Issue 111

InPrint
The Newsletter of the Society of Young Publishers

SYP
November 2005

Society of Young
Est. 1949

Publishers

JOINING THE SYP CO MMIT TEE

Welcome to the November issue, the last of 2005. As I have said before, joining in is the way to get the most out of the society you get to meet and socialise with more people, and earn a few CV points while you are at it. You certainly dont need to live in London or Oxford to get involved; in fact, as you will see, some of the positions mean you need to live in other parts of the country. The SYP currently has over 350 members, and our main recruitment event of the year, the Careers Conference, hasnt even happened yet. Twenty people, living in London and Oxford, help run the society, taking on significant levels of responsibility to do so. We dont get paid for this, but we personally gain a great deal, as well as benefiting the society. Congratulations are most definitely due to your hardworking committee members who continue to build on the successes of prior committees and create new events and services, making the society better than ever. In 2006 we intend to focus on setting up sub-committees, lead by the managing committee members, allowing a far greater number of people to get involved. So, whether you want to start off gradually, at a work experience level, or want to leap straight into a managing committee position, we want to hear from you! W HAT Y OU CAN DO : S ecret ary/Sponsorship Officer: Highly organised and outgoing, this person is responsible for keeping the committee up-todate, and finding all the sponsorship we need be it money, advertising space, equipment to increase our scope and the services we offer to members. Currently aided by the rest of the committee, this person could very much use the help of people who can dedicate some time each month to pursuing the many sponsorship avenues available. Speake r Meet ing C o-ordinat ors: Ideally we need two or three people to take on this intense and highly creative role. What do members want to learn about? What do members need to hear about? And who in the publishing industry is best to teach us? This position is a great way to gain contacts in the industry. We need to construct the main schedule for 2006 at the end of November/start of December, so please get in touch as soon as possible. Treasurer: A challenging role that demands meticulous attention to detail and organisation, and also allows creativity, providing the opportunity to help expand the SYP. You will need to process all the membership fees, 2006 Conference fees, ensure our suppliers get paid and help the committee devise relevant budgets. We also want to begin accepting online payments, and look at new ways of managing memberships. This is your opportunity to help the SYP take another step up. Web Manager: Transformed in recent years, the SYP website www.thesyp.org.uk is constantly changing and being updated. How can we make it even more

Joining the SYP Committee 1-3, Join the Oxford Committee 4-5, SYP and SPI on the Town 6-8, The Real American Psych0 9-10, A Vintage Birthday 11-12, A Symphony of Words 13, Mag for It! 14, HarperCollins CV Workshop 15, Ads and Events 16

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useful and user-friendly? How can we get our presence noticed more on the www? Working in conjunction with the Oxford Web Editor, you will need to liaise with the entire committee.

InP rint Editor: 2005 saw the SYPs newsletter increase from eight to twelve pages with bumper 16-page editions in September and November. While there are standard monthly articles about each months speaker meetings, there is plenty of scope for commissioning articles on any and all publishing-related topics. Writers and researchers, with or without professional experience, are welcome to join the sub-committee for this role. Any budding photographers would be fantastic too, to cover our speaker meetings and social events. InP rint Web Edit or: It is time to take InPrint on to the next level. We currently fill twelve pages easily, and often there are more ideas for articles than there is space. This is your opportunity to work with both the Web Manager and InPrint Editor to dramatically increase the versatility of the SYPs newsletter and website. Writers and researchers, with or without professional experience, are welcome to join the sub-committee for this role.
P roduct ion Manager/ InPrint De signe r: This could be either one or two roles. We need to be sure that the posters, information sheets, other stationary (such as our conference bags) and InPrint are being produced well and cost effectively, so sourcing and liaising with suppliers can either be a role by itself, or coupled with designing the layout of our monthly newsletter InPrint. Jobs Dat abase C o-ordinat or: Pro-active and committed, this isnt a role for someone who just waits for job adverts to come in. You will need to contact the major publishers regularly and have a system so that you contact as many of the smaller publishers as you can throughout the year. 2005 saw a dramatic increase in the number of jobs the SYP advertised and some of those before they went into the national press. Dont forget, even if you dont want to take on this role, do encourage your HR departments to send their vacancies to jobs@t hesyp.org.uk , as the service is free.

Social Secret aries: Well, we didnt have any in 2004, and what a difference they have made in 2005! Not only do we have more events unconnected to our monthly speaker meetings (we just had a wonderful trip to Dublin) but a lot more people now attend speaker meetings as well as the drinks afterwards (not just due to the social secretaries, but significant credit is definitely due to them). Always open to ideas, and in need of venue researchers, this is another area where help is always needed. P ublicit y and Market ing: Moving in leaps and bounds, and enjoying marked success, there is still a huge amount of expansion possible in this area. We need to make sure every book publisher in the country and eventually beyond (but lets not get carried away for the moment) has heard of us and is encouraging its staff to join us. We also aim to set up Corporate Membership in 2006. We want all universities with relevant courses to be singing our praises to their students, and to vastly increase the number of members from magazine publishing, agencies, booksellers, printers and other book-related organisations. There are many ideas to pursue here, with clearly defined areas of responsibility, not to mention the scope to devise your own marketing and/or publicity campaigns. The success rate should be relatively easy to gauge, so all it that remains to say is, What are you waiting for?! Membership Secreta ry: This vital role involves looking after the most important part of our society: the members. As the first contact many new members have with the society, you need to be welcoming and efficient, quickly responding to queries, and making sure as many members as possible renew their membership. You also need to look after the database with all our members details, ensuring that they receive InPrint each month, publicity bulletins, and jobs bulletins if they have so requested.

