(Note from JM: presenting a
guest post from a young lady named Stephanie, who spent the week of
5th-9th November helping out in the Valley Press office. If you missed her fellow intern Madeleine's post about the same week, you can catch it here.)
Having been generously offered a week's work placement at Valley Press, I was very excited to get started and engage in some hands-on work, and become more closely involved with books at their editing and production stage. Having only done internships at larger publishing houses before, I had not yet had the experience of working directly with the books and their contents, and so it was something I was very eager to be a part of.
Much to mine and fellow intern Madeleine's surprise, we were given an opportunity to do so on the same night that we arrived in Scarborough! The manuscript in question was due to be sent to the printers the next day, and so valiantly our fresh, new team of brilliant editorial minds (including Valley Press' own Jamie McGarry and local author Felix Hodcroft) took on the roles of proof-readers and typesetters in order to get the manuscript prepared on time. I couldn't have asked for a more hands-on project than that to kick-start the week!
The following day Madeleine and I were given the opportunity to help edit an anthology of poems soon to be published by an author whose name must sadly be kept in the dark for now. After a lunch in a nearby cafe at which it seemed Madeleine consumed a lake-full of Haddock chowder (a challenge I gamely predicted she would not manage - see, who's to say interning can't be fun?) we delved into a poetry-filled afternoon, fulled by tea, coffee and biscuits provided by our gracious host.
Proving that great minds do not, in fact, necessarily think alike, Madeleine and I disagreed on our opinions of the vast majority of the poems; however, as a collection we both, including Jamie, agreed that the anthology is definitely something special. The poet's ability to display his subject matter in such a thought-provoking manner was a breath of fresh air to me; his portrayal of everyday and universal situations from such a unique angle and perspective was certainly impressive. We did attempt to come up with equally thought-provoking ideas for the front cover illustration, but this was something that continued to have us stumped throughout the week. I have to admit, though, that Madeleine had the edge in this task; she came up with a few quite interesting ideas while I struggled to come up with anything nearly as constructive!
Dinner that night consisted of home-made quiche (divine) and cocktails (awesome!) provided by Madeleine's aunt; not that I'm saying that all interns would be given such a treat; but I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of the good company, good drinks and great food. Madeleine and I agreed that the internship was beginning to feel like a holiday even on our first day - we were enjoying the work and the people and, as Madeleine correctly described it, it felt more like an 'editorial retreat' than an work placement!
Tuesday saw Jamie, Maddy and I taking a trip to The University of Hull, Scarborough Campus to give a talk to some undergraduates taking English degrees (at which a previous intern was coincidentally sitting in the audience). Jamie managed to quell one student's misconceptions of the poetry publishing world, proving that publishing poetry is a safe and cost-effective venture into the world of publishing, rather than the risky manoeuvre that the student supposed it to be. (Note from JM: that's that sorted then!) Madeleine gave details of her MA, her past work placements and how she had managed to get to where she was in her publishing career path. I decided to start giving out names of organisations and societies that I'd been involved in which allowed me to gain my work-experience placements, as they were what led me to the opportunities to get involved in interning. As a lovely surprise afterwards, the lecturer Kevin Corstophine took us for drinks and a delicious dinner at a nearby Italian restaurant as a thank you on the behalf of the university. With perks like those I'd give as many talks as they'd want!
(That night we also took a trip to see the new film, Skyfall. Any work placement that involves James Bond films is a successful one for me!)
Madeleine did come up with some magic advice for breaking into the publishing world that kept us tickled for most of the week: "Just live your life." Unfortunately this nugget of wisdom was not shared with the student body, however Jamie and I understood perfectly what she was getting at: live your life, and gain contacts that can help you progress and get your foot in the door. In the world of publishing, networking is everything.
On Wednesday we took a trip to the university at York, where we listened to readings from the very smart and immensely interesting James Nash, author of Some Things Matter, 63 Sonnets (published by Valley Press). We managed to sell numerous copies of his book at the stall that Jamie had set up, and rightly deserved, as his collection of sonnets were witty, amusing, and touching all at the same time. It was a pleasure to hear him read. We were also treated to readings from the brilliant David Tait and the music of Izzy Isgate.
For our second-to-last day, Jamie gave us the opportunity to look at submissions, a task I thoroughly enjoyed. Again, the three of us disagreed on many submissions, especially Madeleine and me, but it just showed that any we DID both agree on were definitely worth a second look. This task gave us an insight into what kind of submissions publishers receive and also what they look out for in terms of content and quality.
Friday was an interesting day for me; as Jamie had to be elsewhere on business, he asked if I could attend an Amnesty International book event at the Guild Hall in Hull (as that is where I live, conveniently!) As a sort of ambassador for Valley Press, I attended the book event where I met many of the authors that had contributed to the anthology, entitled Small Candles, that Jamie had helped produce. We listened to readings of the poems by their respective authors, and I helped take photos of the readings too. The people were very lovely, providing us all with free tea and cupcakes, and I even got a personal mention in the thank-you speech for my attendance! What a lovely way to finish a brilliant 'editorial retreat'!
Do not underestimate the benefits of undertaking an internship at a small publishing company; in fact, if you want more hands-on involvement and a feeling of really contributing, then I would more than happily suggest Valley Press, and more generally the smaller publishing firms. They are not necessarily just a stepping-stone into bigger things, either, because I undertook two previous work placements at large London-based publishing firms before I came to Valley Press, and I enjoyed this placement just as much, if not more, and certainly took just as much from the experience. Thank you very much, Jamie, for allowing me to take part in such a fantastic work experience placement. I could not recommend it enough.
