Before I started my placement for a magazine images of Meryl Streep sprung to mind. What would I be getting myself in for? Surely long hours and piles of admin. Well partly, yes. But also a great team, lots of support and one-of-a-kind opportunities.

I was lucky to achieve a placement at The Media Company Publications Ltd – an Edinburgh based magazine publisher who run Foodies Magazine, Living Abroad Magazine, Edinburgh Festival Magazine and organise the seven national Foodies Festivals. Researching the company before I started I imagined the office to be filled with rows and rows of sales and editorial staff. However, as I entered the small basement office I found a relatively small team of 13 with freelancers making up the rest of the design, production and marketing departments. It shocked me to find that a team this small achieved so much – a daunting prospect for your first work placement!

I wanted to take advantage of my opportunity with a team this small and so asked to work in the marketing department. This meant promoting Foodies Festivals, beginning with the Hampton Court Palace event that would take place in a few weeks. I was given guidance of how to speak to bloggers – a fearsome bunch I was told, yikes! – and how the company usually markets it’s events. From here, however, I was given pretty free reign. I could contact companies to offer free tickets, send promotional materials, request reviews, send gift bags to radio DJ’s… whatever I thought best. I took the guidance but was thrilled to find my suggestions to be encouraged also.

Because The Media Company has such a small team it has been my job to fulfil a partially administrative role, compiling invoices and answering the phone. But I can’t complain – this gave me a greater insight into the company, and gave me experience with the business side of the industry. Further to this, working in a small team means that your efforts are noticed and you get the opportunity to have a say. It has been really wonderful having an chance like this.

It has been an invaluable opportunity to be able to assist in the marketing of such popular events, and feel that my work was making a difference. Before beginning my placement I was fairly sure that I wanted to work in marketing, though I had never actually done so. The Media Company Publications Ltd let me find out for myself if I really liked it – and I do, I love it! It’s hard work, it can be long hours; but when you see your efforts make an impact, it is so rewarding.

Before starting at Palimpsest, I wasn’t entirely sure what the precise role of the typesetter was in the publishing process. I had read about this branch of publishing, but quite often it is only mentioned in passing, and in relation to the activities of publishing houses rather than in its own right. In this respect, my time at Palimpsest has been illuminating. I have been frankly amazed by the sheer volume of work that can pass through the office in a single day, and the vital position that typesetters like Palimpsest hold in the industry. In spite of this constant activity, everybody I have had contact with has been friendly, approachable and more than happy to help with any questions or problems I have had. I have had no previous experience in an office environment and was impressed that a company can be so productive and yet also retain a relaxed and friendly atmosphere.

In my first week in the proofreading department with Steven and the girls I completed several revises and one full read. Though Steven may have thought this would be boring (it wasn’t!) I have genuinely enjoyed putting the skills I have learned at Napier into practice. The feedback I was given was timely and helpful and the exercises I completed really highlighted the importance of quality of output for a company like Palimpsest and the attention to detail that goes into every page.

During this first week I also toured the office, sitting in on operational assistance, customer service, pre-production and production. Though I wasn’t with each department for very long (understandably they were all very busy) each one gave me an insightful outline of the work done in each area and how they all come together as an efficient and cohesive whole. I was also very happy to have time to sit in on the Palimpsest epub operations and find out how this is affecting the way that books are produced and how the company is adjusting to this development.

My second week in the production department was equally as beneficial. I was looking forward to getting in some practical InDesign work and I appreciate the effort the production manager went to in order to fit me into the department during a busy work week and provide me with worthwhile and beneficial exercises. Even having only got through two sets of revises, I have picked up many tips and tricks of the trade on InDesign just by listening to and watching the operators at work. I even got a little Photoshop experience into the bargain!

The variety of activity on the placement has been stimulating and challenging and more industry-relevant than I might have hoped for. Two weeks in the same department may have been a little much, but moving around and sampling each area has given me a far greater understanding of the processes involved in typesetting than I came with.

At no point during my time at Palimpsest have I felt lost, wandering or forgotten about and I think that is the thing most placement students worry about. It is clear to me that the aim of the company in offering this placement is to benefit the student rather than themselves and this is commendable indeed.

www.palimpsest-bp.co.uk

Image used with kind permission of Palimpsest Book Production Ltd.

