Amy Stewart tells us all about her role as publicity assistant at Princeton University Press.
Describe your role. 
I provide publicity assistance for two publicists as well as working on our academic classics list and trade paperbacks for Princeton University Press’ European office. Most of my day is spent scouring magazines for reviews, sending books to journals and magazines, as well as creating lists of media outlets to offer review copies to. I also help to organise and pitch authors for events and I frequently attend events and conferences to help with bookselling.
What do enjoy about being a publicity assistant?
One of my favourite things to do is to chatter away about books, and I am constantly recommending books to my friends. The fact that I get to think about how to get a book into the right reader’s hands on a daily basis is incredibly rewarding.
What are you working on at the moment?
I am currently assisting with the publicity and marketing for a trade classics title about robotics and AI in ancient myth which I am really excited about. Anything that makes the ancient world relevant and part of today’s conversations is fascinating.
What skills do you need to be a publicity assistant?
I think a determination for the books you are passionate about is really important. You also need a keen eye for topical and interesting angles, as well as being able to juggle a lot of tasks at once. I also think that reading a wide variety of publications and genres is key to keeping on top of the publicity opportunities.
What advice would you give to those looking to work in the industry?
Editorial isn’t the be-all and end-all of publishing; there are a lot of different cogs in the machine that are equally interesting and valuable. I think that if you are enthusiastic about the books that you are working on, any area of publishing will be exciting.
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