C ompany Rep Co-ordinat or and Company Reps: We need an ambitious and outgoing individual to start the process of getting at least one person per publisher/ bookshop/

university/agency etc. to commit to putting up our posters and being a contact for people interested in learning more about the SYP. And we need people to volunteer to be Company Reps! The Co-ordinator position will definitely involve a substantial amount of work, but the rep positions can be fairly light, yet have a hugely beneficial effect for the SYP. So dont be shy, wed love to hear from you C hair: You can only hold this position for one year the lovely Suzanne Collier was an exception for those eagle-eyed people who read the 2004 SYP Handbook and you can only hold it after you have served on the committee for a year, so see above. A hugely rewarding role, you are responsible for managing the committee members in both London and Oxford (though naturally most of the Oxford administration falls on the Oxford Chair), which currently fluctuates around the 20 mark, and, with additions to subcommittees in 2006, this number will hopefully be even more impressive. You are also responsible for ensuring that a varied and comprehensive programme is maintained for the 350+ members and evolving and expanding all areas of the society. It isnt easy none of the positions are but you will learn a huge amount about management, seeing issues from as many angles as possible, and develop an indepth appreciation of just how fantastic a concept delegation is. Feel free to contact the current committee members to find out more, and join us for drinks after the next London speaker meeting (see back page for details). To stand for a managing committee position, attend the London AGM on W ednesda y 18 January 2 006 (again, details on back page). I would very much like to hear from people who are going to stand prior to this and from people who want to join a sub-committee. You dont need to be elected for the subcommittee positions, but we do want as many people at the AGM as possible. Drinks are going to be provided, for at least some of the night our social secs are

InPrint November 2005

currently working on this event, so more details to follow soon. Best wishes, Victoria Nicholl SYP Chair 2005 sypcha ir@ thesyp.org.uk

Dat es f or your diary SYP events in London and Oxford in 2005 and 2006
Mond ay 21 No vem ber 20 05 Lo ndo n B ook Club Meeting Wed nesda y 30 Nov emb er 2005 Lo ndo n Sp eak er Meet in g Wed nesda y 18 Ja nu ar y 20 06 Lo ndo n A GM, Pa rt y , Com mit tee E lect ions Oxf or d A GM, Com mit tee E lect ions Wed nesda y 8 Feb ru ar y 20 06 Oxf or d Sp eak er Meet in g Wed nesda y 22 F ebr ua ry 2 006 Lo ndo n Sp eak er Meet in g Wed nesda y 8 Ma rc h 2 006 Oxf or d Sp eak er Meet in g Wed nesda y 29 Ma rc h 200 6 Lo ndo n Sp eak er Meet in g Wed nesda y 12 A pr il 200 6 Oxf or d Sp eak er Meet in g Wed nesda y 26 A pr il 200 6 Lo ndo n Sp eak er Meet in g Wed nesda y 10 Ma y 200 6 Oxf or d Sp eak er Meet in g Wed nesda y 31 Ma y 200 6 Lo ndo n Sp eak er Meet in g Wedn esd ay 14 J une 2 006 Oxfor d Spea ker Meeting Wedn esd ay 28 J une 2 006 L ond on Spea ker Meeting Wedn esd ay 12 J uly 200 6 Oxfor d Spea ker Meeting Wedn esd ay 26 J uly 200 6 L ond on Spea ker Meeting Wedn esd ay 13 Sep tem ber 20 06 Oxfor d Spea ker Meeting Wedn esd ay 27 Sep tem ber 20 06 L ond on Spea ker Meeting Wedn esd a y 11 Oc t ober 20 06 Oxfor d Spea ker Meeting Wedn esd a y 25 Oc t ober 20 06 L ond on Spea ker Meeting Wedn esd a y 8 Nov em ber 200 6 Oxfor d Spea ker Meeting Sa tu rd ay 1 1 Nov em ber 200 6 CA RE ERS CONFE RE NCE L ond on Wedn esd ay 29 No vem ber 20 06 L ond on Spea ker Meeting

REME MBE R, R EME MBER , ITS DR INKS IN NOVE MBER : VINO PO LIS AND FIR EWOR KS S at urday 5 Nove mber 20 05
Join the London SYP for a Vinopolis Wine Tour (12.50 includes admission, choice of five wines and Bombay Sapphire cocktail) and then onto the wonderful setting of Alexandra Palace for fireworks (open 4:30pm 11:00pm, fireworks display in park at 7:30pm) including discounted rate ice-skating, indoor and outdoor funfair, and a beer, wine and food festival.

Mee t at th e Anch or Pu b, Ba nk side , 34 Park S t, S out h Ba n k, S E1 9EF at 1 2pm.

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JOIN T HE OXFORD COMMIT TEE!

The Oxford Committee works alongside the London Committee to increase diversity, fun and networking in the SYP, regularly holding talks, social events and a book club in Oxford. If you are based in Oxford or the surrounding area and would like to get more involved, read more about the fantastic opportunities below and get in touch with us! Ch air: The Chairs role is to lead the SYP Oxford committee, directing the Societys activities in the city. As well as chairing Oxford committee meetings and liaising with the London Chair, this person chairs and introduces Oxford speaker meetings. They also sit on the Industry Advisory Board for the Oxford International Centre for Publishing Studies at Oxford Brookes University. The post provides the opportunity to develop new initiatives and shape the SYP in Oxford and beyond. Good knowledge of the publishing scene in and around Oxford would be beneficial, as would lots of fresh ideas. The Chair supports the other committee members, and ensures the smooth running of the Oxford SYP. Contact: De b S and ers , Acting Oxford Chair (oxford cha ir@the syp .org.uk ) o Social S ecreta ry: This person organises social events in Oxford, and runs the Oxford book club. Past activities have included a summer punting party that brought Oxford and London members together. There is plenty of room for new ideas. The co-ordination of the book club involves keeping people informed of its meetings, encouraging participation, and ensuring that books and venues are chosen and publicised. Contact: De b Sa nd ers (oxford chair@the syp .org.uk ) o Publicity Co-ordin ator: This role involves publicising SYP events, particularly outside the SYP membership. Whoever takes on this role will also be responsible for increasing membership and events attendance through liaison with companies and other organisations, and the press. Contact: De b Sa nd ers (oxford chair@the syp .org.uk ) o Tre as urer: The treasurer is responsible for all financial matters of the Oxford branch of the Society. It is their duty to safe keep petty cash, the chequebook and all bank statements. In charge of monthly financial records, the treasurer must report back to committee members regularly, and deal with financial inflow and outflow. On the inflow side, the
Tr ea sur er : Amelia Allsop treasurer@thesyp.org.uk Oxf ord Act ing Chair : Deb Sanders oxfordchair@thesyp.org.uk Tr ea sur er : Flora Pui-yan Lau oxfordtreasurer@thesyp.org.uk Se cre tar y: Katy Hawker katehawker@hotmail.com Inpr int N ort her n Corr e spon dent Lucie Barnes lbarnes@thesyp.co.uk Inpr int L iasion: Clar e T rut er inprintliasion@thesyp.org.uk Ev ent s Co-Or dinator Mimi Mo oxfordevents@thesyp.org.uk Prom ot ions Office r: TBA We b Edit or: Jamie Shaw oxfordweb@thesyp.org.uk Br ooke s L ia ison Rebecca Dimery 04037273@brookes.ac.uk Any quer ies ple ase che ck t he S YP We bsite

