between the railway novel and the airport novel. Serialised and with

eye-catching covers, these books were designed specifically with the traveller in mind. The production of railway reads is a good example of how the publishing industry responds to changes in society and new technologies. Claire concluded with a single slide of Richard and Judy, offering no corresponding slide because, really, there is nothing they could be compared to! While modernday publishing owes much to its Victorian predecessors, there are still unprecedented changes happening today in publishing and bookselling, such as Richard and Judys Book Club. I cant help but imagine the future of publishing, with all of the exciting innovations happening at present in the world of the web and hand-held readers. Claires talk made it clear that publishers and individual stars within publishing have managed to create a lasting legacy within the industry by understanding its place in society, and knowing how to respond to the ever-changing world with its ever-evolving technologies. If you want to find out more about the history of publishing, Claire recommends History of British Publishing by John Father and the upcoming A Companion to the History of the Book, published by Blackwell Publishing.

Faith McDonald is Production Editor at Taylor and Francis Books

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Book Club Forum

oy A, published by Serpents Tail, is Jonathan Trigells debut novel, and was written when the author was only thirty. The book has won both the John Llewellyn Rhys Prize and the Waverton Award. Before we had even started reading, we were likening Boy A to two books previously read by the London Book Club: We Need to Talk about Kevin and A Million Little Pieces. Having been impressed by those books, we looked forward to Trigells novel. An initial thought was that the storyline often seemed unrealistic. However, we were very impressed by the authors choice of language, and felt that he wasnt shy in using appropriate language in conversations involving the books younger characters. On the other hand, Angela (the golden-haired victim) came across as being a little too articulate for someone who was supposed to be only ten years old. Oddly enough, we were quite enthralled by the minutiae of the crime that the boys had committed. We needed to know what type of knife had been used. Was it physically possible for someone to

Serena Alam and the London Book Club discussed Boy A by Jonathan Trigell

be killed in that particular way? Perhaps this was our groups way of dealing with the trauma associated with such an abominable crime. One person suggested that the story was reminiscent of the Jamie Bulger case, which disturbed them. It was then argued that this could be considered a strength of the book it raised issues rarely discussed in society and reminded us of past news stories that are in danger of being forgotten. The ambiguity of Jacks innocence/ guilt offers conflicting angles from which to view the story, with the psychologists interview seemingly contradicting the impression given by much of the rest of the book. Some of us also considered Boy B (Boy As partner in crime) more interesting than Boy A. The authors decision to make it unclear whether or not Jack dies at the end of the book provoked mixed responses. Some wanted all to be revealed, while others preferred the open-endedness, which left the reader to decide the conclusion for themselves. All in all, the novel was well written, with a compelling storyline.

Serena Alam is Assistant Content Coordinator at SAM Learning

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Ask Ros: Careers Clinic

Advice from the SYPs favourite agony aunt Dear Ros,
I have been a Production Assistant with an academic publisher for a year now, but I am very keen on eventually doing editorial work in trade publishing. How common is it for people to move sideways in the industry in this way? I have a good degree, freelance writing and copy-editing experience, and I am a volunteer writer for a number of websites. I have also done some marketing work. I accepted the job in production because of a scarcity of editorial roles, but the subject matter interested me and I needed to start earning. My fixed-term contract is due to end soon and I would like to know what I can do to boost my chances of getting an interesting editorial role once I relocate to London. Helle, Oxford

Dear Helle,
It is possible to move from one discipline to another in publishing, but I suggest you pause here and consider whether it has to be a move to editorial. There are a variety of roles in publishing that offer intellectual challenges, creativity and the opportunity to shape and develop a book. Think of rights, publicity, international sales and co-editions as well as editorial which can range from proofreading and desk-editing to commissioning and negotiating deals. I am interested in your writing skills, and wonder if you have considered moving into publications or web writing and editing? This is a fast-growing sector. Most large companies need talented writers and editors for their websites, their internal communications, magazines and promotional material (online and print). These companies range from Marks & Spencer and Unilever to charities such as Macmillan Cancer Relief and the NSPCC and organisations such as the British Museum. These roles are often well

paid and offer excellent career paths. However, if you are convinced that trade publishing is your vocation, I suggest you move to London and start working for the publisher you most admire. And dont worry if it is in production if you use your initiative you should be able to build a rewarding career in the discipline of your choice.

Dear Ros,
Ive done three work experience placements and Ive just been offered a fourth. Im not sure I should accept it, as Im worried that too much unpaid work wont look good on my CV. What is your advice? Jane, London

Dear Jane,
I assume that you are also applying for permanent, salaried roles with a range of publishers while gaining your unpaid work experience. My advice to you is to make this quite clear, in a tactful and diplomatic manner of course, to the companies offering you unpaid work. Accept the work but ensure that you will have the opportunity to apply for jobs and attend interviews within the company and elsewhere. In the meantime, use your initiative, be proactive, and make yourself indispensable. You will gain confidence, skills and a network of contacts as well as experience and will find it much easier to find a proper salaried job. And you may well find that the publisher giving you work experience wants to offer you a role as a fully paid employee. Work experience is always a good idea, as long as you use it to your advantage. Ros Kindersley is MD of JFL Recruit Search & Select

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Chairs Column W

hat does it mean to be a Young Publisher these days? One thing I noticed at the London Book Fair was that everything was digitisation-this and e-marketing-that, with certain doomsayers declaring the death of the book as we know it in Q&A sessions at every seminar. It only takes a cursory glance at the way music moguls cling manically to their old ways of selling music, at their very literal expense, to know that the publishers who let their readers determine how theyll buy their books, or access content, will be the winners in the years to come. But is the kind of thinking needed to embrace the digital age, as they would call it, impossible unless you are born with your umbilical cord plugged firmly into an iPod? Of course the answer is no. But it does bring to mind the recurring question Im asked regarding the SYP: when do you stop being a Young Publisher? A very fine question, glad you asked. And the answer should be never. If youve been in publishing for years, decades or since the beginning of time, your experience will have shown the value of fresh approaches to working, including those offered by newer recruits. So while there is plenty the old school can teach us less experienced publishers about how to edit/ produce/publicise/sell a book, the self-styled older publishers (the ones brave enough to turn up to our meetings) seem to appreciate that events run by young publishers could well be something worth checking out. How about a wholesome speaker meeting like the one we enjoyed this month, on Production Ethics, i.e. how does our treatment of the environment and workers in the Far East (and beyond) stack up? Or perhaps, at our Canon Tales event, youre tempted to wonder why the SYP would give over a stage for a night in July to a dozen authors, artists and designers to make the point that, despite the ongoing thirst for sales figures, publishing is still a creative industry. In September were getting down with the MyFace and BookTube crowd, learning how not to social-marketise time and cash down the proverbial clicker. And looking ahead Stay tuned; theres a lot more to come. Whatever strikes your fancy, and whether you are a Young Publisher or just feel the urge to be inspired by one, theres always another chair (and wineglass) ready to welcome you along.

Jon Slack is working in Sales and Publicity at Taschen UK