Entering the MSc Edinburgh Napier Publishing programme brought many opportunities alongside side many learning objectives. One of the opportunities that were presented to us was to become a member or a volunteer of SYP Scotland, the Society of Young Publishers, Scotland. Grace and Hayley, the Co-Chair and Conference Lead (Now Co-Chair) came to our cohort in the first semester of the year to speak about SYP I immediately knew it was something I would like to partake in. To volunteer on the conference committee and be a part of the conference team you were advised to submit an application form. In this application form, there were sections asking you to describe your past experiences relevant to conference committee roles and why you would like to be on the conference team. The form had specific roles that you could apply for such as speaker team, social media team and exhibition. After reading each role description I knew that I was most enthusiastic about the speaker team this involved getting to produce panel and workshop ideas, reaching out to people in the industry and working closely with the social media team- it all sounded right up my alley! I nervously applied and eagerly waited to hear back, hoping I had succeeded.


In October I received an email confirming the good news, I had been accepted onto the Conference Committee 2023. The next step was to look forward to our first committee meeting, taking place on Zoom where each member would introduce themselves, I remember feeling anxious to meet new people and make a good impression but thankfully a few of my classmates were also successful in their application and it was nice to see some familiar faces. As everyone from the committee introduced themselves, I soon realised that I had no reason to be nervous as everyone was so welcoming and friendly. Through these meetings, I was pleased to hear that I was to be a part of the speaker team and that I would be working with three other people, it was comforting to know that I would not be tackling the role on my own and would have others to turn to for advice. During the weeks of discussing the theme and format of the conference, it was decided that the conference would be about skill seeking, a place for upcoming and young publishers who are looking to break into the industry. The conference was also agreed to be in a hybrid form to accommodate those that might not be able to make it on the day, a common approach since the effects of Covid-19. I was in charge of Zines, Indies and Non-Trads and One Ticket to Freelance.

Photo creds: Lisa Lavelle

After the panels and workshop ideas were confirmed, it was the speaker team’s responsibility to begin researching who we thought would be best suited to speak at the event. The process seemed daunting, but the SYP Committee members assured us that they would be there to answer any questions and help us along the way. I began researching different people in the publishing industry and their backgrounds, looking out for any experiences they had that would be beneficial for attendees at the conference to hear about. As the weeks progressed, it was time to start contacting our preferred speakers, I typed up an email introducing myself and why I would like them to speak at the chosen panel and crossed my fingers that they would accept. Understandably there were a few rejections, the publishing industry is fast-paced and requires a lot of time and attention for each publication and product. I had to remind myself to not feel too disheartened and that the potential speaker was not saying no to me personally but was declining the offer to attend the event. I continued with my research for the perfect speaker and after weeks of some “no’s” and “maybe’s”, I finally had a complete panel and workshop organised. Zines, Indies and Non-Trads were to be Alex Longson Command+i), Moira Forsyth (Sandstone Press) and Axe Marnie (Two Rats Press), chaired by Peter Houston (Flipping Pages). The Freelancer Workshop was confirmed to be run by Cathy Tingle (The Doc Editor).

The week of the conference I organised a recorded Zoom call with the panellists of Zines, Indies and Non-Trads who were all fascinated in how they spoke about their industry experiences and provided advice. Seeing the panel, I had planned for weeks all come together was a proud moment. The day of the conference was both nerve-racking and exciting, seeing all the speakers from different panels and the audience members make their way into the venue was a surreal moment. As the day continued, I made sure to find the speaker I was in contact with, Cathy Tingle and introduce myself. I expressed how much I was looking forward to her workshop and made my way to the auditorium to find a seat. Throughout her workshop, I sat full of content, as I watched people interact and enjoy themselves, confident that applying for the Conference Committee was one of the best things I could have done.