London Chair : Victoria Nicholl chair@thesyp.org.uk Se cr etar y: Tonia Mamai secretary@thesyp.org.uk We b Mana ge r : Toby Rhind-Tutt webmaster@thesyp.org.uk InPr int E ditor : Rebecca Strong inprint@thesyp.org.uk InPr int Pr oduct ion Manage r: Gurdeep Mattu gmattu@thesyp.org.uk Me mbe rship Se cr etar y : Doug Wallace membersec@thesyp.org.uk

S ocial Secr e tar ies: Claire Shanahan cshanahan@thesyp.org.uk Rebecca Fox rfox@thesyp.org.uk J ob s Dat abase Coor dinator Mariza OKeeffe jobs@thesyp.org.uk Pr ess Office r: Louise Rhind-Tutt press@thesyp.org.uk S peak er Me eting Coor dinat ors: Tej Sood tsood@thesyp.org.uk Suzanne Arnold sarnold@thesyp.org.uk Compa ny Re p Co-or dinator : position vacant

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treasurer does door duty and collects payments at every event meeting, and on the outflow side, is responsible for reimbursing committee members and guest speakers expenses. Contact: Flora Lau (pui- yan. la u@stx.ox.a c.uk) p Eve nts Co-ordin ator: In the changing world of publishing, people want information from the insiders about all aspects of this industry. The events coordinator gathers suggestions from members on the kinds of speaker meetings they would like us to host. Be it music publishing, freelancing, or science communication, youll have them covered! The events co-ordinator schedules speakers and makes sure that the venues and the technical support are set up properly. They are also responsible for the publicity of speakers events and the promotion of the SYP at Oxford University. In general, this is a really great opportunity to bring people together! Contact: Mimi Mo (mimi.m o@ch ristm ch urch.oxf ord.a c.uk) Secre tary: The secretarys main responsibilities include organising committee meetings, writing agendas and taking minutes. Along with the Chair, the secretary is the first point of contact for people wanting to know more about getting involved with the SYP, so you will often deal with new members or people wanting to help out on the committee or with the book club. Contact: Ka ty H awk er ( katyh @im ag o.co.uk) We b Ed itor: Responsible for the Oxford pages located at www.thesyp.org.uk/oxford, the main task of the web editor is to keep the site up-to-date, making sure that the latest speaker meeting is being advertised with information supplied by the events co-ordinator. Sometimes new pages need to be created too, perhaps to create a feedback form or advertise the next Careers Conference. During quiet moments there are always background tasks that can be carried out, such as improving the sites

ranking in search engines. s Contact: Jam ie Sh aw (syp @ja mie ts haw .co.uk)

InPrint Liais on: The role of the InPrint Liaison is to make sure that Oxford events are both publicised and reported on in the newsletter each month. Working closely with the London Editor(s), the Oxford Liaison is responsible for recruiting reporters, photographers and proofreaders, commissioning new articles and ensuring that all contributions are sent to London in time for the monthly deadline. There are also opportunities to write articles yourself, so if you are organised and would like to see your name in print, this position could be for you! c Contact: Cla re Truter (c.tru te r@else vier.com )
Oxford B rooke s Liais on: The purpose of this role is to provide a link between the activities of the SYP and the publishing students and staff at Oxford Brookes University. Main activities involve publicising SYP events by e-mail and poster distribution, and booking rooms at Oxford Brookes as requested by the events co-ordinator. The person in this role is usually the first point of enquiry about the SYP for Brookes students: they should be enthusiastic in promoting the SYP among their peer group, and should understand how the SYP might promote itself effectively among the publishing student communities by being aware of the communitys needs and preferences. Contact: Reb ecca D ime ry (reb ecca@dim ery .com) r

SYP HANDBOOK 2006

We are currently working on an updated version of last year's Handbook to bring out in time for a launch at the 2006 London Book Fair. Once again, the Handbook will serve as a directory of all our members, as well as featuring several specially-commissioned articles on publishing careers from top industry names. Whether you are currently working in publishing, studying, or looking for that all-important first break into the industry, the guide is a valuable tool for making contacts and researching roles. Sarah Roberts and Flora Pui-yan Lau will be contacting you shortly to encourage as many members to sign up as possible. In the meantime you can fill out the form at http://thesyp.org.uk/handbook/ or contact Sarah and Flora at directory@thesyp.org.uk

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SPI AND SYP ON THE TOWN

Dou g Wall ace gi v es u s a repor t on th e SYP Du bli n tr ip. ly, and it was clear that, with the SPIs philosophy on things, we would have a lot in common, both in terms of what we wanted to achieve with our organisations and the kind of people that ran them. Because of work commitments and varying degrees of preparation (ahem!), the SYP committee and members who came to Dublin arrived over the course of several days and were

Diana, Victoria, Louise, Claire Morrison and Doug

On the first Saturday in October, the Society of Young Publishers (SYP) flew to Dublin to have a pint (or two!) of the black stuff with the Society of Publishers in Ireland (SPI). We were also there to help the SPI blow out the candles on their second birthday cake, and see how the two societies could work more closely together in the future. Founded in 2002, the SPI is a networking society for all those working in publishing and related industries. Much like the SYP, the society is a non-profit-making organisation, run voluntarily by a committee drawn from the trade. Reading the SPI website before I left for Dublin, I was pleased to find the following raison dtre for their organisation: giving people the chance to meet each other at informal social events will promote greater understanding throughout the industry and encourage a sense of cohesion and cooperation across the board. It will also, we hope, make working in the industry even more enjoyable.

Susan, a founding member of the SPI

scattered right across the city. Some stayed with friends, others chose backpacker hostels in the heart of Dublins lively Temple Bar area, and the late-comers eventually found lodgings some twenty miles from Dublin airport and a good eight miles from the city centre. These trifling logistical problems were laid to one side along with the best-intentioned sightseeing plans as some of us stepped into one of Dublins many fine pubs that Saturday afternoon, for a quick Guinness ahead of the evenings party.

