Get Into Publishing Panel with the 2024 Trailblazer Award Winners at the London Book Fair

Posted on March 25, 2024 in INTO, UK

Every year, the London Book Fair runs the Trailblazer Awards, in partnership with the Society of Young Publishers, the Publishers Association, and Book Brunch. The Trailblazer Award celebrates professionals in the first ten years of their career who have demonstrated creativity and innovation and had a positive impact on the industry.

At London Book Fair 2024, SYP UK Events Officer Ellie Gorton was joined by the winners of the 2024 Trailblazer Award. This year’s winners are an incredibly impressive group from all sectors of the industry and the discussion about their careers so far, their hopes for the future and their advice for those trying to break into the industry, was an incredibly engaging and informative one. We have captured some of their top advice for those looking to get into the industry below.

Try new things

One top tip from the Trailblazers was to ‘not be afraid to try things out and put yourself in uncomfortable positions to learn something’! This was a perspective shared by many with one flagging that it is ‘ok to make mistakes, you learn from those’. This perspective would be comforting to many hopefuls and young professionals. 

Your voice matters

The Trailblazers also spoke to the value we have as individuals within the industry. Humairaa Dudhwala advises to try not to ‘lose sight of your ultimate goals’ when getting into and developing within the publishing industry. ‘Young people remember: your voice has value’, added Molly Powell. In Renae Prince’s words: ‘You are needed. Your input is needed to see things differently’. 

Remember your limits

Another key theme in the advice shared on the panel was the importance of not taking on too much at once: ‘There’s no shame in saying no if the workload isn’t manageable’, they noted. Once you’ve got your foot in the door of the industry, you want to do anything you can to stay there, but taking on too much can sometimes do the opposite. It’s important to seek out new opportunities and to be active and involved in lots of different projects, but it’s just as important to make sure you’re not stretching yourself too thin. Burnout is common in many workplaces, and in the publishing industry in particular, it’s a valuable skill to learn how to balance workload and other commitments while knowing your personal limits. 

Find a mentor

The panelists also discussed the importance of mentors, particularly the lack of mentors from underrepresented backgrounds in the industry. They expressed that when entering the industry, they often struggled to find people who looked like them, or who came from similar backgrounds. Seeking out a mentor in the industry, particularly one who might have a similar background to you, is a great way to gain confidence in your role or in your applications and to get some guidance on how and when to take the next steps of your career. They discussed the SYP mentorship programme as a great way for meeting other people from underrepresented backgrounds and also for gaining confidence in the industry, despite not feeling represented. 

Here’s what the winners had to say about what this prize means to them: 

Renae Prince (she/her), Fane Online Manager 

Renae: “It is an honour and a joy to be a recipient of this award. As someone who works within the publishing industry but outside of a publishing house, recognition at this level is really encouraging. It is always a personal priority to ensure my work contributes both to the business I work for, and also the wider publishing community, which this award is a testament to. It inspires me to think of new ways to work creatively and innovatively for the industry that I care so much for.” 

Rory Codd (he/him), Press Officer at Farshore, HarperCollins

Rory: “I’m absolutely delighted to be named one of London Book Fair’s 2024 Trailblazers! It means the world to me that my work with Farshore and HarperCollins is being recognised by the wider publishing industry. I’m so grateful to my amazing colleagues for their support and encouragement over the past two years, and it’s a pleasure to continue championing our authors and books.” 

Cassie Rocks, Marketing Manager, Collins, HarperCollins & Co-director, The FLIP

Cassie: “Since starting in publishing 6 years ago, I’ve had such incredible experiences and met so many wonderful people, but it would be remiss to say that the industry doesn’t have areas for improvement. I am really passionate about making the industry an inclusive and accessible place to choose to work, so it’s lovely to be acknowledged for the contribution I’ve made towards this goal. I also love that I can help to shine a spotlight on education publishing, as I might be a bit biased but it’s a fantastic and underrated area of publishing to work in!” 

Humairaa Dudhwala (she/her), Assistant Editor at Manchester University Press 

Humairaa: “It is a huge honour to receive the London Book Fair’s Trailblazer Award, especially amongst such esteemed company. Winning the award and seeing recognition of my progress in the early years of my publishing career is truly humbling, and I am grateful to all of those who have been a part of my journey so far. I can only hope that I too can play my part in inspiring others –  particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds – to forge a successful path in the industry.”

Niamh Anderson (she/her), Senior Publicity Manager at Little, Brown

Niamh Anderson is a Senior Publicity Manager at Little, Brown Book Group. She won a student journalism award at Edinburgh University, was active in the Society of Young Publishers and worked as a bookseller before joining Hachette UK. Niamh won the Publishers’ Publicity Circle award for Best Newcomer twice in her first two years in publishing, and has been shortlisted for a further four PPC awards. She has recently finished a two-year term as Co-Chair of Hachette’s Gender Balance Network, is a mentor at Hachette and the PPC, and is an active member of Hachette’s partnership with the Northumbria Publishing MA.