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.

Notes to editors:

Society of Young Publishers

The SYP is a membership organisation whose aim is to provide a supportive network and be a trusted source of information for anyone, of any age, hoping to get into or ahead in publishing or a related trade.

The SYP is made up of seven regional committees (Ireland, London, North, Oxford, Scotland, South West and Wales) and a UK committee responsible for overseeing the overall strategy of the group and producing the InPrint magazine. These teams are made up of dedicated volunteers who give up their spare time to help our members.

The Publishing Post

The Publishing Post is a magazine for those who wish to learn more about publishing, by providing a platform where, as contributors and readers, publishing hopefuls can develop industry-specific knowledge and skills, whilst showcasing their passion and love for the publishing industry. The magazine works to represent parts of the publishing industry and bookish community that are often overlooked in traditional discourse and improve accessibility and diversity within the industry by opening it up to as many people as possible for free.