Mitchell and Drewry launch disability network

An industry-wide disability network is launching this autumn, run by Penguin Random House Children’s assistant editor Ellie Drewry (pictured, top) and Cat Mitchell, lecturer in publishing at the University of Derby.

The network will seek to improve working conditions for disabled people in the industry and create a community of disabled publishing professionals. This will include people who are neurodiverse and/or chronically ill, or who are currently coming to terms with a shift in identity.

Its longer-term goal will be to improve the representation of disability in books, and to make sure there are better opportunities for disabled writers looking to get published.

Speaking about the network, Mitchell said: “With my disability research, my main aim was to raise awareness of the difficulties disabled people face in the industry, and launching an industry-wide network seemed like the best next step for making tangible, practical changes.”

Drewry added: “I’m excited to work with disabled people from across all areas of the publishing industry to create meaningful change. This industry-wide network is a way to tackle accessibility and disability representation in the publishing industry together, and to find ways for us to thrive and flourish.”

To keep up to date with the network, readers can sign up to its newsletter online.