Students from the Poetry Society having one of their ‘Lunch Poems’ sessions, where they share their poetry, in A35, Trent Building

Mandy Baker

Mandy is a MA Creative Writing graduate. She completed a seven-month placement with The Letters Page in 2021.

Where was your placement and what were your tasks?

My placement was with The Letters Page, the campus literary journal. I was a member of the production team. We selected and edited submissions for publication. We also liaised with the writers and the other teams to make sure the publication process was streamlined.

One of my personal responsibilities was to create the layout for the monthly newsletter publication and make sure it was sent out to our subscribers on time.

How did you find out about your placement? What made you want to do one?

I found out about the placement through Jon McGregor. He is the editor of The Letters Page, and I was taking his course on publishing at the time. I chose to do
this placement because it sounded like a great opportunity to gain experience in publishing.

What was the most enjoyable part of your placement?

The people I got to work with. My team was so much fun to collaborate with. I also had the opportunity to meet and liaise with some incredible writers.

"I gained valuable skills in editing, collaboration, teamwork, and leadership during my time in this placement. My time with The Letters Page was a key component in my recent job offer. I recently accepted a position as an editor with a Red Ventures company.

I believe the skills I gained from my placement played a huge role in my receiving this incredible opportunity."

Did you learn anything new or unexpected about yourself?

I can easily slide into a leadership role. I learned that I enjoy working with others and lending my experience to help them. I also learned that I enjoy collaboration and learning new skills from others.

Have your future career aspirations changed because of your placement?

I’ve always had the aspirations and dreams to work within the publishing industry. I was never sure what specific role I would want or how it would happen. But working with The Letters Page definitely cemented my desire to be a part of that industry…And now I am.

Anything else to add?

If you have the opportunity to be a part of a placement on The Letters Page,
do it! Don’t hesitate! Working with Jon and my fellow students was an experience I will never forget and will always be grateful I had the opportunity to do."

The Letters Page website