SYP shoots for the stars: Bookseller Rising Stars 2016

Posted on August 1, 2016 in Uncategorized

On July 6^th, a crowd of publishing bods from every part of the industry gathered in the bookshop event space of the National Portrait Gallery to celebrate the talents of the Bookseller’s Rising Stars class of 2016. The perfect spot for such an event, the room was buzzing with excitement and chatter, and the variety of books and art surrounding the celebrations was a perfect reflection of the variety of skills and sectors we had gathered to applaud. Spanning editors, illustrators, librarians and entrepreneurs, the Rising Star Awards were launched by Tom Tivnan, Features and Insight editor at The Bookseller, five years ago to recognise those in lower levels in the industry that are doing amazing things and have the potential to one day be on the Bookseller 100 – the leaders of the future.

The Society of Young Publishers were honoured to sponsor the awards this year alongside Frankfurt Book Fair, and were lucky enough to attend the celebration and speak to some of the people at the forefront of this ever changing industry. Particularly given the current uncertainty that is gripping the UK, the innovations and creative thinking of these stars are just what we all need to aspire to. So what makes a Rising Star?

 Speaking to both Tom and some of the winners, the key message was that the Rising Stars are not necessarily a youth-based list, you can be of any age but you should be remarkably good at your job, you should also be thinking outside of the box and always expanding your role. Rising Star, illustrator Sarah McIntyre advises ‘don’t always look just at the things that people in the book world put in front of [you]: keep [your] eyes open for things outside [your] field: comics, gaming, fine art, television, film, craft, etc.’

Tom explained ‘this is a submissions process, so that means hit the deadline and if you are nominating a colleague or yourself, which is about a 50/50 split of someone nominating themselves or someone else, you have to write a compelling narrative demonstrating why you/your colleague are/is amazing.’ He also went on to say that whilst similar awards have begun to spring up, the Rising Stars has a long-standing demonstrable positive effect on people’s careers.

It may seem like the Rising Stars are in an impossible league of their own, but Jonas Herriot, Academic Resource Centre Manager, advises that you should have ‘a desire to engage fully with the industry you are in, the mind-set to try out new things…[but] this doesn’t mean you have to be the most outgoing person either, as there are many ways to do these things… just make sure you are active and find the way which best suits you.’

Networking was also highlighted as a key skill in publishing. Tory Lyne-Pirkis, Associate Director at Midas PR, believes ‘as good as you are at your job, the right connections will take you and your books to the next level and working on a new book is always smoother when you have an existing relationship with other people who are contributing. You never know when that person you shared a coffee with at LBF will come back years later and help give your career a boost.’

So what’s next for the Awards? ‘We’re trying to make it bigger and better’ Tom explains. ‘Not bigger in terms of the size of the list, but how we promote our Rising Stars and feature in the magazine and website. So you’ll be seeing more and more interviews and features with our Rising Stars over the course of the year, we’ll be featuring them at our conferences and seminars making the Rising Stars a year-round thing. Also, our partner the Frankfurt Book Fair has a programme of working with a number of the Rising Stars – bringing them out the FBF, giving them networking and mentoring opportunities.’

Tom’s final piece of advice for aspiring stars: ‘Don’t be afraid to expand out of that comfort zone… Ask your line manager for training; take on a new project, create a new project… there are a lot of roles out there in publishing and don’t be afraid to expand out of that comfort zone.

We caught up with some of the Rising Stars, class of 2016, after the event and asked them a few more questions about what makes them a Rising Star and what the future holds.

    Emma Smith

Editor at Trapeze Books, Shooting Star of Rising Stars 2016 

1. Why do you think you were chosen as a Rising Star?

For one, I think my boss must’ve written a great nomination! I also think that the selection of rising stars this year demonstrated an appreciation of those who are thinking slightly differently and those who are not just embracing change in the industry but are actually making that change happen, whether that’s to do with diversity, innovating with libraries or showcasing illustrator talent. I hope my work with Trapeze is representative of that attitude too.

2. You were the Shooting Star to this year’s Rising Stars, that’s fantastic! What’s next for you, what will be your next goals?

