Welcome to the Society of Young Publishers

An SYP event

Established in 1949, the Society of Young Publishers is open to anyone in publishing or a related trade (in any capacity) – or who is hoping to be soon.

Run by a team of dedicated volunteers our aim is to help assist, inform and enthuse anyone trying to break into the publishing industry or progress within it.

We organise a large number of events, which you can learn more about on this website, and publish a regular newsletter called InPrint. Some services, such as job ads, are available only to members.

If you're not already a member, why not join now?


More about us : Contact us : Committee : Constitution

The latest from the SYP

Digital Publishing Certificate

26 August 2010

Are you interested in digital publishing? The Oxford International Centre for Publishing Studies are developing a new Digital Publishing Certificate, aimed at those in junior publishing roles looking to further ... read the full story

InDigital

Jobs

Events


Commissioning Editor, London: 9
Frank had been gone for days.I saw his smashed eReader sitting forlornly on his desk, on a pile of gently crushed A4 pages that resembled a carpet...more
Added: 20 August 2010

The Great British SYP Picnic
On 14 August members of the SYP gathered for the society’s annual picnic on Hampstead Heath. Those of you who th...more
Added: 19 August 2010

SYP @Phoenix
Thursday 22nd July saw the second in the @Phoenix series of networking events for publishing professionals, at the Phoenix Artist Club. A charismati...more
Added: 29 July 2010

London Book Club: June
For June book club, we read The Other Hand by Chris Cleave. For those of you who don’t already know, this is the book whose jacket blurb beg...more
Added: 29 July 2010

The SYP Pub Quiz
At the beginning of June, the SYP hosted another round of its famous pub quiz, as part of The Book Trade Charity's Action Week. Teams from the publish...more
Added: 29 July 2010

Notes from a Small Book Fair: Part 2
This seminar, organised by Nielsen, covered how to go about setting up a publishing company; what you should do and, maybe more importantly, what you ...more
Added: 11 June 2010

How to get into Publishing
There can be no doubt that this year’s volcano stricken London Book Fair was a noticeably quieter affair. One thing there is never a shortage of...more
Added: 05 June 2010

London Book Club: May
May’s book club choice was The British Museum is Falling Down, by David Lodge, a comic novel set in the 60s, in which we spend a day with Ad...more
Added: 26 May 2010
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Managing Editor New today! (log in to view)
A vacancy has arisen for a highly organised managing editor at Athena Press. Educated to degree level, the successful candidate must have a minimum of ...more
Closes: 09 September 2010

Export Sales Co-ordinator New today! (log in to view)
We are looking for an enthusiastic team player to support the Export Sales Manager to ensure that all potential and confirmed deals are efficiently se ...more
Closes: 05 September 2010

Marketing Internship (log in to view)
Leading independent international publisher Zed Books is currently recruiting interns to work in their marketing and publicity d ...more
Closes: 20 September 2010

Personal Assistant (log in to view)
About Us Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford, which furthers the University’s objective of excellence in resear ...more
Closes: 17 September 2010

Publishing Assistant, Law Journals (7 month fixed term contract) (log in to view)
About Us Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford, which furthers the University’s objective of excellence in resear ...more
Closes: 17 September 2010

Commissioning Assistant (log in to view)
About Us Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford, which furthers the University’s objective of excellence in resear ...more
Closes: 17 September 2010

Editorial Assistant - 9 month contract (log in to view)
Zed Books is a leading international, independent publisher.  We publish radical, cutting-edge books for academic and trade markets.  Our pu ...more
Closes: 10 September 2010

Editorial Assistant (log in to view)
We are looking for an editorial assistant to join the Sphere fiction team.   Sphere publishes the very best commercial fiction. From pulse-poun ...more
Closes: 06 September 2010
  • SYP events
  • Other events

Book Club
Major Brendan Archer travels to Ireland - to the Majestic Hotel and to the fiancee he acquired on a rash afternoon's leave three years ago. Despite he ...more
06 September 2010