Showing posts with label Hull. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hull. Show all posts
Wednesday, 21 November 2012
Friday, 2 March 2012
VP Books 'at Large' in Yorkshire
As I wander round the county in search of further sales and acclaim, there are some very pleasant occasions when I unexpectedly stumble across a Valley Press book. Here is some photographic evidence from the last few months of the books 'on location', arguably in their natural habitat - the bookshop...
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| Norah Hanson's Love Letters... in the window of Waterstone's Hull. |
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| Steve Rudd's Pulse in WHSmith Driffield (travel section). |
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| ...and on the counter with 'Angry Birds', an unlikely pairing! |
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| Four copies of Jo Reed's Stone Venus in Waterstone's Scarborough. |
Apologies for the quality of the pictures - all taken with my phone, the best equipment I had to hand! If you, gentle reader, should happen to see any of our books in a shop near you (and you've got a lot of time on your hands), why not write in and let us see it! Frankly, it's how I get my kicks. If you'd then like to forward a picture of the empty shelf, after they've all been bought en masse, that will be even better...
Tuesday, 21 February 2012
Valley Press Nominated for National Business Award
Suffice to say, if I do win the first prize (or even the £5,000 local prize), things will be changing around here! Expect to see a Steve Rudd blimp hovering over your town, Jo Brandon on the side of a London bus, and Norah Hanson paraded through the streets of Hull in a sedan chair... (if the organisers are reading this, please note this is not my formal answer to the question: 'how would you invest the winnings?') I'll be keeping the blog up-to-date with news on VP's progress in the awards, and you can read more and follow the whole thing on the official site: www.lloydstsbenterpriseawards.com
Saturday, 12 November 2011
Launch Report - 'Love Letters & Children's Drawings'
Last weekend we launched the nineteenth Valley Press book, Love Letters & Children's Drawings by Norah Hanson. If you haven't had time to read the blurb/bio ect, please feel free to do so now and come back - I'll wait for you. Done? Great.
It was decided this time to hold two launches, to try out a new theory of mine - namely that since Friday night and Saturday afternoon events produce such different crowds, holding an event at both those times would result in two healthy turnouts. This scheme, combined with Norah's astonishing existing popularity, and the proximity of Christmas (thus, people buying multiple copies), lead to this being the highest-selling launch of any book so far. I don't wish to brag, but I was absolutely bowled over by the response - we had sold 85 copies by the end of the Saturday event, and at the end of the first week we're close to 150 - big business for a small poetry press.
Norah excelled herself in terms of readings from the book, she had the audience 'in the palm of her hand' (to be cliche), gave them extra and still left them wanting more. This business can be such a struggle sometimes, that when things go well it's important to savour it (perhaps with a blog post!) - before you move on to the next book, that is, which of course I should. Back soon with more news.
P.S. Fans of Jo Reed may be interested to know she currently has an exhibition of her print-work (including this snail) running at the Electric Angel Gallery in Scarborough (who are also stocking a range of Valley Press books, I'm delighted to report!) More information can be found on their website here.
Sunday, 8 May 2011
Valley Press Live - Summer 2011
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| Felix Hodcroft doin' his thing, 2010 |
MAY
Wednesday 25th - Book Launch
9pm till late, 'Clock Cafe', Headingley,
Leeds, LS6 2AS
James Mcloughlin will launch his first poetry collection Encore in a venue described on Google Maps as follows: 'Very stylish. Huge amount of clocks on the wall.' So, come for the great poetry, stay for the timepieces. RSVP on Facebook, why don't you?
JUNE
Friday 3rd - Poetry Workshop
7-9pm, 'Fruit', Hull, HU1 1TU
Part of the Merge Arts Festival, who describe the event as follows: 'A chance to work on a poem of your own with local poet and publisher Jamie McGarry, as well as enjoy a lively, informal discussion on the craft of poetry with like-minded people. Book your place, then send your poem to Merge on education@mergearts.org.uk so it can be considered by Jamie beforehand. Only twelve places are available; book now to avoid disappointment!' For more details and a map, see the Merge site here.
Saturday 11th - 'The Ruby Slippers' Book Launch
7.30pm, 'The Poetry Cafe', London, WC2H 9BX
Helen Burke introduces her long-awaited first collection, in what should be the biggest Valley Press-related event ever held. Key features of the evening include a reading from Helen, a musical interlude, and you paying a £4 entry fee (it'll be worth it).
Thursday 23rd - The Hull Scarborough Line
7pm, 'Fudge', Hull, HU5 3QP
Felix Hodcroft and Sue Wilsea return with their outstanding double-act - a mixture of poetry and prose, worked up into a peerless spectacle of literary performance. There will also be an open-mic spot to show off your own wares (should you have any). Contact Fudge for tickets on 01482 441019; the last event was sold-out, so don't delay!
JULY
Saturday 9th - The Hull Scarborough Line
7pm, 'Cafe Venus', Scarborough, YO11 2LW
As befitting their title, the dynamic literary duo will reprise their performance in Scarborough - in the town's finest vegetarian restaurant, no less. Tickets are £8, with food and drink included. Call in at the cafe to book.
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