A Piece of (Birthday) Cake

Suzanna, Eihblin and Emma

We were all looking forward to the trip enormous-

The warm and welcoming atmosphere of the Dublin pub cannot be overstated. When one of our party clumsily spilt his pint of Guinness across the table whilst busy admiring a picture of himself drinking the aforementioned pint on his digital camera, the reaction from the bar staff was not at all what we expected. The good-humoured landlord came over and expertly stemmed the

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flow of the black and white frothy tide that was now cascading over the table edge onto our knees. He then refilled the upset pint for free, enquired if we were fine for drinks and asked us to give him a shout when we needed a cab later on. Needless to say, had such heroism been exhibited by a London landlord toward a hapless tourist, his face would have been splashed across the front page of The

Old chums Suzanna and Claire

Evening Standards West End final! While some of us supped, others took a sightseeing bus around the city, had a tour of the Guinness factory, visited the memorial gardens and bookshops, and had a very pleasant trip to Haagen-Dazs! At seven oclock that evening, at the Auld Dubliner on Temple Bar, the SYP gathered together before heading en masse for the SPI party at Caf en Seine on Dawson Street. None of us were prepared for the wonderful venue that the SPI had chosen A view onto the fun for the party. Caf en Seine is purported to be one of the most spectacular cafe bars in Europe. Whether or not this is true, the place was a feast for the eyes due to its sheer opulence and size. It was, as one commentator put it, like being transported back to the heady days of early 19th century Paris: the decadent art deco interior boasted huge murals, marble busts, enormous mirrors and a 40ft glass atrium with outsize tropical ferns sprouting up in between ornate brass chandeliers that were slung low from the arched roof. Spread over three floors

opening into the atrium, we eventually found our hosts on a wide balcony overlooking the slowly filling bar below. With DJs, drinking and dancing carrying on till 3am, a card behind the bar and some truly lovely Irish hosts, I couldnt help thinking that the first meeting of the SPI and the SYP could only be a roaring success (or become infamous for all the wrong reasons!). The guests at this joint birthday/welcome celebration came from right across the trade. From agents, rights executives and editors to marketing and publicity people there was a welcome for even the most backward of minglers. The evening started very well, and so sociable were our hosts that old university friends Claire (SYP Social Secretary) and Suzanna (SPI Committee Member) who masterminded the trip didnt get a chance to have a good chat for quite a few hours into the party. Susan Rossney, co-founding member of the SPI, was delighted to see that so many of us had made the effort to come and meet them in Dublin. Susan, a graduate of Trinity College Dublin and Oxford Brookes University, has worked in publishing for over six years. She explained how the SPI has formed close links with the large Irish publishers and been able to gain financial support and credibility through their involvement with the society. Such support is hard to find and we were all impressed by the way in which the SPI has achieved so much in just a few years. Another cofounder, Emma Byrne, has worked in publishing for five years, and before that she worked on newspapers. Emma talked about how much the SPI has benefited from being inclusive in its membership policy. As a designer and artist she was able to bring skills to the society that no one

The opulence of Caf en Seine

else could, and she went on to give several other examples of this situation. The point wasnt lost on us, as we are looking for people with design experience to help with everything from SYP marketing to web design. SYP Chair, Victoria Nicholl, was seen lost in conversation for a long time with the SPI cofounder and secretary, Rachel Pierce, discussing the future of the societies and a closer association in the near future. Rachel mentioned that the SPI would be following InPrints example by publishing a quarterly newsletter for its members, though they will begin with an online version. After a good few hours mingling, drinking and mini-sausage-on-stick-munching, it was time to cut the birthday cake and toast the SPIs good health. An enormous chocolate and cream cake topped with silver ball lettering was sliced and distributed to us all before our glasses were charged once again for some serious drinking Dublin style. As 3am approached, the SYP were flagging (tired, drunk or both), while our hosts looked like they had only just arrived. We eventually took our leave, thanked our hosts and scattered back across the city for a well-earned rest. I hope that the SYP can learn from the SPIs hospitality and from their ideas on sponsorship and socialising, and put it all to good use in next years calendar. For those members who didnt come to Dublin, you missed a great night and I hope that you will come along to the next social event in London or Oxford soon. There was much talk about the SYP hosting an event for the SPI in London, so watch this space and get actively involved with helping us arrange a memorable event. It may be a clich that the Irish are an extremely friendly bunch and it may be libellous to suggest that all publishers drink like fish, but whatever the truth is we all enjoyed the craic. I would like to extend a thank you to all those on the SPI committee from all of us at the SYP for a truly wonderful night in Dublin.

