This year, I had the experience of going to the Frankfurt Book Fair, the biggest international book fair, where thousands of subsidiary rights professionals, agents, and some editors and authors meet up to sell and discover new titles. It is a place where many translation rights deals happen and where countless new connections are made.
Through Pace University, I was selected, along with three other students, to volunteer at the fair. Throughout the four days I was there, I worked on different tasks: conducting surveys (my main assignment), helping at the stages and directing people, taking photos and videos for social media, and assisting with miscellaneous tasks—including being a model for a photoshoot for Frankfurt audio, which was very unexpected but fun!
Wednesday was definitely my favorite day! From finally seeing the booths to meeting some subsidiary rights professionals and connecting with my current one-to-one mentor, it was an intense but exciting day. On Tuesday morning, we visited the fair while everything was still under construction— there were workers everywhere, boxes being lifted, and paint being rolled on wall. Seeing the booths finally come together on Wednesday, with lights, books, and stacks of rights guides, felt magical. As someone deeply interested in foreign rights and passionate about books, I felt like a little kid in Disneyland!
Our days started early. We woke up around six am, got ready, and met with the rest of the Pace Pub team for breakfast, which usually included coffee (plus one to take along for the day!), pancakes, eggs, and a yogurt bowl. At around 8:10 a.m., we would head to the Frankfurt Messe, where the book fair took place. The commute involved taking a bus and then the train, totaling about 30 minutes. Once we arrived, we headed to the Publishing Perspectives office, located in the middle of Hall 4, where we met with Prof. Erin Cox and the NYU students who were also volunteering. We dropped our things, grabbed some snacks, and then dispersed into smaller teams based on our tasks for the day.
At around 9 am, Brittany and I would go to the I.T. room, meet Lara, and pick up our iPads. Our main task was to walk through Halls 4 and 5 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and collect as many surveys as possible from attendees. It was definitely a challenging experience, as it meant stopping very busy people in the middle of their schedules to ask them questions about the fair, their expectations, and their experience. Throughout the day, we also dealt with Wi-Fi issues, which made it even harder. Sometimes the connection dropped in the middle of a survey, turning a 5-minute questionnaire into a 20-minute activity —not ideal for busy publishing professionals rushing to panels and meetings.
While trying to complete as many surveys as possible, Brittany and I stopped by different booths to talk to agents and representatives and get to know more about their titles and markets. This strategy helped us learn more about various sectors of the publishing industry, allowed us to network with many professionals, and increased the chances that they would agree to take our survey afterward. We visited booths from Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster, Scholastic, and international publishers like Grupo Planeta, the Colombian stand, and the Brazilian stand, among others. We also attended panels, took notes, and captured photos and videos for social media.
At noon, we went to the food court located in the middle of the fair. Some of the dining options were Mexican food, Argentinean empanadas, fish and chips, sandwiches, etc. After lunch and a sweet treat (waffle cookie!) we headed to the Simon & Schuster booth to meet with Stephanie Soros, the Subsidiary Rights VP for S&S Children’s, a meeting arranged by Professor Romanello. It was a great opportunity to learn about her career, what subsidiary rights look like, and what goes into preparing for Frankfurt. One of my favorite parts was being allowed inside the booth, since only people with scheduled appointments are permitted inside.
After that, we headed back to Hall 5 to attend “Global 50 CEO Talk” on the Frankfurt International Stage. The CEOs of Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial and HarperCollins Publishers had a fascinating conversation about their markets and the strategies they have been implementing to meet their consumers’ needs. After the panel, at 3:45 pm, we went to the Frankfurt Kids Conference to take photos of the event and complete more surveys. At 6 p.m., we headed to the Lit Agency center to meet Ana Ban, Global Rights Director at Book Ends—and my current mentor—who told us about her role, the pace of back-to-back meetings every 30 minutes during the fair, and the titles she was selling. It was especially inspiring because she is also a Pace MS in Publishing alumna!
After our final meeting, we left the fair and explored a bit more of the city. That night, we met with one of my friends from Germany, who brought us to an authentic German restaurant. She even ordered for us because there was no English on the menu. We tried Schnitzel, apple wine, and white wine. After a nice meal, we took the train back to our place.
This experience was truly inspiring to me, both personally and professionally. As someone with an international background and career goals centered on subsidiary and translation rights, being in the room (at a huge fair) where everything happens felt like adream come true! Experiencing Frankfurt alongside three friends from the program also made the trip even more meaningful; we supported each other, fangirled together, and created memories that I know will stay with us throughout our careers. I am deeply grateful to the Pace MS in Publishing program for making this opportunity possible!