I am researching a photographic guide to add to Pocket Mountain’s collection of pocket-sized books. Despite being an idea in the making at the moment, it involves drinking a lot of tea and coffee and spending time in the cafes of Edinburgh, photographing or the simple pleasure of reading. However it’s not all play and no work. After asking if it’s okay to take the photographs in the first place, I spend time talking to owners about their café, talking to staff, getting recommendations for other places to visit and trying to find out more about the philosophy behind the café. I am also reviewing the café (only good things), writing about 200 words on each one. This was difficult for me at first; having not really written anything for a commercial purpose before, but it is much easier now, and I have developed an enthusiasm for writing. Most people are fine with me wandering about with a camera; however, I’ve been met with suspicion by some others, wanting to know about who I work for – playing the student card always works, though I remember to take my business cards with me now.

I also thought I would need an office, a 9–5 kind of job but I’m enjoying managing my own time and juggling placement, work, dissertation and our book projects. This placement has made me re-evaluate my idea of ‘a job’.

The one thing I’m developing more than anything else is confidence: confidence in talking to people, confidence with the camera, and confidence in writing.  It definitely is an enjoyable placement, which has lasted more than the required time and will hopefully last longer. And I’ve gotten to drive to Moffat twice so far.

www.pocketmountains.com

Love Crumbs on West Port

Inside Word Power Books

I was excited about doing a placement at Word Power Books, an independent and self-proclaimed radical bookshop in central Edinburgh, because there are books there that you would never find in large chain shops: bilingual children’s books; self-published magazines and pamphlets; and fiction from around the world. I was also keen to see what life was like on the other side of publishing.

My work at Word Power has been varied. I got to design new category signs, to make the shelves easier to navigate. I served drinks to guests at the launch of Jenni Fagan’s The Panopticon (chosen as a Waterstone’s 11 title). I also did some stocktaking, which helped me to get familiar with a lot of the shop stock, and tempted me to buy a few books.

Mainly, I have been observing rep meetings. It’s interesting to see how a potential book is pitched to a bookseller, and just how quickly they will flick through each AI sheet before making a decision (each has about three seconds). Apparently, the three most important things that a bookseller looks for are the price, the cover and the format, so AI sheets that have this information displayed clearly will stand a better chance of being picked up.

Each rep had a different selling technique. Some would try to push for the manager to take books she wasn’t sure about. Others were more relaxed, knowing the type of books she was interested in, and let her make her own mind up, happy to take an order for just one book if that’s all she was interested in. The reps often commented on how friendly it was in the bookshop, compared to others they had been to.

I have found out a lot through working in a bookshop that never would have otherwise. For instance, although a publisher might think a pure white cover hardback book looks nice, every bookseller knows that within 5 minutes of it being out on display, it will be grubby with fingerprints and dirt. When designing book covers, I had never considered practicality along with aesthetics before.

Word Power have been keeping up with the times and have introduced a website, much like Amazon, where you can order books with the click of a button that they will dispatch. I was surprised to find that their orders come from all over the world, even from as far away as Australia.

Doing work experience in a bookshop has made me feel like I have a more rounded knowledge of the book trade. Before, I had only ever considered things from a publisher’s point of view, and not thought about how a bookseller makes a living.

When I was at the London Book Fair in April, it seemed like every sector of the publishing world was separated, not listening to the concerns of each other. Authors lamented: “We’re expected to speak to our readers via social media, but publishers don’t teach authors how to and don’t ask them if they want to”, while publishers advised us to “Always go with the self-promoting author”.

After working in Word Power, my opinion is even stronger now that publishers and booksellers should be communicating more if they want to navigate the challenges of the digital age.

You can find out more about Word Power Books by visiting their website, or by following them on Facebook or Twitter.

During my placement with Vagabond Voices, I had the fortune of attending two of their launches:  Allan Massie’s Surviving (to conclude a memorable first day) and The Lost Art of Losing by Gregory Norminton, the second book of aphorisms to be published by Vagabond Voices.

