Interning with a Literary Agent
We occasionally have opportunities at Graham Maw Christie Agency for people who have an interest in non-fiction publishing, plus organisational, editorial and creative skills. We enjoy introducing interns to all aspects of life as a literary agent and appreciate their help in managing a busy office. They have all gone on from us to good jobs in publishing, from editorial assistants to publicists and agents. We asked Elinor to write a bit about her time with us.
‘I spent 4 months at GMC as their intern, an experience I really relished. Now on the cusp of moving into a permanent position as an editorial assistant in illustrated non-fiction I can look back on what really made my time at GMC so positive.
Hitting the Ground Running
Before the onset of social media, the world of literary agenting may have seemed a bit mysterious to curious outsiders looking in: agents often work behind the scenes, acting on their authors’ best interests, all the while keeping their ears to the ground for new ideas and talent. It can therefore seem slightly daunting to enter the world of book publishing if you don’t have any prior knowledge of it. In my experience though, the amount you learn as an intern, as well as how quickly, is incredibly rewarding. You really do hit the ground running, picking up new skills and honing old ones.
My tasks included…
· Reading, reporting on and responding to book submissions and proposals
· Social media management, including creating posts and copy for Instagram
· Market research of competing titles and/or promising new authors
· Attending meetings with the agents, as well as authors and editors
· General administration using Excel, Canva etc.
Building Your Confidence
Being an intern at a literary agency is a great opportunity to learn about publishing process from an agent’s perspective, as well as experience a variety of duties, some more creative, some more organisational. You really do learn an incredible amount as an intern if you’re lucky enough to stay on for several months. You naturally absorb so much and as a result build up a surer sense of your capabilities, learning to talk about and understand books as though you yourself were an agent.
Moving into my new role as an editorial assistant, I feel far more confident and self-assured as a person thanks to my time spent at GMC as well as the encouragement I found there.’
We asked two other GMC interns what it was like for them:
‘Interning at Graham Maw Christie was a tremendously rewarding experience that was critical to me getting a full-time role in the publishing industry. The opportunity to learn what both agents and editors look for in submissions, sitting in on meetings with marketing and publicity teams for upcoming publications, and getting one-to-one editorial training provided me with a rounded introduction to the publishing industry and the necessary experience to stand-apart in the application process.’ – Harry
‘At GMC I really enjoyed learning about the critical path of a book from submission to publication. Attending London Book Fair was such a valuable experience, as I learnt first-hand about the working relationships between editors and agents, gaining insight into trends in the non-fiction publishing industry. My time at GMC prepared me very well for my current job, as I increased my commercial awareness and editorial skills while working with editors, authors, and publishers.’ – Constance
To find out about future opportunities, follow us on social media.