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Before Christmas 2022, I got invited to give a talk to the students completing the same course I did – my lecturer wanted me to share my experience of the course and acting as an independent publisher and bookseller. I was really excited to meet them again and talk to them about something I’m passionate about.

Note: I actually met two of the three students during Welcome Week whilst hosting a bookselling stall – I was able to get their contact details and set up a group chat with the four of us in case they had any questions for me.

It was a casual kind of discussion – we were all sat around a table in a small classroom chatting; they were asking questions about the books I’ve produced, the processes I took in creating them, any difficulties I faced (if you know, you know), and so on.

Impostor syndrome took over when they started taking notes from the things I was saying – I was in their position only months prior, and here I am talking about my experiences? Who am I to give them advice when there is a lecturer with 40+ years of experience sitting across the table from me? I think this impostor syndrome will be hanging around for a good long while before I start getting comfortable with the idea that I have knowledge and experience that others want.

Moving on.

The second half of the lecture involved us looking at a project they had been working on for their digital production; as soon as the files were brought up, I could see that these new students were getting a more in-depth education on digital publishing, which is fantastic.

Hopefully I’ll be invited back to chat with them again!

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