After the latter event, I approached Gregory to ask about the unusual form of the aphorism, and why we haven’t seen more of them in print, to which he replied, “I suppose the perception that no one would purchase a book of aphorisms is the main reason we don’t see more in print.” Among those who had arrived to pick up a copy of Gregory’s “little book” were Alasdair Gray, Bernard MacLaverty, and another of Vagabond Voices’ writers, Chris Dolan.

The seemingly irresistible little volume is perfectly proportioned to be picked up and dipped into for moments at a time; as Gregory summarized, with his characteristic concision and style,  “After all, when should the book be read if not in snatches: on the Tube between proximate stations, or for a moment while brushing your teeth?”

When asked about his experiences with Vagabond Voices, Gregory lauded the creative support and personal touch which developed through working with a small publisher, and described the benefits of the intimate author-publisher collaboration which could be achieved in this setting: “Working with a small publisher, specifically Vagabond Voices, I find an attention to detail, a care and a commitment to each book, which can be missing from bigger publishing houses. The former has to nurture, within its limited means, every hatchling” – a statement with which, as an intern of Vagabond Voices, I can readily identify.

Men assert, women know.

Toleration should not be confused with respect. Of course you are entitled to your opinion – as am I to treat it with contempt.

Fearless” is an epithet which bigots apply to themselves. An open mind grapples constantly with dread.

http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/Lost-Art-Losing-Gregory-Norminton/9781908251060

@Vagabondvoices

According to BBC Radio 4, ‘in 2012, the seventh year of higher fees, students reported an average of about 14 hours scheduled teaching per week – almost the same as it was in 2007. But this is as low as seven hours a week in some disciplines.’ (Hannah Richardson, BBC News education reporter)

NOT true of us.

Study MSc Publishing at Edinburgh Napier University and you will be studying/working much more than this. Of course, we only want the most dedicated and committed students who are willing to go the extra mile. Our accreditation (PTC) proves that we know what employers want. In one year, you will have completed 6 taught modules averaging about 3–6 hours each, and then there is the dissertation which can mean approx. 6–10 hours of one-to-one contact with your supervisor.

As Universities UK state, we have been ‘improving libraries, IT facilities and other aspects of student life as well as improving teaching.’

We do all this, but without any decrease in teaching time or timetabled classes.

When I first met Clare Cain, CEO of Fledgling Press, I was excited by the prospect of gaining experience with a company passionate about who they represent and not just about profits. Clare agreed to meet me for an interview at the National Library of Scotland where we discussed publishing over coffee. Clare quizzed me about my work for my MSc Publishing course and the skills I’d gained so far, whilst filling me in on vital information about Fledgling Press. On top of this Clare was interested in the areas I wanted to gain experience in and talked about some Fledgling Press projects which would provide me with opportunities to expand my skills. Immediately I felt that Clare was concerned that, aside from hopefully making myself thoroughly useful doing work for the company, I would also gain an enjoyable and valuable experience through the process. I remember her particularly agreeing to offer me editorial experience —another step on my way to becoming an editor!

Clare and Kate hard at work!
Photo credits: Ellie Bush

The following Monday I was invited to one of the weekly Fledgling Press meetings in the New Town where I met the founder of the company, Zander Wedderburn. Already on my first day I remember feeling included in the meeting, being asked my opinion on Fledgling Press projects. It was clear I wasn’t just there as a tea-maker but was involved as a member of a team working on the development and promotion of work by new Scottish writers.

From that day forward I have been involved in editing manuscripts, final read-throughs of work on their way to print, creating pages and designs for an innovative new Fledgling Press catalogue (it’s going to be made out of bookmarks—ingenious!), been initiated into the weird and wonderful world of first-time author submissions as well as assisting with the judging of a book cover competition at the Edinburgh College of Art. I ended up relishing my Mondays with Fledgling Press. Apparently there is never a dull moment in a small independent publishing house. Working alongside another intern, Kate McNamara, it was all hands on deck as we worked with Clare from her home in Portobello.

What I gained from working with Clare was much more than just practicing my editorial skills. As well as learning how a small independent company manages to grow year upon year, from a tiny company to a not-so-tiny company, I also learned how it feels to be a valued member of a publishing team. The responsibility given to me by Clare and Zander provided me with not just practical experience but confidence in my decision to work in editorial. But more than this, I have a lovely few weeks working alongside Clare, Zander and Kate to look back on and am very grateful that I was able to work with such a nice group of people.

