Internship Diaries: My Week at Jacaranda by Nia
This week we welcomed student Nia into our office to complete work experience. She thrived in the team! Read about her experience in her own words below!
A week at Jacaranda Books has been all that I have wished for- and more!
Being able to work so closely with the wonderful team and having been able to be immersed in the publishing industry, particularly from the slant of an independent company, was eye opening. It’s provided me with the opportunity to see firsthand how the minor details of a book publication and promotion are addressed, as well as the factors that go into the success and appeal of said books.
Working with more e-commerce facets, I spent time going through Amazon pages to identify features of book listings specifically focusing on strands that could be improved. It enabled me to recognise how many different elements must be considered in order to give the book the presentation it deserves. From the descriptions to visuals to the layout of information, each of which has really helped me to understand from a more logistical standpoint all that goes into the success of a book. This task has blatantly highlighted how so many of the considerations play into the buying process yet go unnoticed yet to have a subconscious effect on the likelihood of choosing one book over another.
During the week, I have been able to undergo more creative tasks such as creating a cover brief in which I had to consider details within the book; themes, motifs, settings, etcetera and trying to find images that coincide with that which also had to align with the conventions of the book’s genre. While there was much to consider, it was overall a very fun activity.
Even down to smaller, more logistical aspects of working in publishing, like working environments was discussed; from life in an office to working from home and hybrid working. This has undeniably exposed my strengths as well as aspects that need more work on. Such considerations speak to the depth in which my work experience provided me with.
Sitting in on meetings and webinars was very insightful and even a little enjoyable! With a focus on the financial and legal sectors of publishing; all of which I hadn’t previously considered. While they were relatively intimidating, it still provided me with a great opportunity to better understand and be immersed in the industry. In addition, as basic as it may sound, throughout the week I have had to send numerous emails, forcing me to be more confident in that process, as before I have meticulously avoided sending emails due to being uncertain of what to say.
Even being allowed and supported in writing the blog alone has been great and worthy of gratitude. But most importantly, I feel it necessary to highlight the kindness and patience I have been met with throughout my time at Jacaranda with support and explanations being offered to me continuously. I can now confidently say that I aim to work in the publishing industry in the future.
