As part of Writers' Tuesdays we will be doing a series of interviews with insiders of the UK publishing industry and in particular, people who work within the Women's Fiction and Chick Lit arena.
To start off we have an amazing interview from the lovely Isobel Akenhead, who is a Women's Fiction editor at top publishing house Hodder and Stoughton. She looks after a number of authors including Alexandra Potter, Belinda Jones and Melissa Hill.
Enjoy, my writerly friends...
1. Can you tell us a bit about your role as an editor ?
Apart from the non-stop champagne and parties...? Oh, ok. That doesn’t really happen – we wish! But it is a brilliant job. I get to work with some lovely, super-talented authors, and to read (and actually have an impact on!) lots of wonderful novels.
Furthermore, contrary to what many people might think, the job is much more about project management than it is about actual editing. And though I really enjoy the creativeness involved with the latter, I can honestly say I absolutely love the organisational side of things on each project too. Not least because when you see a book you’ve worked on in bookstores, just knowing how much went into it from everyone involved – and that you as editor were at the hub of that – really gives you an incomparable sense of pride.
- What does your average working day involve?
It is a bit of a cliché to say it, but there is really no such thing as an average day for a book editor. I currently look after 18 authors, all of whom have books at totally different stages of production, so anything can happen! A day’s work might include briefing what I want a book jacket to look like, writing cover copy and sales materials, checking page proofs, and also liaising with the authors, their agents, and all the other departments here at Hodder. We also have to constantly keep an eye on sales figures, checking how our authors – and their competition – are doing. Not to mention reading submissions from agents to try and find more new authors.
- What was your journey into getting this job?
After a brief (awful!) stint working for a management consultancy, I began doing work experience in publishing because a friend suggested I might enjoy it. I discovered that I did indeed enjoy it – in fact I felt like I’d found my vocation – and after six weeks of unpaid work experience, finally got my first publishing job as an editorial assistant at Hamlyn. I then worked on their illustrated non-fiction list (cookery books, etc.) for approximately 18 months, but I always knew my heart was in fiction, specifically the kind of books I loved reading – i.e. women’s commercial fiction. So when an editorial job became available at Hodder doing just that, I leapt at the chance!
- What do you think the chick lit market is like at the moment, and where do you see it heading in the future (i.e. is there anything in particular that publishers are interested in)?
There is no question that women’s fiction isn’t as easy as it once was. This is partly because supermarkets – who are now the major retailers for commercial fiction – are taking fewer risks, especially with debut authors. That said, authors who are genuinely funny, warm, witty, and/or escapist will always find a way to break onto the market. Debut novels that have a very strong USP (unique selling point) will also stand a stronger chance.
has kindly given us her top five writing tips for those of you writing a book of your own!