If you would like to learn more about Fledgling Press and their titles please visit their website at www.fledglingpress.co.uk or follow them on Twitter and Facebook.

The students were impressed with the sheer scale of production and the specialist processes used in Notebook and Diary manufacture.

Thanks to Graham Ellis and and his team for a highly informative tour.

See their website: www.letts.co.uk/

I was born in Poland and for twenty-seven years of my life, apart from the first six when my reading skills were fairly poor, I have been exposed to literature and books from around the world. Publishing in my home country went through a very difficult journey and non-Polish titles allowed me to travel around the world in my imagination. My favourite writers are from Albania, Chile, Hungary, and Russia.

I heard a lot about high reading standards in the UK. On my arrival I was looking forward to experience a wonderful voyage through the bookshop shelves where I would find literature that would enrich my personal library. When I was looking for titles by Sandor Marai one bookseller suggested that it would be wiser to learn Hungarian because translations are not something which I would find in the UK book market.

Just 3% of books published last year in the UK have been translations.[2]

Through my work placement in Vagabond Voices I understood how difficult it is to publish successful translations. It’s a time and money consuming process, with little chance of any financial profits. Beside these difficulties there are people like Allan Cameron (Vagabond Voices director) who believes in the importance of bringing books from abroad into the UK market.

“To discover the most advanced ideas in literature, you need to know what is happening elsewhere, and however vast the English-speaking world may be, it is still thinking through the closed mechanisms of a single language.”[3]

This small publishing house was launched in 2008 and was based on Lewis, until recently moving to Glasgow. Vagabond Voices specialise in translations of contemporary literature, political polemics and rants.

Inside Main Point Books
Photograph by Ewelina Wasacz

People going in and out, stopping in wonder, browsing through the shelves, chatting or celebrating the silence – this is how it looks like here every day. There are works by Walter Scott or Leo Tolstoy waiting to be read again. There is art, feminism, travel, and sport books ready to be picked up. People from all walks of life are drawn to this place. No wonder. It’s magical.

You may ask ‘What are you doing here’? I’m being lucky, I answer. I’m having a great pleasure working for Jennie Renton, the owner of Main Point Books, which is an independent bookshop. As it happens, Jennie is also a founder of Textualities.net, a website dedicated to books and writing, and a freelancer involved in production, editorial and publicity activities.

When imaging my placement I thought of someone passionate and knowledgeable about publishing who would show me their craft. And this is exactly who Jennie is. However, I also pictured this person as someone working in a formal, modern, spacious office full of Macs and other technologically-advanced devices. I couldn’t be more wrong when it turned out to be a lovely bookshop, with a friendly atmosphere and hi-tech gadgets kept to minimum. I prefer this cosiness much more to a typical office environment.

My placement is a basket full of development opportunities. One day I work on internal page design for a football book that is just about to be published. InDesign, action! Another day I find myself helping out with the biggest purchase ever made in the shop by one of the top hotels in Edinburgh stocking up their Scottish-themed library. But that is not all. There is also the production side to my placement when I oversee the progress of publication of Edinburgh Review, a literary magazine released three times a year by the University of Edinburgh. The quality of work of both well-known and unknown writers is outstanding. My job is to design the internal pages of the magazine. One busy afternoon I also have a chance to uncover the complex process of copy-editing.

All these activities create a unique opportunity to discover  and learn different aspects of publishing business. I’m never bored here. How can I be if there are so many interesting tasks to complete? I work in various locations: Jennie’s shop, Edinburgh Review’s office, the Napier University campuses, which adds to the general excitement of my placement. Before I started this unforgettable journey through joys and challenges of a freelancer’s work I had not expected to be involved in so many activities. They truly allowed me to get a taste of a real-life ups and downs of working in the industry.

If you feel like having a good read and an enjoyable conversation get up and pop in to  this superb bookshop at 77 Bread Street, Edinburgh, EH3 9AH or get yourself a cup of tea and enter the online world of literature at http://textualities.net/.