02 February 2010 - More Than Just Making Tea...

So with a final sneezing of snow and a spluttering North East wind, the most depressing month of the year is over for another 12 months - the beginning of the end for dark nights and cold mornings. It also marks the end of my (thankfully less depressing) stint as an Inpress Intern. It’s hard to believe that a month has passed already, and although my time here has been brief I leave with some fantastic experience and a heavily expanded list of ‘books to read in 2010’.

While some internships tend to require nothing more than the ability to stir milk into tea, the Inpress Internship has allowed me to have a genuine insight into the workings of the independent publishing sector. Over the past few weeks I’ve been able to see how Inpress carries out the vital function of promoting and marketing the books of its member publishers.

My own task of finding ways to help promote Sean Street’s brilliant new book, Time Between Tides, has allowed me to explore the multiple avenues through which independent books can become exposed to as many readers as possible. In an age of bestsellers lists dominated by blockbuster authors and celebrity autobiographies, it’s been great to see the passion for independent work that still exists and how effective Inpress is at giving those books a chance to compete against the big players.

And so I’d like to end by giving a big thanks to Inpress M.D. Rachael, who has done a brilliant job of growing Inpress into an increasingly significant player in the publishing industry over the past year, and who has ensured my internship has been an interesting and valuable experience. Both Rachael and her colleague James have been great to work with, and I wish both them and Inpress all the best for the future.