InPrint November 2005

Claire S, Tonia, Judith and Toby

Victoria and Louise

Louise Rhind-Tutt, Claire Morrison and Claire Shanahan

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THE REAL AMERICAN PSYCHO

Re be cca S tro ng mee ts t he ma n h ims e lf. When I heard that Bret Easton Ellis was giving a rare reading and interview on 10 October at the Royal Festival Hall, I phoned up immediately for tickets. I was curious to discover what he was like in real life, given his often violent and drug-fuelled writing. The woman I spoke to on the phone promptly informed me that she would also be going, and that she couldnt wait to see what he was like either. I think he owes all women an explanation, she said. On the night, the atmosphere in the Queen Elizabeth Hall is hushed and the lights are dimmed, with spotlights focusing on the two white chairs in the centre of the stage, and a microphone to one side. Bret Easton Ellis enters stage left accompanied by the critic, John Walsh, who is interviewing him, and immediately his standard publicity shot appears on a looming screen. Bret (were on first name terms now) is dressed in a smart suit and looks somewhat unaffected as he takes his seat. John Walsh begins with flattery, claiming that all the books up for this years Booker Prize are old-fashioned and that Brets writing is refreshing in comparison. They are primarily here, of course, in light of the impending publication of Brets latest novel, Lunar Park. John Walsh introduces the semi-auto-biographical work that takes the reader through his struggles as a writer, onto a fictional marriage and parenthood, and out through its main premise a nightmarish ghost story where a Patrick Bateman doppelganger is committing copycat murders, at which point The League of Gentlemens Apocalypse comes to my mind. Bret sits patiently through the introduction, his hand nonchalantly on his chin, sometimes staring into the distance. My first impression is that hes bored, hes going to be obnoxious, hes heard it all before, and he doesnt want to be here at all. But soon the introduction is over, and Bret slopes to the microphone to read an extract. The audiences silence is pierced by a clear American accent, which soon picks up speed and snowballs into the idiosyncratic monologue so familiar to Bret-lovers. Ten minutes later he is still reading, and it barely seems like he has taken a breath, word after word, list after list. The extract is funny, engaging, and fairly self-depreciating (though the line between the protagonist and himself is somewhat blurred). I could never be as honest about myself in a piece of non-fiction as I could in one of my novels, Bret later declares. It is clear that Bret has a lot to say about modern, suburban society in America. The extract lists all the things he finds wrong with it: terrorism, Starbucks, Walmart, subway bombs, dead bodies, bullet-proof vests on sale, the military everywhere even the children are prescribed stimulants, ADHD medicine, antidepressants . Later on he tells us that, although much of his writing seems far-fetched, a lot of it is based on reality. In his latest novel, the children attend a rehearsal party, where many children go to interact and be observed, and only those who interact best are invited to the real party two weeks later; the audience is incredulous, but Bret swears that rehearsal parties do indeed exist. He also thinks that over-medication of children in the US is terrible, though Im not going to get all Tom Cruise about it, he says, maintaining his sense of humour throughout. He resumes his seat next to the eager John Walsh, who asks him why he indulges in such elaborate fantasy. Because its fun, says Bret, why does it matter? He says that he hates it when writers complain, because he cant imagine anyone writing unless they truly enjoyed it. Indeed reality and fantasy are clearly blurred for Bret himself. He claims that he loves the celebrity world (I got to meet Jackie Collins! he says, with a cheeky grin) and says that to an extent the public image is the real Bret. Brets own childhood or rather the need to escape from it seems to be the inspiration behind Lunar Park. He briefly mentions his alcoholic, abusive father who he says he has since forgiven, but of whom he was terrified as a child. He has exorcised those demons, he says, but he wont elaborate. He grew up in the San Fernando Valley of Southern California, in a frightening family home similar to that in his latest novel. He thought that everyones father was as abusive as his own, and when he realised this wasnt the case, he suddenly had a lot more sympathy for himself and his two sisters. It becomes evident that he has a lot of sympathy with children, and whilst the protagonist in Lunar Park is the one that most resembles Bret, he himself admits that he possibly has more affiliation with Robby, the protagonists son. He was afraid a lot as a child and although there were happy times he used to read a lot in order to transport himself from his fear into another world. When asked about the writers he admires, Bret says that he loved Stephen King horror

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stories, especially Salems Lot, as a child, as well as novels of international espionage, such as those by Robert Ludlum. He also thinks that every writer is influenced by film, but says that he does not think of his writing in cinematic terms, as they are novels rather than screenplays. His favourite film adaptation of his work is Roger Averys The Rules of Attraction, which he says is visually stunning and accurately captured his sensibility. His favourite book is Seminal Education by Gustave Flaubert, although he has recently re-read The Great Gatsby for the fifth time and finally got it. He also started writing at a young age as an escape, and accepts that his father may be responsible for him becoming a writer. When he was old enough, he ran away to art school in Vermont as far away from LA as possible but his father refused to pay the tuition fees. His father was suing his grandfather at the time, so when Bret approached his grandfather for the tuition money, he gladly paid thats how the Ellis men work, concedes Bret. At university he began to write about the drug-fuelled exploits of fellow students without changing their names, in hindsight a big mistake. He wrote his first novel, Less Than Zero high on crystal meth apparently the only book he has ever written on drugs and it took him eight weeks to produce a 4,000-word manuscript that then took two years to re-write! He says that his sisters liked Lunar Park but not any of his other novels, and that his mother liked the latest novel too, but found the others difficult somewhat understandable given their content. And then he comes to American Psycho, his most famous, and perhaps most controversial, novel that I think many people in the audience are curious about. He says that he was shocked when it wasnt the conservatives that protested against it, but the left those he describes as my people. His apt words are, the New York Times went on a killing spree and journalists gained notoriety by criticising the book. I always believed thered be a time when people got it, says Bret. Clearly there must have been despite opposition, the book was a huge success. In carrying out research for the book, he met and hung out with Wall Street guys that never talked about their business, but instead talked constantly about status the best restaurants, their suits and how hot their girlfriends were. The protagonist of American Psycho was originally meant to be one of these guys, but one evening, listening to them drone on and unable to take any more, Bret had the sudden inspiration to make him a serial killer. The rage in American Psycho stemmed from leaving university, he says, and discovering that society sucks and that you have to conform to its rules. He claims to have had a realisation that society

places value on all the wrong things. By now, the audience is eating out of his hand, and clearly welcomes the reading of another extract from Lunar Park. This extract is more personal, clearly relating to his father, more descriptive. After opening up in this way, when he sits back down to take audience questions there is a shift, and he seems to close up again, becoming evasive. He cracks jokes to distract the audience: Why is everyone in the back row wearing blue? he asks, is that a school uniform? Paranoia, paranoia, tuts John Walsh in response, and everyone laughs. He avoids discussing why Lunar Park might end on a more positive note than his other books, and virtually humiliates the girl that asks him to explain the central themes in American Psycho. When asked about his attitude to drugs, he says that he never wrote about drugs or addicts, but about people that take them casually, and he also writes from his own experience. Bret is asked about his connection to Donna Tartt, and whether the classicists in The Rules of Attraction are based on the ones in her book, The Secret History, and admits that its true. They were once set up on a blind date and decided to exchange first chapters before meeting. They remained firm friends and she subsequently dedicated her book to him, as he was the one person who had been in on the project from the beginning. The questions are soon wrapped up, and the majority rushes to join the queue to get a book signed. The queue is more than two hours long, but clearly worth the wait. Bret looks at his fans with curiosity, chats to those who ask him questions, and writes Best Wish in all the books. He clearly favours the young ladies to the gentlemen, is charming but cheeky, and continues patiently to sign each copy presented. When its my turn, I tell him my name, and he chirps I know that name! before proceeding to write Becca at the top of the page. No, its REbecca, I say politely, and he sheepishly corrects it; I shall treasure the inscription To ReBecca, Best Wish, Bret Easton Ellis for a very long time. I dont think we did get the answers to all the questions, but I think Bret Easton Ellis provided a lot of explanations to questions we hadnt thought to ask. He has shifted in my mind from perpetrator (as creator of Patrick Bateman) to empathiser (as victim of troubled childhood) and not the promoter of meaningless violence that I supposed him to be. It could be that he has found a great literary formula gratuitous sex, drugs, violence and satire but I think Lunar Park will shed new light on the real Bret Easton Ellis, even if it is just the public persona he chooses to display.

