To Prosecco, With Love

Over the past few weeks I have attended more than a dozen publishing parties. It has, in fact, been so busy that on occasion I have gone to more than one event on the same night—a books booze cruise—and I am not the only one (naming no names). The summer has become so intoxicating that some agents have been talking of it as if “the ton” – a termed coined from Netflix series “Bridgerton” – has manifested itself in their lives, only with fewer abs, and a bit less scandal.

I say this not to annoy anyone, but to point out three things. Those who think publishing or publishers are struggling, or that the industry is going out of fashion, are wrong. Those who think we have somehow become less friendly, or less generous with our time spent with each other need to get out more. And finally, those who think that the real world is limited by the polarisation they see on the internet are sorely mistaken.

Parties come in all shapes and sizes, from the gargantuan HarperCollins summer gig at the V&A, to the more cosy affairs hosted by the likes of Profile or Boldwood Books. Some are formed to celebrate anniversaries, such as Storymix’s fifth birthday party, Thames & Hudson’s 75th, DK’s 50th, and Viking’s 40th; others are annual occasions, a moment to mark not just time passing, but that business’ continued fortitude. And it works. What I learn from such occasions cannot be measured.

Those who think we have somehow become less friendly, or less generous with our time spent with each other need to get out more

You will note that these parties were based in London. The centrifugal pull towards the capital remains real and visible. In a column published this week as part of our Northern Powerhouse edition, Emma Layfield, who co-founded Children’s Book North, says that London publishing parties are limited to people who can physically make the journey south. “There are cost, time and accessibility issues.” But other options are available. CBN, now at 400 members, hosts events in Manchester and Leeds, and next week in Newcastle. Over the summer, festivals in Bradford, Edinburgh and Harrogate will all shift the balance a bit.

There are other inhibitors too, of course. Inclusivity does not end at 6pm. Author Sarah Hilary wrote for The Bookseller this week about attending festivals from a neurodivergent perspective. “Remember you’re among friends,” was her very good advice.

However you can manage it, networking is important in this business. Earlier this year Penguin General m.d. Preena Gadher spoke of the value of “sharing information and ideas to help us learn and grow”, particularly for someone coming into this world from a less privileged background, where entitlement can feel baked in. A prominent indie publisher once told me that without the connections London provides, their business would never have succeeded—a view of the rest of the UK that I hope is now out of date.

The importance of getting about is also backed by science. At The Bookseller’s Marketing & Publicity Conference, taking place next week, journalist David Robson will talk about the value of connections: creative butterflies carry the freshest ideas, notes Robson. If so, it is the events – and fizz – that drive the pollination.