The BookMachine Podcast: Conversations in Publishing

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.

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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.

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Get 20% off BookMachine Campus Membership with the code BMPOD20. Go to bookmachine.org/campus.

Find out about BookMachine at the links below:

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• Live and Digital Publishing Events
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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:

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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:

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• Live and Digital Publishing Events
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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:

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

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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
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• Live and Digital Publishing Events
• The BookMachine Blog

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We are living in the age of the “Litfluencer”, with influencers forming a key part of publishing marketing and communications strategies. Hope is immersed in online book spaces and has cultivated relationships with influencers that have led to successful campaigns, such as for Julia May Jonas’ Vladimir and Booker Prize-nominated Maps of Our Spectacular Bodies by Maddie Mortimer. With the boom in Picador titles on bookstagram in Spring 2022 including Drake-gate, and titles reaching as far as Nicola Sturgeon, Hope shares their insight into their role and how they work with influencers.

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:

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• Live and Digital Publishing Events
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Ever wondered how the books you love actually got into your hands? This month we are talking to Karina Urquhart  - Executive Director of Book Industry Communication (BIC) about her career journey from operations to supply side - and the steps that books go through to reach the readers who love them.

Links for The London Book Fair
Register for The London Book Fair 2023

Register for our LBF Drinks Event or Influencer Talk

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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

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Roll up roll up, this month we’re talking about publishing trade fairs. We are delighted to welcome our first guest - Orna O’Brien, Head of Marketing at BolognaBookPlus, but you might know her from her work at London Book Fair and Publishing Training Centre. Orna is sharing insight into her career that has thrived on human connection and working to her strengths, with some advice on finding your place in the industry.

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

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Once upon a time in a land before podcasts, BookMachine was born to connect publishing professionals. How has BookMachine changed over the years (and what IS The BookMachine Podcast)? In our introductory episode, our co-hosts share their personal journeys and eureka moments in their publishing careers from educational and trade publishing to building a book marketing agency.

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)