InPrint November 2005

InPrint November 2005

A VINT AGE BIRTHDAY

Dou g Wal lac e r epo rt s back fr om a v er y speci al bi rt hday part y Bratchell, Vintages Marketing Director and fellow panellist. The truth of matter, as Bennett went on to explain once the laugher had subsided, was that his girlfriend introduced him to an author who read his manuscript and recommended him to his literary agent. The agent in turn approached Vintages Editorial Director, Rachel Cugnoni, who signed him up. Panellist Sarah Broadhurst of The Bookseller was incredulous: That all sounds far too easy! she exclaimed, before pressing him for a frank explanation of events. Well, it wasnt quite that easy I actually sent the manuscript to five agents and none of them were even interested! Bennett confessed, smiling broadly. Thats it John! Sell it! Sell it!! interjected Cugnoni, wideeyed in mock horror as Bratchell, head in hands, stifled his giggles. More on message for this celebratory day, Cugnoni and Bratchell discussed how editorial and marketing imperatives went hand-in-hand at Vintage. Marketing is crucial. Its the kick-start that gets people reading. Bratchell explained. It is hard to get people to buy unknown authors and even harder to get them promoted in bookshops it used to be the case that you had to start authors in hardback for the trade to take them seriously, but the paperback original format has become very important for us, as readers often just want something easy to carry around they dont care if its hardback and the trade is coming round to this way of thinking. Switching to the role of editorial, Cugnoni added that editors should be driven by their passions, which are not always commercial ones, so there is a necessary tension between editorial and marketing From our point of view, she went on, picking up a proof copy of Bennetts book, it is not always the best thing for someone like John to have a huge first book it is more about author progression over a number of years. If an author builds up to success gradually, then there isnt the tremendous pressure on them to recapture the success of their first novel. Unfortunately, this was the case with Adam Thorpe and his debut Ullverton in fact it would be best if Johns book wasnt a huge success! Now it was Bennetts turn to sit open-mouthed. Im gonna slit my wrists he muttered in an aside to the audience. The first session drew to a close with an appreciative round of applause: Debut novelists 1, Publishers 1. A good result all round. The Daily Mails Literary Editor, Jane Mays,

Vintages John Bennett: I slept with Roger

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On Saturday 17 September, Vintage, Random Houses predominantly paperback fiction imprint, celebrated its fifteenth birthday at Foyles, Britains largest independent bookshop on Charing Cross Road. The flyers promised bestselling authors, birthday cake and books and the all-day event lived up to expectations. Things kicked off at the unseemly hour of 10.30am with a discussion on Book Politics. The rather sombre session title didnt do justice to the discussion that followed. Publishing News Editor Liz Thompson chaired a lively debate that sped through every contentious issue in the industry in just over an hour 3 for 2s, the Richard and Judy effect, supermarket discounting, and the Jordan factor to name but a few. The best moments of this discussion and possibly the day came from John Bennett, one of Vintages bright young authors. Bennett joined the panel to share his experiences of rising from redundancy at the end of the dot.com boom to publishing his debut novel with Vintage this year. Thompson asked how Bennetts novel, Sea Otters Gambolling in the Wild, Wild Surf, had managed to avoid the slush pile when he had come to publishing as a complete unknown. The rakishly good looking Scotsman replied immediately I slept with Roger, tipping a wink at Roger

then talked to bestselling author, Evening Standard columnist, critic and mother, Alison Pearson, and asked: how does she do it? Mays led Pearson into a wide-ranging discussion of the problems faced by women in society today after Pearson read from her novel I Dont Know How She Does It. Claire Armitstead, the Guardians Literary Editor, then chaired a heated and controversial debate on Vintages Future Classics, chosen earlier this year by reading groups across the country. The session was dominated by comic novelist Howard Jacobson who dismissed reading groups as womens groups, going on to say that in the thousands of reading groups in this country there is no reading going on! Author Adam Thirlwell railed against the idea of a classic, arguing that surviving oblivion does not makes a book a classic, although this was assumed to be the case by many readers. Over lunch there was a break from discussion as Sebastian Faulks dropped in to sign copies of his new novel Human Traces. The afternoon session began quietly with Vintage author Rose Tremain reading a short story from her as yet unpublished new book, The Darkness of Wallis Simpson. Tremain then took questions from the floor on short stories. Finally, Audrey Niffenegger and Mark Haddon joined Suzi Feay from the Independent on Sunday and Deputy Editor of The Bookseller, Joel Rickett, for a discussion on success. Ignoring Dan Brown, Niffenegger and Haddon were the two most successful authors in the UK last year in terms of sales. Both talked at length about their endless

InPrint November 2005

book tours and how success had changed their outlook on writing and life in general. When I started writing, said Haddon glumly I wanted to be someone like Blur but now it seems I am more like Coldplay! It was a great end to the day, only bettered by the birthday cake and wine that followed. Happy Birthday Vintage!

WIN TH E VINTAG E FUT UR E CL ASSICS! We have one set of the fifteen Vintage future classics to give away! Simply tell us in no more than 100 words what you think makes a classic is it the author, the plot, the characters, the timelessness of a book, the genre, the style or a combination of them all? Email your entry to in pri n t@t hesyp. o rg . uk by Fr i day 25 No vem ber , along with your full name and address, and the best one will win! See www.vintagefutureclassics.co.uk for the full list of titles.

LONDO N AGM/ PARTY We dn es da y 18 Ja nu ary 20 06

Come along and find out what the SYP will be doing in 2006. Even better, come along and join the main committee, or one of the sub committees we are setting up! The more the merrier there is always plenty to do, and it is a great way to get to know more people in the SYP and in publishing in general. Victoria Nicholl would love to hear from anyone who is interested in getting involved email her at sypc hai r@t hesyp.o rg . uk or turn up to one of our events and talk to a current committee member. Turn to the first few pages for details of all positions. Wedn esday 18 Jan uar y 20 06 , v en ue tbc see websit e n ear er th e t im e fo r fu ll det ai l s.

