Name: Laura Esslemont

Age: 25

Degree and University: St Andrews, English Literature.

Can you give your work title and what it is you actually do?  

I work at Hodder & Stoughton asa production controller. I am responsible forthe H&S backlist – all the reprints, specialsales and also a handful of new titles as well.Production is like project management – you act as the co-coordinator of everyone working on a title, dealing with Sales, Editorial and Design, and are in control of the budget and schedule, the printing and quality control.

What made you choose this career path?

After doing English at St Andrews, I did one month of work experience with a small independent publisher in Edinburgh. I then worked there as an editorial and production assistant for about 15 months, gradually getting more interested in the production side of things. For me, Production was less isolated than Editorial, involving more interaction with others, and had a quicker moving pace. I wanted more training in print and was even considering doing a publishing masters course when I saw the Hachette Livre UK Graduate Traineeship advertised.

Where do you aim to be in five years?

The career path of working in Production usually involves going from production assistant to junior controller (often in charge of reprints) to senior controller who works on more complex new titles, and then on into management, where strategy and long-term overviews are more important than the day-to-day nitty-gritty. After five years in Production, it would be ideal to be a senior controller involved in some really challenging and satisfying new books, exploring different ways of making them attractive, sell-able and unique. 

How has the Hachette Livre Graduate Scheme helped you to develop your publishing career?  

Today, Publishing graduate traineeships are rare and this one was an ideal chance to learn about and work in many sides of the industry. The scheme sent me to five Hachette companies, covering colour books, education, audio, ebooks and trade paperbacks, so it really is a unique chance to try different areas of Publishing before choosing where you would most like to work. The training is very varied and thorough, from technical courses on programs like InDesign to visits to suppliers, as far afield as Italy. It’s also a perfect chance to meet lots of people across the industry and build up contacts for future use. 

What do you like most about your job? 

The best bit about Production is guiding a creative process and working with others towards an end result. It is in Production that the product is made real, where months of commissioning vision, editorial graft, and sales/marketing energy is finally streamlined into one small object. The sense of satisfaction is huge when a book you’ve worked on arrives. Even on a smaller scale, each day is filled with problem solving and building good relationships with people, and this is equally as satisfying.

Are there any downsides to what you do?

Downsides to Production can be to-do lists that seem never-ending and intimidating, but that at least means there’s never a moment to be bored! Also, the increasing reliance on technology can be frustrating when things stop working. If your computer system/ email/phones etc break down then you can be quite disabled.

What do you think are the most important skills/strengths you need to make a success of what you do?

Patience, good negotiation skills, organisation and the ability to get things done are key skills in Production, as you are often persuading people to do things for a certain time and certain price. A calm nature and a positive attitude are also essential for those times when everything starts to look impossible! As one production director told me: ‘The key to good production is never giving up…’ 

What would be your best piece of advice for graduates wishing to come into this sector? 

As advice to anyone considering Production as a career I would say try and get as much practical experience with books as possible, from working in a bookshop to volunteering in a publishers or a printer – anything connected with the field. Read industry magazines like the Bookseller and try to keep aware of trends and developments. Also, just keep looking at and thinking about books – their design, feel and unique selling points. There are so many things that go into the delivery of a book: Publishing is a real team effort and looking beyond Editorial can open up many other perspectives on the book industry.

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