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20 November 2019

Project: Accelerate Programme for Emerging Publishers

This exciting programme of advice, training and support from Publishing Scotland is for publishing companies who are in the early stages of their development and want a helping hand to grow their business. Nine publishers took part in the 2017-18 Programme. We aim to run it again in 2020-21 and will put full details here later in 2019.

The nine companies that took part in the 2017-18 Accelerate Programme were: 404 Ink / Cranachan / Curly Tale Books / Little Door Books / Rowan Tree Publishing / Sainted Media / Scotland Street Press / Stòrlann / Swan & Horn.

By taking part, the participating companies were able to fast track their growth by acquiring knowledge, contacts and confidence that usually take years to build. With that as the guiding principle, we built a programme that incorporated the essentials and was delivered by some of the most knowledgeable, experienced and inspiring professionals we've come across.

The 2017-18 programme is set out below.

PUBLISHING SCOTLAND ACCELERATE PROGRAMME FOR EMERGING PUBLISHERS 2017/18

April to June 2017

  • Publishing needs audit - individual date in April/May to be agreed with each participating company (Marion Sinclair and Joan Lyle of Publishing Scotland)
  • Finance workshop - Kate Gibb (Canongate Books): 10 May 2017
  • Nielsen Publisher Seminar (Edinburgh): 15 June 2017
  • Rights workshop - Lynette Owen: 20 June 2017

September to December 2017

  • Business plan workshop - Martin Redfern: Tuesday 5 September
  • *Introduction to Marketing workshop - Gill Tasker: Tuesday 3 October
  • *Copywriting workshop (afternoon) - Hilary Phillips: Tuesday 3 October
  • *Contracts workshop - Kevin Stewart: Thursday 26 October 2017
  • Production and print talks - Caroline Gorham (Canongate Books) and Clays: Thursday 23 November 2017
  • Distribution and sales - BookSource (Cambuslang): by individual arrangement

Final session

  • A final session on sales and rights with Publishing Scotland and BookSource staff and publishers speakers - Sales: Jim Chalmers, BookSource and Vikki Reilly, Publishing Scotland and Rights: Andrea Joyce, Canongate Books; Janne Moller, Black & White Publishing; and Katy Lockwood-Holmes, Floris Books.