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InPrint November 2005

A SYMPHO NY O F WOR DS: P UB LIS HING IN THE MUS ICAL WOR LD

Cl are Tr ut er tel ls us abou t th e l ast Oxfo r d Speaker Meet in g . surely an incentive for those who have a love of the subject. Paul does look for people who have previous experience in writing, and especially those who have had articles published. A passion for music is essential and a broad knowledge of the subject is helpful when looking for work in this area. Thanks to both Paul and Jane for their insight into this specialised area of publishing. The evening was incredibly interesting and proved that a job in musical publishing can equip you with many transferable skills to take on elsewhere.

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Have you ever wondered about publishing in the musical sector? Do you want to combine a love of music with a career in publishing? If so, the Oxford September Speaker Meeting was a great place to be. Jane Nicolson, PR and Marketing Manager at Trinity College of Music, and Paul Cutts, Managing Editor at Impromptu Publishing, gave up their time to come and enlighten us on the topic. Jane began the evening with a talk on the changing face of the Trinity magazine. Aiming to obtain a widespread audience and not just alumni of the college, Jane and her colleagues have been working to change the style of Trinity in order to achieve this aim. Trinity magazine plays a pivotal role in the colleges life. Ten thousand copies are printed twice yearly and copies are sent to schools, donors, sponsors, alumni and the press. The magazine therefore works as a marketing and fundraising tool, as well as an educational and recruitment aid. Jane finds that much of her time is spent arranging interviews with artists who are often glad of the publicity and the chance to talk about the music they so love. Intelligence, enthusiasm and interest are some of the key skills that Jane sees as necessary for the job. No formal experience in publishing is required, yet it is always an advantage. Paul then took over and spoke at length about what he looks for in an employee. He not only conducts face-to-face interviews, but candidates are also set a classical music test, as well as a test that involves guessing the origin of certain newspaper articles. The pay is not fantastic but the benefits of the job outweigh the monetary value of the wage. Travel is a must, and getting to meet some of the biggest names in the musical world is

WO RK EXPERIENC E OPPORTUNITY
Watson, Little Ltd, a medium-sized and established literary agency based in North London, is seeking candidates for work experience. You should be willing to learn and have an exceptional telephone manner, be articulate and enthusiastic. Tasks will include telephone chases, filing, errands and other basic office duties, but there will be plenty of opportunities to ask questions, get involved in all sorts of areas and generally find out about what agents do. We provide references and, where we can, contacts. * Two-week to one-month placements available at the literary agency, Watson Little Ltd. * No remuneration, but Zones 1 & 2 travelling expenses paid, plus daily lunch allowance of up to 3.00. * Opportunity to gain practical experience of agenting processes at a busy, established literary agency in Camden. If you are interested, send your CV to Jim Peake at Watson, Little Ltd: o ffic e@watso nl i ttl e. co m.

InPrint November 2005

MAG FOR IT!

Jai m ee B ig g in s repor ts bac k fr om t h e l ast L o ndon speaker meet in g . The September speaker meeting on magazine publishing opened up a lively discussion. The first speaker was Daisy Prince, who has the enviable job of PR and Marketing Associate at Vanity Fair. Her job involves overseeing all the PR for Vanity Fair in the UK, promoting the magazine and also researching stories for editors. Daisy has no formal training in PR and got the job after gaining work experience at Tatler, where her role included assisting the Managing Editor. She emphasised the need to have a positive attitude and to be willing to start at the bottom when moving into magazine publishing. She also spoke about the importance of mentioning connections, however tenuous they may seem, and name-dropping, which will help your CV stand out from the pile. The next speaker, Jess McAree, is Editorial Training and Development Manager at Haymarket Magazines. Like Daisy, he also fell into magazine publishing accidentally. After completing a Classics degree, he began doing some freelance feature writing, and then progressed to working for popular womens magazines such as Take a Break, Best and Bella which included being responsible for exciting columns like My Operation and Make My Dream Come True (on a budget of 50!). He then moved on to work for Focus, a popular science magazine. Jess now works for Haymarket and is responsible for training journalists in subjects such as libel and copyright. Similarly to Daisy, he emphasised the attributes of tenacity and perseverance (in addition to good literacy skills!) as essential for those wishing to enter the competitive magazine industry. If I received a CV without spelling mistakes and with a good covering letter, Id pick up the phone, Jess said, 80% of the CVs I receive go straight into the bin because of spelling mistakes. The final speaker, Sara Abdulla, is currently Editor of Popular Science books at Macmillan. After a scientific degree, she began her career by doing a variety of freelance work, including writing for publications such as Time Out and the Financial Times, with her income supplemented by teaching. She made the interesting shift from magazine publishing to book publishing when she took on the role of editor for Nature, a leading publication at Macmillan. While there, she noticed a gap in Macmillans publishing list. Taking initiative, she advocated the need for a new range of science books for adults, and she now manages this successful list. Having moved from magazines to books, Sara was in a position to comment on the differences between the two environments. A major difference is the importance of advertising in magazines. All speakers agreed that this could act as a hindrance to creativity and in some cases the editorial was described as filling the gaps between the ads, which generate most of the revenue. Another big difference is that magazines operate on a much faster timescale. Sara implied that magazine publishing is more modern and dynamic than book publishing. She argued that this is reflected in the workforce, with journalism being more diverse than book publishing, in terms of the male/female ratio as well as ethnicity. While this may seem like a generalisation, it does make one wonder whether jobs in publishing are being advertised in a fair and inclusive way, and whether they are reaching a wide enough audience. Another contentious point raised was that journalism is more meritocratic than book publishing, with jobs in journalism being given based on talent, while employers in the book industry are still quite rigid. The state of the magazine publishing sector was also discussed, and the question of how to maintain enthusiasm and passion was raised. It was evident from listening to the speakers that many people work in magazine publishing for a short time, and then move into a related field such as PR or training, as Jess did. He mentioned that this was largely because magazines are generally aimed at the1835 age group, and once you are older, you often lose interest in a product that you yourself would not read. The speakers also advised us on how to get into the industry. They argued that while a postgraduate qualification in journalism is quite standard today, it is not necessarily a prerequisite. The varied careers of the three speakers are testament to the fact that many people get into journalism in an unconventional way. It was also stated that training in things such as libel and defamation could be learnt on the job. Word of mouth and getting contacts in the industry are important. The speakers also suggested that writers should tailor their ideas to the publication they want to write for, and that only a synopsis or proposal should be sent in. The consensus was therefore that enthusiasm, drive, and a willingness to take every opportunity are of most importance for aspiring journalists, in the search for that elusive first job in magazine publishing.