I’m very grateful to have been picked out as the shooting star – it’s a real honour and I hope to do Frankfurt Book Fair proud in October. In terms of what’s coming up for me next, I will be continuing to grow my list for the Trapeze imprint (agents, feel free to bombard me with submissions!). We’re launching this autumn so it’s all go at the moment. I have the fantastic illustrator blogger Ruby Elliot, aka Rubyetc, coming up in November and I can’t wait for everyone to see the finished book. Trapeze are launching a podcast which I am helping to coordinate, plus we have lots of exciting events planned…so watch this space.

3. Having been involved in the launch of the new Trapeze imprint, what would you say are the highlights of working in a small imprint, with a small team, as part of a bigger company?

We are small in number but hopefully big on results! Being in a small team allows us to be creative, focused and agile, while being supported by a large company and great resources. Trapeze is very open to ideas from all around the company (our editorial meetings are drop-in) and we hope to avoid becoming a closed off little team by being as inclusive as we can. I hope the main highlights will be in autumn when our launch list swings into action!

  Karen Sullivan
Founder and Publisher of Orenda Books

1. Why do you think you were chosen as a Rising Star?

I started a publishing company from scratch 20 months ago, and it’s gone extremely well! We’ve had a couple of number-one bestsellers, lots of shortlisting for prizes, several ‘books of the year’ in the broadsheets and we were shortlisted for the IPG Nick Robinson Newcomer Award, which was a massive honour! I’ve made every effort to produce books that have the look, feel and quality of anything from the big houses, and worked very hard to create a brand for Orenda Books, so that readers of any of our books will actively look forward to the next one, regardless of their usual or preferred genre. In a nutshell, it’s working, and sales have been excellent, with several books purchased for TV and a number of authors from the big houses migrating to Orenda. We’ve done well in a very short space of time, and put our stamp on and carved out our place in the publishing industry.

2. What do you think is the biggest issue/innovation/trend in publishing right now?

Brexit is clearly going to be an issue, particularly for a company like Orenda, who do so many books in translation. It’s going to mean some changes and we have no idea what the future holds. A real problem is the shortage of review coverage in the newspapers; however, again, it simply means thinking outside the box. There is good research to suggest that a huge number of purchases are made online, and tapping into that market in a creative way is definitely the future. We had a Guardian Readers’ Pick last year with a debut novel How To Be Brave and Amanda Jennings’ In Her Wake shortlisted for the Dead Good Reads Most Recommended Book (alongside Mark Billingham, Robert Galbraith, etc.), which was a massive achievement as almost all marketing was done online.

3.  How have you found starting your own indie publishing company and how has informed your views of the industry as a whole?

I have completely and utterly enjoyed the experience and every day has been a revelation. I was so expert at the outset, but with the support of other publishers in the most general of our genre communities, friendly printers, people who were willing to give advice and support the whole way through the process, and general good will (everyone likes to see a success story, and ultimately we are not really in competition as such, but all ‘book people’ who want to get the public reading. I love this industry and it is, in many ways, unlike any others. We are all taking risks with every book we publish; we all have the same end goal.

   Tory Lyne-Pirkis

Associate Director at Midas Public Relations 

1. What do you think is the biggest issue/innovation/trend in publishing right now?

For me I think it’s going to be publishing less books not more. Spending more money on fewer titles can only be a good thing for the industry rather than having a spread betting approach. I see so many publishers struggling with their lists. We all talk about the review pages shrinking, but it’s already a battle with around 200 commercial titles being sent to reviewers each week and 800 in the month of October. I also think we’re seeing the declined in the celebrity memoir, they just aren’t making the same returns as they used to and because celebrities are now more accessible than ever via Wikipedia, twitter and 24-hour media, you already know everything you need to know without buying a book. I also think that the colouring in trend has shown as that the next big book trend is likely to have design led feature.

2. With the ever decreasing space for print reviews, where is the future of book coverage going to be? 

I see the publishing industry following the same trend as music. Since everyone started buying music online there has been an explosion in ticket sales for live music and music festivals and the same can be seen with publishing. People want to meet authors, want to learn from them and want that added extra that comes from hearing an author discuss their book. I’ve seen authors sell more copies of their books through signings and events than print reviews, so I think this is where authors have to be now out on the road doing gigs and building a brand for themselves. There’s over 200 literary festivals in the UK and many music festivals like Latitude and Wilderness have created new opportunities for authors and are changing the way we think about author events. In terms of reviews, it’s all about getting to the right audience so I’m not underestimating the importance of niche websites that cater for very specific interests whether that’s design websites such as It’s Nice That or new lifestyle websites like The Pool. Where there’s a strong connection between book and website, you’ll see online sales shoot up.

