THE SOCIETY OF YOUNG PUBLISHERS ANNOUNCES WINNERS OF THE FIRST CHAPTER AWARD AND OPENS APPLICATIONS FOR 2025 COMMITTEES
20 NOVEMBER 2024
The Society of Young Publishers and The Publishing Post have announced the winners of the inaugural First Chapter Award, a brand-new prize celebrating the determination and passion of early- and pre-career book and publishing professionals from across the wider community whose valuable contributions are critical to their teams, companies or the industry at large.
The winners of the First Chapter Award are as follows, in alphabetical order:
Ause Abdelhaq – Editor, Pan Macmillan
October Jones – Children's Librarian, GLL Wandsworth
Sorina Marinescu – Owner, Blue Sheep Books
Eiman Munro – Volunteer
SYP UK Co-Chairs Eleanor Gaffney and Michaela O’Callaghan said: “The winners of the First Chapter Award all demonstrated the passion, commitment and tenacity that makes our industry shine. We are delighted to see such a broad range of winners from a variety of roles and backgrounds, all with shared ambitions to shape and improve the industry. Their dedication is tangible, and we know that they will go far in inspiring and encouraging others in their future careers. Thanks again to all of our judges and to The Publishing Post.”
The judging panel consisted of cross-industry representatives from broad reaches of the books and publishing trades including Emma Layfield (Children’s Books North Director), Fleur Sinclair (Owner, Sevenoaks Bookshop and BA President) Amy Rollason (Journals Manager, Intellect), Eleanor Pilcher (Freelance Marketer), Chelsea Graham (Editor in Chief, The Publishing Post), and Michaela O’Callaghan and Eleanor Gaffney (SYP UK Chairs 2024).
An award ceremony and winners’ panel will take place at the SYP London annual conference at Kingston University on 30 November.
The winners have been announced alongside the society opening up applications for volunteers to join seven out of the society’s eight branches across the UK and Ireland for the 2025 volunteering term. They will be recruiting for new UK Co-Chairs to oversee the organisation’s strategy and development as well as looking for regional branch Chairs, and officers for the regional and UK committees.
Recruitment sits in advance of the Society of Young Publishers’ digital AGM which will take place on January 19th, where the society will outline their new objectives for 2025 and reflect on the achievements and activities that have taken place during its milestone 75th anniversary year. The theme this year will be ‘Taking Action’ and will emphasise the importance of leadership skills, empowering underrepresented people in the industry, as well as taking action to source and manage work as a freelancer in the industry.
Gaffney and O’Callaghan added: “Volunteering with the SYP is a fantastic way for publishing hopefuls and those within their first ten years in the industry to gain valuable skills and connections to thrive within the industry. If you are committed to inclusion and accessibility, eager to demystify the industry, and keen to develop our growing community, then we encourage you to apply, no matter where you are based across the UK and Ireland.”
Applications from candidates from Black, Indigenous and People of Colour, LGBTQIA+, disabled, neurodivergent and underrepresented communities are particularly encouraged. The SYP will be hosting a free online Q&A on 21 November to hear from current members about their experience volunteering with the SYP. Details for this event can be found here.
Please look here to discover the volunteering options available: https://thesyp.org.uk/volunteer/
You can find out more about the First Chapter Award winners: https://thesyp.org.uk/first-chapter-awards/first-chapter-awards-winners/
SYP Scotland will open applications for their committees in February 2025.