The BookMachine Podcast: Conversations in Publishing – Détails, épisodes et analyse

The life of an agent is full of long lunches and torrid tales of schmoozing publishers on behalf of celebrity authors. Or is it? There are many misconceptions around what agents do and, with daily tasks changing significantly from even 10 years ago, we wanted to lift the veil on the role. In this episode, we speak to experienced agents Abi Fellows (DHH Literary Agency) and Julia Silk (Greyhound Literary). With many years between them in literary agenting and publishing roles, they have a wealth of knowledge to share. We dive into what agents do now, how this has changed over the past decade, and what makes an author/agent/publisher relationship tick.

Exclusive offer for Podcast Listeners!
Get 20% off BookMachine Campus Membership with the code BMPOD20. Go to bookmachine.org/campus.

Find out about BookMachine at the links below:

• BookMachine Creative Agency
• BookMachine CAMPUS
• Live and Digital Publishing Events
• The BookMachine Blog

Follow us on social media:

• Twitter (X)
• Instagram
• LinkedIn (Agency Page)
• LinkedIn (Community Page)

It is a truth universally acknowledged that commissioning editors receive submissions and work with authors and agents to finesse an existing manuscript. But there’s another way. 

Independent publisher of adult non-fiction illustrated titles, Amber Books, has spent years developing their own content, commissioning authors to a brief and developing a wide range of projects that span topics and categories. 

In this episode, we speak with Amber Books’ Editorial Director, Charles Catton, about how they successfully create standout titles with this unique approach to illustrated projects. We also touch on how Charles’ role has developed over the years, the journey behind finding the right author for each project, and the behind-the-scenes from an indie publishing perspective.

Exclusive offer for Podcast Listeners!
Get 20% off BookMachine Campus Membership with the code BMPOD20. Go to bookmachine.org/campus.

Find out about BookMachine at the links below:

• BookMachine Creative Agency
• BookMachine CAMPUS
• Live and Digital Publishing Events
• The BookMachine Blog

Follow us on social media:

• Twitter (X)
• Instagram
• LinkedIn (Agency Page)
• LinkedIn (Community Page)

Managing teams across generations and departments can call for a variety of approaches and working styles, which is why hearing from experts on the topic is key. We were delighted to speak with Shannon Cullen, Group Publishing Director of Quarto Kids, about her career and journey to her role where she is now. We ask about her experience moving from Editorial Manager all the way up to Publishing Director at Penguin Random House UK, and how her leadership or management style has changed over the years and with the teams she’s worked with.  We also talk about Shannon and Gemma's John Green era during their time working on The Fault in our Stars and other iconic titles, and the importance of taking all of your holidays.

Exclusive offer for Podcast Listeners!
Get 20% off BookMachine Campus Membership with the code BMPOD20. Go to bookmachine.org/campus.

Find out about BookMachine at the links below:

• BookMachine Creative Agency
• BookMachine CAMPUS
• Live and Digital Publishing Events
• The BookMachine Blog

Follow us on social media:

• Twitter (X)
• Instagram
• LinkedIn (Agency Page)
• LinkedIn (Community Page)

The publishing industry has changed a lot in the past few years, how are industry leaders changing with it? We were thrilled to speak with Emma House, Founder and Managing Consultant of the Oreham Group, about her approach to leadership and what lights her up when managing teams and company strategies. We talk about the challenges posed by the pandemic, Brexit and cost of living crisis on motivations and inspiration within publishing companies, Publishers Without Borders, and offer some solutions to people looking to refresh their leadership skills.

https://www.eurolitnetwork.com/publishers-without-borders/

Exclusive offer for Podcast Listeners!
Get 20% off BookMachine Campus Membership with the code BMPOD20. Go to bookmachine.org/campus.

Find out about BookMachine at the links below:

• BookMachine Creative Agency
• BookMachine CAMPUS
• Live and Digital Publishing Events
• The BookMachine Blog

Follow us on social media:

• Twitter (X)
• Instagram
• LinkedIn (Agency Page)
• LinkedIn (Community Page)

People in leadership roles in the publishing industry have a lot of responsibility to lead the way with diversity and inclusion in the front of their minds. They are responsible for opening doorways and creating space in an industry that’s often been described as opaque or tight-knit. But how can publishers do this the right way, from hiring, in their campaigns and beyond? We spoke with Jaini and Lydia about how publishers can build internal systems that welcome and include people from all backgrounds to make sure everyone feels supported.

Exclusive offer for Podcast Listeners!
Get 20% off BookMachine Campus Membership with the code BMPOD20. Go to bookmachine.org/campus.

Find out about BookMachine at the links below:

• BookMachine Creative Agency
• BookMachine CAMPUS
• Live and Digital Publishing Events
• The BookMachine Blog

Follow us on social media:

• Twitter (X)
• Instagram
• LinkedIn (Agency Page)
• LinkedIn (Community Page)

Whether it's paperback, hardback, colour books, journals or directories, the book production industry grows more complex by the day. Businesses in this field (and professionals heading them) need to acquire a specific toolkit to stay afloat during these changes. So, we were delighted to talk with Jonathan Huddart, Head of Sales, Books and Journals at CPI Books, about his career in sales of production services and how CPI Books has changed its approach over the years.

