What’s it really like? An interview with a publishing commuter

Posted on May 18, 2026 in INTO, Oxford

According to The Publishers Association’s recent demographic report on the UK publishing workforce, there has been a significant rise in publishing professionals living outside London, from 55% in 2022 to 65% in 2024. Since the pandemic, more and more publishing houses have opened offices and roles across the country, rather than just focusing on London as has traditionally been the case.

That said, UK publishing remains an industry hyper-focused on London, and this can prove difficult for those of us located outside the capital. Here in Oxford we’re fortunate to have access to many great local publishers, especially in the academic field. That said, the majority of available jobs continue to be offered with London as their base. Many Oxford residents – and those who live further afield, too – find themselves commuting regularly to London for publishing jobs.

Those of us job hunting in the industry, whether we’re looking for an entry-level role or a change of scenery, we may often ask ourselves: is the cost of commuting worth the benefit of a great publishing role?

Let’s hear from Amber, the current Treasurer of the Oxford SYP committee and a young publishing professional who commutes to London, for her thoughts on the matter.

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What’s your publishing role? Is it hybrid, or are you in the office full time?

I recently started as an Editorial Assistant for an academic publisher in London. My role is hybrid, so I go on average twice a week to the office.

Take us through a day in the life of one of your office days.

I generally start my work around 9:30 in the morning, and I typically take the Oxford tube to London, so I get up around 5:00 am, take the tube around 6:00-6:30 am, and I get to the office between 8:30-9:00 am depending on traffic. You can never predict traffic, so I play it safe and leave my house early.

I am very lucky to have plenty of food options around my office, so I usually go out to get lunch but once in a while I do bring my own food.

Once I am done with the day, I head home on the Oxford tube and get home between 8:00-8:30 pm. The commute home is quite easy, as I try to get the coach after 6:00 pm to escape traffic, but nonetheless it is quite a long day.

Do you prefer working from home or in the office?

I am truly half and half on this. I love to be in the office and work with people around me. It makes the experience all the better. However, there are some days where working from home suits my schedule better than commuting to London.

What’s it like working in London specifically? How does it compare to other working environments you’ve experienced in the past?

In the past, I’ve worked in hybrid and remote environments, so I am quite used to the concept. Working in London is something new to me as I have never commuted more than 30 minutes to work, but if I could describe what working in London is like, I would give it two words: exciting and chaotic.

The commute is longer, the city is bigger and there are so many people around you trying to get to work as well. It’s inevitable, when commuting to London, that you might encounter delays or closed routes with your transportation, but it’s not as much of a hassle when I am only commuting twice a week.

How do you make sure to fit the commute time into a healthy work-life balance?

I am very big on having a to-do list and a colour-coded Google calendar, although that is what works for me specifically and might not work for everyone else.

The reality is that, if you are commuting from outside of London, you do need to plan accordingly. I make sure I have things that will make my commute comfortable: snacks, my book, headphones, etc. It’s also very important to get a good night’s rest the night before you head off! At first, the commute feels rough, but once you figure out the things you need/need to do to make your commute comfortable, the travelling gets better. 

Do many of your colleagues also commute, or do they live in London?

From what I am aware of, most of my colleagues commute to the office as it is very normal to do so now, especially in publishing. I think it’s amazing that the publishing industry has adopted the hybrid working model. 

Why do you think so many UK publishing jobs are located in London? Is there anything publishing houses should be doing to change this?

Historically, London has been a space for literature to thrive. Authors, agents, media companies – everyone gravitates towards a big city to make connections, which is why I think UK publishing houses are situated in London. However, as the years have gone by, and now that the publishing industry has adopted the hybrid working model, I think that there is more opportunity for publishing houses to seek for talent further than the London area and/or possibly venture toward moving offices to areas that can reach more publishing hopefuls.

Overall – all things considered – is the commute into London worth the cost for a young publishing professional?

Considering I only have to commute twice a week, I do think commuting to London is worth the time and cost. Because of my situation, I’ve learned to prioritise my time better and organise my workload more efficiently. I do acknowledge that the cost of transportation can be quite expensive, especially as a young publishing professional just starting out in the industry, but I think it’s important to look at all your options when commuting and to budget accordingly, which is why I take the Oxford Tube.

Written by Lucy Riddell, interviewing Amber Alexander