These stars all have one thing in common, and that’s a passion for books. At the start of their publishing careers, working across large and small houses in a variety of roles, they are seeking to improve their core editorial skills such as editing and proofreading. Our support allows them to gain industry recognised training that cements their on-the-job learning and allows them to progress and excel in their publishing careers.
Ellie Duncan
Heather Evans
Hana Teraie-Wood
Hana is an Assistant Editor at Ebury, where she works on non-fiction, publishing politics, nature writing and global stories. She joined Penguin Random House via The Scheme, having previously worked in international relations and on humanitarian issues, which continue to inform her commissioning interests. She will use the Rising Star Award to train at the CIEP and Publishing Training Centre and focus on editorial and project management skills.
Taliha Quadri
A self-confessed bookworm, Taliha has always wanted to combine her love of books with languages, leading her to a career in editing and publishing. She worked as a copyeditor for a B2B marketing research business for five years and is a trained proofreader, with past clients including Bloomsbury and Hodder Studios. She now hopes to become a full-time freelance editor and copywriter and will undertake mentorship and training courses to help develop specialist skills, complimenting her core skill set.
Maxine Davies
With a passion for books ever since she was little, Maxine graduated with a Masters in Literature, gaining a wealth of experience ever since. She now works as Production Editor for Mslexia, as well as running Maybe Later Press in her spare time, publishing new writing and her own poetry zine. In the future she would love to move to a more senior editing role, shining a light on new and established authors alike.
Madeleine Budd
With a Masters in Publishing, Madeleine is an Assistant Editor at Jessica Kingsley, having previously worked at Gollancz and Hodder Education. She realised she wanted to work in an industry that gave authors a voice to reach those wanting help and now commissions in the remit of fertility and birth at Singing Dragon. Her driving forces lie in raising awareness for inclusivity and accessibility and are her main motivation for excelling as an Editor within the next 5 years.
Kirsten Chapman
While studying a Masters in Modern Culture, Kirsten worked part time at The White Review, deepening her passion for storytelling from around the world. From there, Kirsten became Editorial Assistant at Pushkin Press in 2019, encouraged that there is a growing and devoted audience for innovative writing, and people reading outside of their comfort zones. Endlessly adaptable and creative, she aims to continue to develop her editorial and production skills as she works towards becoming an Editor.
Kathryn Tann
Attracted to the dynamic world of publishing and armed with a Masters in Creative Writing, Kathrynn has successfully worked her way up to Reading Engagement Officer at Parthian Books, with a focus on the growing digital world. A huge advocate for local voices, she sees her future in the talent rich North, driving positive change as an Editor.
Beth Snyder
Originally looking towards a career in history, an opportunity to join the publishing department of the National Trust provided Beth the perfect combination of a passion for books and an eye for detail. As Publishing Assistant, she has worked on an abundance of projects from researching book ideas to editing book chapters, and would now like to take her career further to become an assistant editor. She will take on editorial project management skills training to enhance her core skills.
Jenny Messenger
While proofreading and editing for her friends and colleagues, Jenny found a passion for the process of working with text and writers. Graduating with a PHD in Classics and Modern Literature in 2019, she is now a freelance proofreader and copyeditor, working with authors creating cutting edge research in Arts and Humanities. In the future, she would like to be able to provide a training or mentoring scheme for those interested in a freelance career in publishing.