So as you already know, I spent two days this week at the London Book Fair. I have already talked about the talks I attended and my experiences as a volunteer (which I have since received much praise for) so this post is just going to be a nice summary of the fair and the messages I took away from it.
First thing's first, digital is everything. The digital section was a hive of activity everyday and the 20 minute digital seminars were packed every time. From HTML5 to new platforms, innovation and new techniques were everywhere. Everyone in the publishing industry, no matter what sector, needs to keep up to date. You don't need to be an expert but if you don't at least keep your toe in the water you are going to get left behind.
No where was this more evident than in the talks about transmedia and gamification. A book can no longer just be a book, just as a game or tv show can no longer just be a game or tv show. Boundaries are blurring and you will find publishers in unexpected places and game developers everywhere else. One of the best pieces of advice I heard was that pretty much everything now
First thing's first, digital is everything. The digital section was a hive of activity everyday and the 20 minute digital seminars were packed every time. From HTML5 to new platforms, innovation and new techniques were everywhere. Everyone in the publishing industry, no matter what sector, needs to keep up to date. You don't need to be an expert but if you don't at least keep your toe in the water you are going to get left behind.
No where was this more evident than in the talks about transmedia and gamification. A book can no longer just be a book, just as a game or tv show can no longer just be a game or tv show. Boundaries are blurring and you will find publishers in unexpected places and game developers everywhere else. One of the best pieces of advice I heard was that pretty much everything now
has a level of interactivity and so even if a game doesn't fit your product you need something to give users that kick otherwise you will lose out to other media. But underneath all this, story is key! No matter how it is done you are still telling a story and it's that story that your audience are there for. Don't get distracted by new gadgets and platforms and forget your story. Let the story dictate how you tell it.
Obviously talking about digital and transmedia you can't forget social media. It has become so important to get to grips with social media no matter how you are involved in publishing. Authors can use it to build up their brand and talk to their audience, publishers can use it to reach their market and us job-hunting graduates can use it to make connections and get to know the industry we want to be part of. It's about networking and creating communities but also about familiarity. If you can use these tools to get to know your audience then you can write for them/sell to them better. If you get to know the company you want to work for then you'll be able to engage with them when it comes to interviews.
It all comes down to doing your research. Learn about digital technologies and social media and how these things can help you. Learn about your audience so you can create the story they want to read and tell them about it in a way they will hear. Know the industry and the people in it that will help you get the job you want.
But behind all these messages was the clear impression that everyone at the fair loved books and publishing and that that was why they were there. Everyone was passionate and shared that passion and that was what I really enjoyed about the book fair. Because I am interested in journals publishing, a lot of what was there wasn't hugely relevant to me, but that didn't matter because as long as the speaker was passionate I would listen to whatever they had to say and I learnt a lot by doing this. London Book Fair really is a place for book lovers and I can't wait to go back next year.
Obviously talking about digital and transmedia you can't forget social media. It has become so important to get to grips with social media no matter how you are involved in publishing. Authors can use it to build up their brand and talk to their audience, publishers can use it to reach their market and us job-hunting graduates can use it to make connections and get to know the industry we want to be part of. It's about networking and creating communities but also about familiarity. If you can use these tools to get to know your audience then you can write for them/sell to them better. If you get to know the company you want to work for then you'll be able to engage with them when it comes to interviews.
It all comes down to doing your research. Learn about digital technologies and social media and how these things can help you. Learn about your audience so you can create the story they want to read and tell them about it in a way they will hear. Know the industry and the people in it that will help you get the job you want.
But behind all these messages was the clear impression that everyone at the fair loved books and publishing and that that was why they were there. Everyone was passionate and shared that passion and that was what I really enjoyed about the book fair. Because I am interested in journals publishing, a lot of what was there wasn't hugely relevant to me, but that didn't matter because as long as the speaker was passionate I would listen to whatever they had to say and I learnt a lot by doing this. London Book Fair really is a place for book lovers and I can't wait to go back next year.
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