Exclusive offer for Podcast Listeners!
Get 20% off BookMachine Campus Membership with the code BMPOD20. Go to bookmachine.org/campus.

Find out about BookMachine at the links below:

• BookMachine Creative Agency
• BookMachine CAMPUS
• Live and Digital Publishing Events
• The BookMachine Blog

Follow us on social media:

• Twitter (X)
• Instagram
• LinkedIn (Agency Page)
• LinkedIn (Community Page)

Are you a creative and a little bit frightened of our new AI overlords like ChatGPT and Mid Journey? In this episode, we talk to Micaela Alcaino, award-winning Designer and Illustrator, and Rebecca Blake, (Advocacy Liaison at The Graphic Artists Guild) about their insights on the current AI boom in the design sector. We’ll be discussing how AI feeds into different parts of the creative process, such as brainstorming, referencing and collaborating, and the grey area it generates in terms of copyright, intellectual property, and the rights of the original designer. You can find resources referenced in the episode below.

Micaela's LinkedIn Article "AI's Influence on Cover Design and the Future of Book Publishing: How to utilise these new tools in a healthy way"

Graphic Artists Guild Position on AI Image Generative Technologies

Creative Review podcast episode on AI

Exclusive offer for Podcast Listeners!
Get 20% off BookMachine Campus Membership with the code BMPOD20. Go to bookmachine.org/campus.

Find out about BookMachine at the links below:

• BookMachine Creative Agency
• BookMachine CAMPUS
• Live and Digital Publishing Events
• The BookMachine Blog

Follow us on social media:

• Twitter (X)
• Instagram
• LinkedIn (Agency Page)
• LinkedIn (Community Page)

In this episode, we have two guests from Boldwood Books, Claire Fenby and Marcela Torres. Get ready as they share their journey in transforming a small publishing press into a resounding success, with their recent win of “Small Press of the Year” at the British Book Awards 2023. Claire, Head of Marketing, had a pivotal role in the founding of One More Chapter division at HarperCollins, as well as carving her path in the digital realm with her thriving BookTube channel. Marcela Torres, Marketing Executive at Boldwood Books, comes from a background in freelance translation and has recently had a meteoric rise on TikTok and Instagram on her own channels. Soak in the wisdom, strategies, and infectious enthusiasm of Claire and Marcela as they share their advice on business growth in the publishing world alongside their talented team members at Boldwood Books.

Exclusive offer for Podcast Listeners!
Get 20% off BookMachine Campus Membership with the code BMPOD20. Go to bookmachine.org/campus.

Find out about BookMachine at the links below:

• BookMachine Creative Agency
• BookMachine CAMPUS
• Live and Digital Publishing Events
• The BookMachine Blog

Follow us on social media:

• Twitter (X)
• Instagram
• LinkedIn (Agency Page)
• LinkedIn (Community Page)

In this episode we are joined by Dr. David Barker, Senior Lecturer in Publishing at the University of Derby. With years of experience in commissioning editorial, including founding Continuum’s unique “33 ⅓” series, David offers valuable insights into skills needed in commissioning, including fine-tuning your editorial eye. We ask David about his experience as Editorial Director at Continuum in New York and then at Bloomsbury Academic in London, and his pivot to the academic side of the industry.

Articles that we mentioned in this episode:

The Bookseller article on author care (2023)

Author survey results (2016)

Article about editorial decision-making bias and privilege in publishing (2021)

Exclusive offer for Podcast Listeners!
Get 20% off BookMachine Campus Membership with the code BMPOD20. Go to bookmachine.org/campus.

Find out about BookMachine at the links below:

• BookMachine Creative Agency
• BookMachine CAMPUS
• Live and Digital Publishing Events
• The BookMachine Blog

Follow us on social media:

• Twitter (X)
• Instagram
• LinkedIn (Agency Page)
• LinkedIn (Community Page)

Listen up! This episode we’re speaking to Louise Harvey of Little, Brown Books about the skills needed for a career in audio publishing. Are there transferable skills from other sectors of publishing? What’s unique about a career in audio? And are there challenges due to misconceptions about the place of audiobooks in reading? We’ll be asking Louise about her journey to this unique side of publishing, and what the future of audio holds.

Exclusive offer for Podcast Listeners!
Get 20% off BookMachine Campus Membership with the code BMPOD20. Go to bookmachine.org/campus.

Find out about BookMachine at the links below:

• BookMachine Creative Agency
• BookMachine CAMPUS
• Live and Digital Publishing Events
• The BookMachine Blog

Follow us on social media:

• Twitter (X)
• Instagram
• LinkedIn (Agency Page)
• LinkedIn (Community Page)