When I was selecting which university to attend to pursue a publishing masters degree, one major question I kept in mind was if the university would offer the opportunity to gain real-world work experience. Edinburgh Napier’s “Publishing and Professional Development” module stood out to me, and was one of the deciding factors that led to me moving to Scotland.
As the module approached, I was met with another big question—which placements should I apply for and accept? I’m someone who knows that I want to work somewhere in the book industry, but not exactly where, and the wide range of opportunities presented to us was daunting.
Early in January, the cohort was offered the opportunity to apply for a placement with author Linda Strachan. Linda has written a variety of book across genre and age groups, but is perhaps most well known for her Hamish McHaggis series, following cheerfully designed characters as they travel across some of Scotland’s most well-known landmarks and cities.
This work placement differed from the majority of the other offerings of the course, most of which consisted of working with a company instead of an individual. I saw this as an opportunity to gain insight into the industry from the point of view of the people who drive the entire basis of publishing: the authors.
I jumped at the opportunity to work with Linda, and quickly found myself embedded into the planning of a “Hamish McHaggis 20th Anniversary Tour” through Scotland. I was allocated to the “Activities” team, where I created materials, guides, and print outs that would actually be used for the events.
I would highly recommend taking on a placement with an individual author, especially for the following three reasons:
- Industry Networking: Although all work placements will have an element of networking an meeting new people, I found that working with Linda was an invaluable experience, and I was able to develop a great working connection with her.
- Hands-on Work: Perhaps most exciting to me was the fact that the work I was doing was work that would actually be used. I created directions and guides for activities, designed printable “Hamish Passports,” and assembled large packets that would be distributed to event venues. None of my work felt like “busywork,” everything was important, and everything had a purpose.
- The Author Experience: Working with a publishing house is a great opportunity, and would give a complementary point of view to the business-side of publishing that we focus on in class, but working with Linda also allowed me to learn more specifically about publishing from the author’s point of view.
What I learned from this placement will stick with me as I enter the professional publishing world, and I’ve left it eager to learn even more.
If you’re looking for fun, family-friendly activities this summer, check out Linda’s website at www.hamishmchaggis.co.uk/events/ to see the events schedule, or print out at-home activities!
Hamish McHaggis text & illustrations © Linda Strachan, Sally J Collins
MSc Publishing – Industry Accredited Postgraduate Degree 