Seven Reasons to Become a Spare Room Project Host, from Founder James Spackman

Posted on August 28, 2023 in Diversity & Inclusivity, UK

This year the SYP took over running of the Spare Room Project, which helps the diversity of London publishing. How does it do this? By arranging free accommodation for interns from out of town. So why should you sign up as a Spare Room Project Host? Here are seven reasons, from founder James Spackman:

1 The problem hasn’t gone away

Publishing remains pretty dominated by white middle class southerners (like me, sorry) and that last bit – the southern bit – seems as stubborn as ever. Publishing outside of London is on the rise (yay!) but the bulk of the industry is still here and we need to make it open to people who don’t have friends and family in town who’ll give them that all-important place to stay.

I could only start my career doing an unpaid internship at Bloomsbury because my Dad lived a short tube journey from their office. Hence, I could work for free and still make ends meet. Even in the era of paid internships, rent is a massive block to non-Londoners coming into the industry, making taking up an internship a gamble at best and impossible at worst. You can, personally, help someone overcome that block.

2 Hosting an intern is fun

What’s not to like? You’re inviting a bright, young (typically), enthusiastic wannabe publisher into your home – literally the future of the industry. You are almost certain to have good chats with them and a good gossip about the people they’ve met on their placement. They could refresh your understanding of how young people encounter books (they might just know their BookTok better than you); their tastes in all things – games, socials, tv – are almost bound to be different to yours, and that’s never a bad thing. They’ll have probably grown up in a different environment from you, your friends, your colleagues and your family, simply by being from a different part of the country.

3 It’s practical

We’ve all been on diversity committees and unconscious bias training and quite right too. But there’s nothing like taking practical action and helping make things better in real, personal terms.

I originally had the idea for the Project at a Book Society dinner, at which people were doing a lot of hand-wringing about diversity, but keeping it on what you might call a policy slash managerial level. I was sitting there thinking “we could actually help with this, as individuals …” and people really seem to love doing so. Call it “putting your bedding where your mouth is” (sort of works …)

4 Paying it forward, passing it on

Remember how you felt in your first job? Wouldn’t you have loved someone in your corner, to help make sense of it all and help keep your confidence up, even when it was feeling a bit mad and weird?

And now you’re established, why not give yourself the experience of passing on your wisdom to a newcomer, on fun topics like “do you really pulp returns?” “is spot-UV … a good thing?” and “what’s a ‘recto’ page?”. Not everyone gets an ego-boost from playing the Wise Old Publisher, but I do, and I know a lot of SRP Hosts who do too. We all have so much knowledge about this weird and wonderful industry in our heads, it can feel brilliant to pass it on.

And it’s amazing to see past Guests making their way in the industry. Seeing SRP alumni on the Bookseller’s Rising Stars list is a very, very proud moment for me …

5 It’s easy

Once you’ve given us your (very basic) details, you get a regular email bulletin telling you who’s looking for a room. You let us know if you can help one of them out. There’s an ultra simple agreement for both people to sign, but that’s it. If you need to check something, like “are they ok with dogs/toddlers/bagpipes?” then a real live human being will answer your email and you’ll be good to go.

6 It’s optional

Some people are on the database for years before they can offer a room, but when they eventually can, all good! The SRP is a no guilt, no apology community. You can sign up even if you think you might want to host in future …

7 You don’t have to have an actual spare room

Some hosts have a flatmate on holiday, some have a sofabed or an air mattress. One has a houseboat; it’s all good.

You can sign up for the Spare Room Project here, or the Spare Zoom project for an initial 30-minute chat here.