The Publishers’ Publicity Circle launches 2025 Book Publicist Mentoring Scheme

The Publishers’ Publicity Circle has announced the ninth consecutive year of the PPC mentoring scheme, which will begin in January 2025. The application window for both mentees and mentors opened on 1st November and publicists of all levels are encouraged to apply.

The 2024 scheme saw 30 mentee and mentor pairs matched, over double the pairings for the previous year for the 2023 scheme. The publicist pairings fell across fiction, non-fiction and children’s books from in-house, freelance, big and small companies. The PPC allows former mentors to apply multiple years in a row.

The mentorship programme was designed by the PPC committee to offer publicists in the publishing industry the chance to learn from each other, pairing mentees and mentors strategically so that they gain experience across the spectrum of big publishers, independents and PR agencies.

The pairs then meet monthly to share advice and learnings from their book publicity campaigns. From campaign planning to career development, the aim of the scheme is to give successful applicants the opportunity to acquire knowledge and build their publishing network. The application deadline is Monday 2nd December for both mentors and mentees.

Anna Frame, PPC chair, said: “The PPC mentoring scheme is one of the most important things we offer, and it’s been incredible to watch it go from strength to strength. It’s more important now than ever that we offer those starting out this opportunity for growth and support, but the scheme also allows far more than that; it offers both mentor and mentee a space for honest conversation and knowledge sharing, as well as a valuable perspective from outside their usual framework. I gained so much from my time as a mentor, and cannot recommend strongly enough that others apply. To me, there can be no better example of what this network is for.”

PPC mentee Amaani Banharally, publicity assistant at Canongate, said: “I have made such an invaluable connection with a mentor, thanks to the PPC Mentorship Scheme. It’s a great opportunity to meet someone outside your company, especially at the earlier start of your career, off whom to bounce thoughts, findings and ideas.

"An outside support has really helped me with seeing the publishing industry overall, developed my understanding of my place in it, and provides a space to speak openly about the positives and negatives. I would really recommend the scheme as I’ve found my match with my mentor to be such an enriching experience.”

PPC mentee Lucy Doncaster, press officer at Pan Macmillan, said: “My mentor has been a great support both personally and professionally and we’ve formed a great bond. I know I would have not have been exposed to the opportunities and ways of thinking that I have this year without their help. I’ve grown in so many ways and would fully recommend to anyone considering applying.”

PPC Mentor James Douglas, campaigns director at Riot Communications, said: “I’m the publicist I am today because of the many people whose experience, insights and patience I’ve relied on since I started in the industry a decade ago. It was time to give something back, and it’s been a pleasure to be a PPC mentor in 2024. I’ve helped another person work their own way through a lot of the challenges I remember from a similar time in my career, and learned a bit about myself along the way. I’d encourage anyone to apply. You probably have more to offer than you think.”

Further information about the scheme and instructions on how to apply can be found in the online application pack downloadable from the PPC website. All applicants must be PPC members and the deadline is 5.30pm on Monday 2nd December for both mentors and mentees. Successful applicants will be matched with their mentor by the end of December, ready to start the scheme in January 2025.