From Cover to Cover: The Importance of Design in Publishing
Don't judge a book by its cover? Whoever came up with that proverb clearly didn’t realise quite how influential a striking cover image and an en ...more
29 September 2010

Book Club
Winner of the 2001 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction from the author 'Wonder Boys'. 'The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay' is a heart-wrenching stor ...more
06 October 2010


Kingston University Publishing Conference
After the success of last year’s publishing conference at Kingston University, another is being organising on the 3rd and 4th Septembe ...more
03 September 2010

SfEP's 21st Annual Conference
SfEP's 21st Annual Conference: Succeeding Through Innovation Whitcombe Lecture This will be delivered by Trevor Dolby, head of the Random House i ...more
04 September 2010

Editorial Training - Freelance Proofreading seminar
Editorial Training will be running a new seminar on Tuesday 21st September, entitled Freelance Proofreading. The event is designed to help aspiring pr ...more
21 September 2010

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SYP news


SYP supports the DSC South Asian Literature Festival

21 July 2010

The SYP’s former Chair Jon Slack, and current committee member, Bhavit Mehta, have embarked on a new project by directing UK’s first ever South Asian literature festival, which will be running over 15 days from October 15th – 31st in London and across the UK.

The DSC South Asian Literature Festival will showcase a cast of well-known personalities from the worlds of literature, journalism and performing arts. The Festival, which will follow the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, has confirmed Channel 4′s longstanding broadcast journalist Jon Snow, prized writer Romesh Gunesekera, author and musician Amit Chaudhuri and from Pakistan’s troubled political dynasty, Fatima Bhutto, among others to feature in the two-week programme.

The Festival will imaginatively combine South Asian literature with various other disciplines and art forms, including journalism, dance, visual art and music to explore the social, political and cultural issues that are shaping today’s world.

The SYP are proud to support the Festival. Good luck Jon and Bhav!

They are building a team of volunteers to help out during the build-up to October, and over the busy Festival period. If you would like to find out more on this and other events taking place, visit http://www.southasianltfest.com.   


Publishing Recruitment - Research Study

20 July 2010

The worldwide publishing industry employs several million people in a variety of roles and publishers need efficient and successful methods for finding suitable recruits. How different publishers tackle this – and how individuals find suitable vacancies – is the subject of this research. Our findings will provide valuable information for all participants about the different methods used to manage the recruitment process; what works and where improvements can be made.

Please help us to build this picture by taking our short online survey – whether you are involved in the recruitment process or have experience of finding suitable vacancies for yourself.

Access the online survey. As a "thank you" we are offering Amazon vouchers to some participants.

We are also hoping to hold a couple of focus group meetings in Oxford and London. If you would like to take part, or if you have any comments that you would like to discuss about this research, please contact Pippa Smart, PSP Consulting, or visit our website.


Bookcareers Job Club

01 July 2010

Are you unemployed and from the UK Book Trade?  Then you might qualify for free help from the bookcareers.com job club. 

The job club has been ongoing since September 2009 and so far over 25 people have successfully returned to work within the industry.  Bookcareers.com use their specialist expertise in job hunting within the book industry to help support you during this difficult time.  To find out more information www.bookcareers.com/jobclub/initiative.html

To apply for a space please email jobclub@bookcareers.com


Play Your Part in Shaping Future Skills

15 June 2010

Did you go to the London Book Fair this year? Were you at the SYP session on 'How to Get Into Publishing'? If yes, you may remember me.

I was the the nervous looking woman on the panel, hands shaking as I tried to tweet, while I looked across the 160 people in the audience with abject terror. The brief was to talk about the research Skillset had completed in 2008 into the skills that publishers look for in new entrants.

