Behind the Books Bi-Weekly Update 15 September 2025

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!

About two months ago, I was very lucky to be selected as a mentee for the 6-month London Into Publishing Mentorship Scheme, run by the Society of Young Publishers. Through it, I get personalised guidance from someone with first-hand experience in the industry, which feels both surreal and encouraging. It’s such an exciting opportunity to finally have someone on the other side of that dark chasm between me and a career in publishing, someone actually shouting back instead of the usual silence.

That’s why I’d 100% recommend applying for any and every internship, apprenticeship (though they’re rare), or bit of industry experience you can find. I hope this doesn’t come across as condescending (if you’re here reading my blog, you probably already know this) but I think the point is: the things you’re told, and probably already know, are repeated for a reason: most of the time, they’re true. You really do need a certain air of resolve for this to work.

For me, the SYP mentorship was the last thing I applied for before deciding to take a break from applications after a lot of rejection. And then, out of the blue, this came through, and suddenly I was back on a new trajectory, with hope again.

Most big publishing houses do offer opportunities at different times throughout the year, so it’s worth keeping an eye out. But something I’ve also realised is that so much of this process is a mix of hard work and luck. I couldn’t tell you why my SYP application stood out when others – for Creative Access, Penguin, or HarperCollins, etc. – didn’t. Sometimes, it really does just come down to persistence

Your CV is never set in stone, refine it. If it’s not getting you anywhere, change it and see if it gains better traction. And LinkedIn… honestly, it’s your best friend. For so many reasons. It makes you visible to the right people and it’s an incredibly versatile tool: you can follow publishing houses, keep up with what they’re reporting, spot job postings, network, and even join LinkedIn Groups. You can also look at people who already have successful publishing careers and study their paths, what did they do? How do they present themselves?

Your LinkedIn should be getting more screen time than any other app. Okay, that's a bit far, but think of it as your new best friend (a very robotic, workaholic best friend who only seems to care if you landed that six-month internship you spent hours applying for). You don’t need to post constantly or engage heavily, but even interacting once a week helps build visibility with the algorithm.

It’s important to know you can’t do everything, and I’ve learnt that they don’t want everything either. Find your niche. That could be a Bookstagram, a blog, a Substack, BookTok, volunteering at a bookstore, editing a newsletter, or getting involved in youth-led magazines. Don’t limit yourself to just one avenue, but also don’t feel like you have to do them all.

And let’s be real: like me, you probably don’t have the privilege of doing it all anyway. We’ve got bills to pay, we’re grown, we’ve got responsibilities. It’s not easy when you don’t have the luxury of unlimited time and resources, especially since publishing feels (more than ever) like a waiting game. You’ll most likely have to work a job you never intended to start in, for an unknown stretch of time, and that’s okay. The goal hasn’t changed, just the goalpost has shifted a little.

Priorities matter, and I understand how hard it is to prioritise something so unpredictable. So don’t feel disheartened if you can’t give your all every single day. Life demands your attention elsewhere sometimes, and that doesn’t mean you’re failing, it just means you’re human.

And to all my lost bookworms,

Stay Steadfast x