Behind the Books Bi-Weekly Update 06 April 2026

Hello! This is my bi-weekly update on publishing. I hope you haven’t missed me too much, but here I am again with another catch-up for all you wonderful people who are dying to get into the industry just as much as I am. So, without further ado, here’s another segment of the blind leading the blind!

Over the past week, I had a really enjoyable task to work on while staying in touch with the social media manager of an independent publishing house. She had asked me to reach out after the book fair, just to stay on her radar. We ended up discussing the possibility of volunteering at next year’s Book Fair for them, which was wonderful, it meant I had something secured well in advance, rather than sending out endless emails hoping for a chance. Meeting them at the fair had already strengthened my desire to volunteer; they were so welcoming and kind, and it made the idea of contributing even more exciting.

Just when I thought that was the end of our correspondence, she asked me to create a calendar for internal use. The calendar needed to highlight important author birthdays, relevant awareness days like Mental Health Day or World Book Day, annual events like Father’s Day or Back to School month, and even film releases that relate to the books they publish. I was given complete creative freedom, so I could design it in a way that was clear for the team to use while reflecting the tone and aesthetic of the publishing house through colours, fonts, and overall style.

This was a fantastic opportunity to demonstrate both my administrative skills and my creativity. I dedicated a lot of time to making the calendar as polished as possible, knowing it was a meaningful project that would reflect my attention to detail and understanding of the brand. It’s also a valuable piece of experience for my CV or portfolio, highlighting volunteering and hands-on experience in publishing. Who knows, if they like my work, it could lead to even more responsibilities in the future. Regardless, it’s just really rewarding to be trusted with a project and contribute something meaningful.

And to all my lost bookworms,

Stay Steadfast x