The Society of Young Publishers (SYP) and The Publishing Post are collaborating on a new award which is open to those entering into or within the first five years of their career within publishing or book-related industries.
The First Chapter Award celebrates the determination and passion of early-career professionals whose valuable contributions and passion are critical to their teams, companies or the industry at large. Crucially, the award is open to a wide variety of individuals within the book and publishing community in a bid to highlight the interconnected nature of the community and recognise all who make up the industry.
Aspiring publishers, volunteers, booksellers, freelancers, librarians, publishing professionals, students, influencers and more are encouraged to apply.
Applications will be valued on their passion, ability to support others or/and the wider industry, and dedication to achieving their personal and professional goals. The winners will receive a free year-long SYP membership as well as other prizes that both recognise their contributions and support their professional development.
Current SYP UK Chairs, Michaela O’Callaghan and Eleanor Gaffney, state, "The First Chapter Award is a fantastic way to recognise the hard work of passionate and engaged individuals in the book and publishing community. From educational and academic publishing through to magazine and traditional trade publishing, via bookselling, agenting, freelancing, volunteering and more, there is no one measure of success and no one image of what an early-career champion looks like. The SYP continues to work towards uplifting those getting INTO and AHEAD in publishing, and we can’t wait to collaborate with our peers at The Publishing Post to celebrate the fantastic achievements of our applicants."
Chelsea Graham, founder of The Publishing Post, states "The heart of this industry is made up of those with a passion and desire to improve accessibility or shout about books, and so often these champions go unrecognised. The First Chapter Award recognises these ambitious and vital contributions to the book world. The award is very close to our mission at The Publishing Post, and we couldn’t be more excited to collaborate with the brilliant SYP and read all of the wonderful submissions.”
Applications open 29th July and close on 31st August. Individuals can self- nominate or nominate others. Winners will be awarded at the SYP London Conference in November where they will have the opportunity to take part in a panel celebrating their work.
For more information and to apply, please visit: thesyp.org.uk/first-chapter-awards