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InPrint November 2005

H ARPERCOLLINS C V WORKSHOP
A le x Pag e ba re d he r CV sou l to g et s ome ve ry u se ful ti ps . the particular area of publishing you are applying for *If responding to an advertisement, make a note of the key words in the advert and reflect these back in your covering letter *Keep your CV simple and concise use bullet points, dont use lots of different fonts, colours or diagrams *Ask for feedback on your application if you are unsuccessful get it right next time. DON T *Make mistakes! Dont think that rogue comma will go unnoticed, especially for editorial positions. Grammar, spelling and punctuation must be spot on. *Get the name of personnel wrong *Make your CV longer than two pages. If you can fit it all onto one page, all the better *Leave large gaps between jobs. Ensure you explain why, e.g. gap year *Convey self opinion include factual information or objective evidence and focus on the BENEFITS of your achievements. I nt er vie ws *Prior to the interview, find out whether there will be a test involved *Ensure you research the company and the area of publishing you have applied for. Dont rely on the website read as many of their books and publications as possible *Dress smartly dont necessarily mirror what people within the company wear *Try to use examples when answering questions *Always prepare questions to show you have thought how you would do things if the position were yours *Write following an interview to say thanks and reemphasise your enthusiasm for the job *So where do you see yourself in x years time? Dont panic! Show your ambition (without coveting the interviewers job), say you would like to remain in the role for a time, that you want to learn everything and re-affirm your enthusiasm. The main eye-opener that I gleaned from the workshop, is that experience isnt everything. It is your enthusiasm and dedication that will dazzle and convince the interviewer, and hopefully land you that dream job.

Theres was no smiling once the CV task force moved in

Armed with a CV so raw that not even my cat would touch it, no previous experience in publishing and a big bundle of nerves, I faced the imposing residence of HarperCollins, certain that the hefty security guard waiting at the gate was employed simply to turf people like me back onto the street. Even if I made it into the workshop, I was sure to be the awkward odd one out. How on earth could my CV be moulded into a work of art that would have all HR representatives racing to pick up the phone if I didnt have any experience? My fears were happily unfounded. Helen Brooks and Sarah Krukowski, who were facilitating the workshop, were instantly welcoming. After establishing that I was not alone several of the SYP members present were still hunting for work experience, we launched into an informal discussion about the dos and donts of CVs, covering letters and interviews. Out of bonhomie and sympathy for all those struggling up the ladder, I have tried to summarise the most valuable nuggets of the workshop below. An important point that was stressed before we began is that all publishing companies, HR departments and even individual representatives have different opinions about how your CV should be presented. Trust your own judgement and, most importantly, tailor you application for each job you apply for. CV s a nd cov er in g l et te rs DO *Tailor your CV and covering letter for the job highlight your key strengths and any relevant experience *Express your ENTHUSIASM and say why you like

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InPrint November 2005

ADS AN D E VEN TS
L ONDON SPEAKER M EET ING Wednesday 3 0 Nov ember 200 5 CONG LOM ERATES v s. INDEP ENDENTS What are the differences between the large, corporate publishers and the small, independent ones? What are the pros and cons of working for each? How and why will your job differ depending on whether you work for a large or a small company? Some people are drawn to the widerranging responsibilities on offer in smaller companies, whereas others choose the giants in the belief that doing so will help them to progress in their careers. Join us to discuss company structures and how the size of a company affects the experience of working there. Speakers will be Andrew Franklin, MD, Profile Books, Carole Blake, Blake Friedmann literary agency and Carol O'Brien, recently retired from Constable & Robinson.
Wedn esday 30 N ov em ber in th e Meeti ng R oom , 3rd Flo or, Foy les Bo ok shop , C haring Cross R oad. 6 . 30 pm for 6 .45p m w ine p ro vid ed. 3 .5 0 f or non -m em bers, f ree fo r SYP mem bers. Join us aft erwards f or drin ks, 8pm onw ards in t he Pit ch er an d Piano , Dean S t reet , S oh o. If you re int erest ed i n get t ing more in volv ed w it h t he S YP, t his w ill b e a g reat op port un ity t o m eet som e of t he c urren t c om mit t ee m emb ers an d f ind out mu ch more!

L ONDON B OOK C LU B Mo nday 21 No v em ber Join us at 7pm in the Basement Caf, Waterstones, Piccadilly O XF OR D AG M/COMM ITTEE EL ECT IO N Wedn esday 18 Janu ar y 200 6 What do you like about the SYP and how can we offer more? Which activities and events could be improved? How can we let more people know whats going on? If you have answers to these questions, dont just keep them to yourself - join the Oxford SYP committee and bring your ideas to life! If youre energetic, enthusiastic, and committed, give it a go. Its amazing what can be achieved with just a monthly committee meeting and emails aplenty! Well be electing the 2006 committee at our AGM in January. If you are based in Oxford or the surrounding area and would like to get involved, or if you have any questions, email Deb Sanders, Acting Oxford Chair, at o x for dc hai r @th esyp. or g. u k. Details of all positions are in this issue of InPrint. Dont hesitate to contact current committee members for more information. Wedn esday 18 Jan uar y, 6. 3 0pm, Mai n Con fer en c e R oo m, Oxfo rd Un i ver sit y P ress, Walt on St reet , O xfo rd T HIS IS TH E L AST ISSUE O F INP RINT FOR 20 0 5. T HE LONDON AND OXFOR D SYP COM MITTEES WOU LD LIKE T O WISH AL L OUR M EMBER S A VER Y H APP Y FESTIVE SEASO N, AND WE L OOK F ORWAR D T O SEEING YOU AT SYP EVENTS IN TH E NEW YEAR .

Society of Young Publishers

SYP
Issue 111

Society of Young
Est. 1949

Publishers

c/o The Bookseller Endeavour House 189 Shaftesbury Avenue London WC2H 8TJ E-mail : mail@thesyp.org.uk Website: www.thesyp.org.uk

Printed by: Abbey Green, Old Woking, Surrey

Editor Rebecca Strong Production Ma na ger Gurdeep Mattu Co ntribut ors

Alex Page Jaimee Biggins Rebecca Strong Victoria Nicholl Claire Shanahan Doug Wallace Claire Truter

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Disclaimer: The Society of Young Publishers would like readers to note that any views expressed herein do not represent the opinions of the society as a whole and only reflect the opinions of the individuals who have submitted material.