The circumstances of this extraordinary year meant that our Carole Blake Open Doors Project launched its very first virtual version this summer. We’re very happy to share Tabitha Topping’s piece about her Open Doors experience with us, pioneering our virtual approach – and even more delighted that she’s continuing to do some freelance work for the agency alongside her studies now!
’If I’m being entirely honest, when I applied for the Carole Blake Open Doors Project at the Blake Friedmann Literary Agency I had little to no idea of what a literary agent actually does, nor how they fit into the wider publishing ecosystem. All I knew was that the experience involved publishing in some way or another and that I fitted some of the requirements. It would be remiss of me not to apply, was my line of thinking. Thoughtless, even. I dutifully submitted my application, fully expecting to add it to my ever-increasing stack of rejections. Therefore, there was no one more surprised than me to find out that I had been successful in my application and that I was to spend two whole weeks shadowing agents and generally infiltrating the opaque world of publishing. Me! Out of everyone, they chose me! I gleefully noted the dates down in my diary, and allowed my mind to wander; imagining the meetings I would sit in, the publishers I would meet…
This was in March 2020. I think you all know what happened next. As the nation hastily went into lockdown, all Blake Friedmann staff shifted to home working and the Open Doors experience was understandably put on hold. It’s hard to think back and remember the whirling uncertainty and doom-mongering around that time, but I do remember being glad that it hadn’t been altogether cancelled. I assumed soon everything would return to normal and I would be in London in no time at all.
Needless to say that is not what happened. As lockdown became even further entrenched the whole idea steadily became more far-fetched and implausible. It was therefore somewhat surprising when Sian from Blake Friedmann got in contact with me at the beginning of July. She asked me whether given the current circumstances, I would be interested in doing the Open Doors experience remotely? Of course, I leapt at the chance. I didn’t know what it would involve or how it would work, but it was too good an opportunity to waste.
Using the medium of Zoom my days were jam-packed with virtual meetings. I met people from the agency, I met editors, I met book-cover designers, I met literary scouts – it seemed as if I met everyone! They were all from different publishing backgrounds, all with different experience and expertise, and all were so friendly and patently eager to share their knowledge of the industry. They answered my rather inane questions with such patience and enthusiasm that at times I felt weak at the knees. I also got the chance to sit through in-agency meetings, as well as meetings between members of the agency and other publishing individuals. Then, as the Frankfurt Book Fair was looming, I also attended meetings with the agency’s foreign counterparts and learnt all about the vagaries of foreign markets. This all being through Zoom, of course.
Between meetings I busied myself writing news articles for the agency’s website, reading submissions and manuscripts and offering my suggestions and edits. I drafted social media posts, proof-read contracts and even wrote a submission letter for one of the agents! Despite being remote I never felt for a moment that I lacked for anything – and even at times felt that I perhaps gained more than if I had done the experience in person. I was always busy and made to feel very much a part of the agency. I simply wallowed in information and advice and came away feeling that the industry was in fact very much permeable – even for the likes of me!
If you’re harbouring any curiosity about the world of publishing I would very much recommend applying for the Carole Blake Open Doors Project – you won’t regret it!’ - Tabitha Topping, Carole Blake Open Doors 2020
