Creative Access x Penguin Random House Publishing Rights Panel Event

On Thursday 18th January I attended the Creative Access x Penguin Random House publishing rights panel event held at the PRH office in Nine Elms. Creative Access work to make careers in the arts more accessible to those who have historically been under represented in the creative industries. The event was so brilliant in making the mystifying world of publishing feel more tangible. The panel was hosted by Ella Darlington, Head of Communications at Creative Access, and consisted of:

Monique Corless – Head of Translation, adult

Maeve Banham – Senior Rights Manager, children’s

Jonathan Herbert – Rights Executive, adult

Chloe Traynor – Rights Assistant, children’s

It was brilliant to hear from such a wide array of panellist’s working in different aspects of rights, at differing stages of their careers. The range was both great in informing publishing hopefuls on breaking into the industry, as well as showing what progression can look like as you advance in your career.

On arrival, it was obvious I was entering the mothership of publishing. The place with lined with books, both shelved on the walls and even under the seats in the reception area. I have to admit that it was tempting not to pocket a book or two for myself, but I found restraint in remembering the stacks of proofs I have waiting to be read at home …

Publishing is notoriously mystifying and competitive, making events like this all the more important to promote accessibility into the industry. It was hugely informative to hear about the day-to-day work of different members of the business in different roles, as well as the highlights like travel and the joys of seeing a book you sold the rights to in store abroad. The panellists also offered interesting insights, including challenges faced by rights teams, such as the domination of English language publishing in international markets. I was also interested by the prospect of a book potentially being ‘too English’, and hence not relevant for an international market, with minutiae like children wearing school uniforms or having traditionally British names.

After the panel we were welcomed to a generous open bar and most importantly, an array of crisps. The whole team from PRH were extremely friendly, chatting to myself and other attendees about the industry and their own roles more specifically. It was great to hear the team’s personal experiences of getting into the industry and to hear their tips on how to break in.

Thank you to PRH for hosting and Creative Access for organising the event.