Writing students meet publishing legend
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MA students thrilled to meet publishing legend
Monday, 22 January, 2024Bath Spa MA Children’s Publishing and MA Writing for Young People students recently welcomed children’s publishing legend Barry Cunningham to the University, in an evening filled with tales of publishing, insight and literary intrigue.
Barry Cunningham has enjoyed a long and illustrious career in children’s publishing, working at several high-profile companies, including Penguin and Bloomsbury. He most famously signed JK Rowling and published Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, when many other publishers had turned it down, and is, in part, responsible for one of the world’s most successful literary franchises. In 2000, Barry set up a publishing company, Chicken House, which has published celebrated authors including Cornelia Funke and the bestselling Maze Runner series.
In conversation with MA Children’s Publishing lecturer Megan Farr, Barry touched on the intricacies of editing and marketing the first Harry Potter book, before anyone had any idea what a global phenomenon it would become, why the rules of Quidditch are so vague and how brave Rowling was allowing Harry Potter to grow up through the series, when in most children’s series before then, protagonists did not age.
Reflecting on the experience, MA Children’s Publishing student Céline Siret said:
“If I had to take just one thing from all of the marvellous things he said, it was that ‘humour beats all’. It reminded me of the riddikulus spell in Harry Potter, where they use humour to defeat fear.”
Nasim Yazdanielahabadi, another MA Children’s Publishing student, said:
“Meeting Barry Cunningham, a contemporary superhero, was an absolute honour and an enlightening experience. His invaluable insights not only offered a comprehensive understanding of the children's literature landscape but also provided a unique glimpse into his first-hand experiences, particularly in publishing the iconic Harry Potter series.”
MA Writing for Young People student Rupert Barrington added:
“He is a legend in the industry, yet so humble. He was fascinating, illuminating and made us laugh. I am inspired by his passion for speaking to children through books.”
Caitlin Clements, another MA Writing for Young People student, said:
“What an incredible joy and privilege to hear from such an icon, as he shared wisdom and anecdotes about some of the most influential stories for young people in recent decades, and even gave us tantalizing tidbits regarding the mysterious bits of Harry Potter that ended up ‘on the cutting room floor,’ so to speak. I could have listened to him for hours!”
The talk was part of a series of shared guest speaker events across the MA Children’s Publishing and MA Writing for Young People programmes that offer students the chance to meet some of the most well-respected and ground-breaking figures in the industry. Talking about the Children’s Publishing course, Programme Leader Jason Bennett said:
“We’ve designed our MA Children’s Publishing course to ensure that it is really industry focused. It’s a practical, hands-on course that instils in our students the firm idea that, while children’s publishing is a wonderfully creative and valuable endeavour, it is also a business. Having fantastic industry guests such as Barry, who have so much experience as well as great stories to tell, really brings this to life. He didn’t sugar-coat the industry in any way and yet was also incredibly inspiring.
“Events like this are also a great opportunity for our students to socialise. They are the children’s book authors, editors and producers of the future, so it’s important that we foster a sense of community and shared passion here at university. Who knows? They may well end up working together as their careers blossom, so hopefully those industry relationships start here.”