{"id":405,"date":"2022-12-20T17:00:17","date_gmt":"2022-12-20T17:00:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vervebooks.co.uk\/blog\/?p=405"},"modified":"2022-12-21T10:13:51","modified_gmt":"2022-12-21T10:13:51","slug":"life-as-a-publishing-intern-what-is-it-really-like","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vervebooks.co.uk\/blog\/life-as-a-publishing-intern-what-is-it-really-like\/","title":{"rendered":"Life as a Publishing Intern: What is it really like?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

It\u2019s incredibly difficult to discuss entry-level roles in the publishing sphere without acknowledging how competitive they are. Internships are an invaluable way to ensure your application stands out above all others, enabling you to pick up necessary office skills, familiarise yourself with the language used within the industry and gain hands-on experience assisting with the publishing process, from pitch to publication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A bit about me<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I graduated from University College London (UCL) in the summer of 2022 with a BA First Class Honours degree in Geography. During this time, I helped consolidate the sub-discipline of literary geography by conducting a thesis investigating how a sense of place is created and experienced in fantasy fiction. This opened a window into the publishing industry, and I became incredibly fascinated by it. After I graduated, I completed three internships with independent publishers \u2013 one of which was VERVE Books \u2013 over the course of three months, covering marketing, editorial and administrative responsibilities, before landing my role as Editorial Assistant at Hachette.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What I got up to at VERVE Books<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I was based in the warm and friendly Harpenden office for three days a week. My mornings always began with checking my inbox and creating an ordered to-do list of what tasks were sent to me to complete during the day ahead. This ranged spectacularly, from creating graphics and teaser trailers on Canva for VERVE\u2019s social media pages to proofreading manuscripts, creating author information (AI) sheets, updating the website with the latest reviews, compiling sales spreadsheets in Excel and taking minutes during meetings. I specifically assisted with the publicity campaigns for The Dazzle Of The Light<\/em><\/a>, Stargazer<\/em><\/a>,<\/em> Sunburn<\/em><\/a> and Fear and Lovely<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Working with VERVE was fantastic, because it provided me with the privilege to gain rich insights across multiple departments within publishing. Trying out lots of different things helped me realise that my true strengths lie in editorial. However, I learned that there is a heavy overlap between the multiple departments, especially at the entry-level stage. As such, having a holistic understanding of rights, production, and publicity equipped me with strong transferable skills and will surely benefit my career journey further down the line.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I am incredibly grateful to the warm, generous, and dedicated team at VERVE for always answering my questions and letting me play an active role as a publishing intern. I have learned so much about the publishing industry thanks to them. I believe they equipped me with the necessary knowledge to help me stand out during interviews, and I would strongly recommend that hopefuls apply for internships, where possible, in order to explore the industry and their own capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Top Tips for Publishing Interns<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. Ask Questions: Everyone I\u2019ve met in the publishing industry has always been incredibly friendly and open to helping hopefuls. Don\u2019t be afraid to ask a question if you don\u2019t understand something. Remember, you\u2019re there to learn.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n