Comma Press welcomes mentor applications for Northern Fiction Alliance scheme

Comma Press has opened mentor applications for its Northern Fiction Alliance Mentorship scheme for early-career publishers at northern indie presses.

Over the next year, early-career publishers currently working for Northern indie presses will virtually meet with assigned mentors from larger publishers.

The scheme is designed to provide support and encouragement for the mentees taking part, who will benefit from at least four meetings with their mentor over the year-long scheme.

Isabelle Kenyon, the Northern Fiction Alliance coordinator at Comma, said: “A huge part of the work of Comma Press and the Northern Fiction Alliance is sector support and continued professional development for publishers based in the North of England in particular, where industry talent is underserved by training and networking opportunities. We welcome any publishers passionate about addressing regional diversity in publishing to apply to be a mentor.”

The first pairing who will take part in the 2023 scheme is Haricha Abdaal, marketing and publicity assistant at Honford Star, and Alice Murphy-Pyle, head of marketing at HarperNorth. Abdaal said: “I’m delighted to be paired with experienced marketing and publishing professional, Alice Murphy-Pyle. We will be looking at the practical elements of publicity, as well as how to best amplify translated literature – one of my passions."

Anyone interested in being a mentor is encouraged to email Kenyon on isabelle.kenyon@commapress.co.uk and see www.northernfictionalliance.com for more information.