3. What advice would you give to future Rising Stars, are there particular skills they should hone?

Good publishing is all about bravery and following your instincts. When you are starting out don’t be afraid to ask questions and learn from those ahead of you with years of experience. When you are getting there, don’t be afraid to argue your case for doing something differently. Be prepared to make mistakes, there will be books that our huge flops, but they will teach you the most about what to do differently next time. Find a mentor you can use as a sounding board, someone with years of experience who can help guide you. It helps also if you can find someone in the industry whose you admire and watch how they work, learn everything you can from them and keep asking questions.

    Sarah McIntyre

Illustrator

1. Why do you think you were chosen as a Rising Star? 

I don’t think it was about me as much as a show of support for the #PicturesMeanBusiness campaign I started up, urging people to credit illustrators properly for their artwork on book covers, in review, in sales charts and in book metadata. The unique aspect is the campaign, and why I think it’s working, is that we’re not just pulling on heartstrings but arguing that it’s actually in publishers’ commercial interest to credit illustrators, and show how everyone in book world and in education benefits from it. (People can find out more about it at picturesmeanbusiness.com and follow progress on the Twitter hashtag.)

2. To what extent has the battle been won for the recognition of illustrators and what’s next for the campaign?

It’s anecdotal evidence, but I’m seeing illustrators listed on covers of books who weren’t there before, even if it’s the second or third book in the series where their names are introduced. And I’m seeing more writers mentioning the artists who created the artwork on their covers when they do their big cover reveal.

The one thing I’d REALLY like to see is an advance in metadata. Basically, if businesses can’t quantify sales data for illustrators, it means that in economic terms, our work is worth nothing. And this is wrong; booksellers may be losing a competitive edge by not having this sales data (not to mention illustrators struggling to make a living and stay in the profession). So we need to show businesses that these figures are important, that they can help give them the edge, that people buy books partly based on the cover and illustrations, not just on the name of who’s writing them.

3. Children’s Laureate Chris Riddell is urging the nation to get drawing – what does this mean for the future of illustration and can you see illustrators’ events and festivals joining the mainstream alongside the growing number of author events?

I think they are already! I’m often asked to perform at festivals as an illustrator and I see other illustrators asked to do the same. Illustrators are perfectly equipped to do school visits – kids love watching illustrators draw – and illustrators are learning that paid visits can be a great way to supplement their incomes.

I think social media makes it fun to draw together; I have an account on Twitter – @StudioTeaBreak – where I (and increasingly other people) set drawing challenges and lots of people jump in, of all ages and drawing abilities. It’s a fun way to get whole families involved, and Twitter makes everything very immediate.

   Jonas Herriot

Academic Resource Centre Manager, Henley Business School

1. Why do you think you were chosen as a Rising Star?

I think it is probably because of my involvement with the Bookseller over the last few years which helped to get me nominated. Having written articles for them (and about them), been involved with the judging of the YA prize, and being an accessible face in the library world for them to contact all raises your profile. Alongside this the work I have done as part of CILIP, and their special interest groups allow me a good view of the profession I am in, and makes me well placed to try and represent them.

2. What do you think is the biggest issue/innovation/trend in publishing right now?

In libraries we are facing the need to learn how to do more with less. While this can be a downside it is forcing staff to be more innovative, and means resting on your past achievements is a sure fire way to fail. Alongside this we still need to work at not only increasing digital literacy in our staff, but also how we can increase it in those we serve. As librarians we also need to ensure that we promote what we do, especially to those we don’t already reach, and finding ways to do this is key to our future.

3. As a librarian, how do think this will impact libraries? And how do you think young people, young publishers, can get involved?

I like to think that my nomination isn’t about me, but rather is about all librarians being in Rising Stars, as there are certainly many more worthwhile people in my profession who deserve this far more than me. The trick is getting them more noticed, and I hope that future years will see them being put forward for the work they do, I know I have a few nominations I will be making. As for young people across the whole industry, they are out future (as cliché as that sounds) and we need to ensure that they have as many opportunities to succeed as possible, and offer them all the support we can.