I have almost come to the end of my Masters degree in Publishing, and in seven months I have gained a great insight not only into the publishing industry but also within myself. Here are the ten things I have learned from my publishing degree.

1) Publishing is a business like any other 

It works on generating sufficient income to sustain the business and create profit. It isn’t just about reading books all day, which may be part of the life of an editor, but the initial run of a publishing house is more business, economics and marketing, than one might think.

2) Want to be an editor and read books all day?

We all want to work in editorial at Penguin Random House, Harper Collins or Bloomsbury, as these are the top traditional publishing houses nearly everyone has heard of, and who wouldn’t? I have found that the students who aspired to be editors in the beginning have long changed their career plan. To be an editor, the road is often long; working as an editorial assistant for years before the possibility of moving up. But once you hear about other exciting roles and what they entail, you just might have a change of heart.

3) Network, Network, Network

If you haven’t guessed it already, you need to be able to network. It isn’t always about who you know, but it does help. If you don’t know anyone, it is best to get out there and start talking to people. Attend seminars, talks, fairs, launch parties, etc. Don’t forget to have a business card with you, too. Even if you have little-to-no experience, a business card with just your contact details is a great start.

4) Get that chip off your shoulder!

I wanted to work in publishing as I have struggled to find books that I can relate to as a young independent black female from London. I believed that publishing was very white and middle-class… it still is to be fair, but things are changing. I unknowingly had a chip on my shoulder as a working-class young black woman. Did I mention I am young, black and a woman? This was my problem. I believed I would become the superhero that was needed and save the day by representing people of colour in publishing. But I realised I was also putting myself in a box. I had an assignment to create a business plan. I wanted to create a publishing company that targets people of colour, feeling that traditional publishing houses were failing this demographic audience in the content published with false representation and no understanding of the demand. The question I kept receiving was, “why not widen your market?” I was so enclosed to the idea that I would save the day, I wasn’t thinking big enough. There is indeed a need for more diverse BAME literature to be mainstream mass-market, that is an undisputed fact, but why stop there?

5) Be active on social media

You will need to be up to date with everything. It’s great to have Twitter as you can follow updates from publishers, authors, agents and trends, which will help you to understand the needs, wants and behaviours of your target market. Keep up to date by visiting sites like The Bookseller and BookMachine.

6) I have a book and I want YOU to publish it!

When people hear you are working in publishing, everyone and their cat will want you to publish their book. At first it is great to hear that people trust you enough to want to publish them. After a while you realise how impractical it is, that many of those requests are also to ghostwrite for them, which is triple the effort, not to mention the costs of proofreading, page design/layout, illustrations etc., as well as production and print costs. Don’t forget to include overheads. You will suddenly realise you become unenthusiastic, and almost blunt to the fact that their book has no market and probably won’t sell. But be nice about it and let them down gently, or entertain the matter.

7) Theory vs. Practice 

I have gained a tremendous insight into every area of publishing, allowing a complete contextual analyse of what works, what doesn’t, how and why. It’s great to compare and contrast. I am now in my third internship and have been able to understand a great deal more about my role and responsibility from my degree, and vice versa.

8) FREE BOOKS!

There are so many freebies. If you love books and already struggling to find shelf space, well… good luck with that. It is both a blessing and a curse. If anything, share them among friends and family as I am sure they will love the free gifts just as much.

9) Be prepared to never be rich

I am constantly told, ‘there is no money in publishing’ and there really isn’t much at all. Not unless you are/have an award winning laureate of some sort or another. The costs to produce and distribute is brutal and you must meet demands. Profits are low and depending on your position, you will get a comfortable and affordable salary, but if you are looking to buy a Ferrari, keep dreaming.

10) There is always something new to learn

In such a demanding industry with an outstanding amount of competitors, potential opportunities etc., there will never be a dull moment and there is always something to learn.

India Hosten-Hughes is a MA Publishing student at Kingston University. She’s also a blogger, and graphic novel, manga and anime enthusiast.