I pulled out 9 tips that outlined the main skills and attributes that employers had said they look for when recruiting. Here's the list in brief or you can see a copy of the slides on the Skillset blog

1. Positive, can-do attitude
2. Research & study skills
3. Technical & digital understanding/capability
4. Good communication
5. High levels of literacy & numeracy
6. Organisational skills
7. Project management
8. Problem solving
9. Team working

As I mentioned in my blog post, I was struck by the level of engagement and attention from the audience, particularly by the thoughtful and challenging questions in the Q&A session at the end. You asked about how to break the cycle of needing work experience, but not being able to gain work experience without it; the struggle to survive while undertaking unpaid work experience, particularly in London; and the apparent age discrimination several people felt they had encountered. These were articulate questions full of passion, and I felt they demonstrate the commitment - and frustrations - people trying to get into the industry have.

Skillset undertakes an ongoing research programme which includes understanding what the skills issues are from an employer, employee and freelance perspective. Which is why I'm writing this blog. We have just launched the Skillset's Creative Media Workforce Survey: a major online survey that provides the most comprehensive profile of working life in the industry ever produced.

The survey will measure:

  • Training needs and experiences
  • Qualifications
  • Working patterns
  • Future plans
  • Income
  • Demographics


And Publishing is included for the very first time.

If you are an employee or freelancer working in publishing, please make sure your voice is heard. It takes only 15 minutes to complete the online survey.

You may already have seen this in the SYP newsletter and if you have already taken part, thank you.

For everyone else, please do it now! Forward on to your friends and colleagues. Make sure your skills needs are taken into account.
I'd love to be able to include the findings in next year's London Book Fair careers seminars (assuming the Committee invites me back!).

Suzanne Kavanagh is the Publishing Sector Manager for Skillset, the Sector Skills Council for Creative Media. She works with employers, individuals, trainers and educators to ensure the workforce has the right skills to keep the sector competitive. Have you got any questions? Contact Suzanne via @sashers or suzannek@skillset.org. More information and advice is available at: www.skillset.org/publishing.


The SYP Mentoring Scheme 2010

07 April 2010

The SYP is pleased to announce an exciting new six-month Mentoring Scheme that will begin in May 2010 and run for the next six months. The scheme is aimed at those SYP members who would benefit from having a ready source of industry advice and support in the early stages of their publishing career. Do you have a goal or objective which could be realised through productive support, discussion, encouragement or impartial advice from an experienced industry professional? If so we want to hear from you!

Applications are encouraged across a range of publishing areas in both academic and trade publishing, including within Sales, Marketing, Publicity and Production.

The mentoring scheme is inspired by Gordon Graham, founding editor of the publishing journal LOGOS and former CEO of Butterworths. Through this scheme, we wish to recognise Mr Graham’s outstanding contribution to international publishing fellowship.

What is mentoring?

Mentoring is about one person helping another to achieve an important goal. It is a two way process which aims to be both objective and confidential in providing personal career advice.

What will the scheme provide?

- Access to a ready and impartial source of advice, encouragement and support.
- Mentors are ideally placed to provide a wide understanding of publishing issues and challenges.
- Advice on how to adapt quickly and to find an individual approach within the industry.
- A focus on skills and problem solving.

 About the scheme

- Limited initially to 20 places, mentors will be drawn from a wide sector background in both trade and academic publishing.
- The scheme will run for 6 months, until December 2010.
- Mentor and mentee will meet 3 times for a minimum of 2 hours each. This is subject to negotiation at the discretion of the mentor.
- The scheme will be confidential and career-focussed. Both parties must understand and agree to the scheme guidelines which will be supplied to successful applicants.

For more information about the SYP Mentoring Scheme, why not check out the blog?

How to apply

Access the form entry here. The closing date for applications is 24th May. Successful applicants will be notified shortly thereafter. Any queries can be directed to Jason Mitchell, Mentoring Scheme Co-ordinator, at SYPMentoring@gmail.com



The SYP is kindly supported by:
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The London Book Fair logo Orion logo JFL Search and Selection logo DIPNET logo PTC logo Editorial Training logo