Q&A: Tom Gavriel, Production Assistant at HarperCollins

For Work in Publishing Week 2025, we're sharing stories from people who are in the early years of their publishing careers. Here we catch up with Tom Gavriel, Production Assistant at HarperCollins.

What’s the story of how you found your way into publishing?

My journey into publishing has been far from linear. I studied Design (in the broadest sense) at Goldsmiths from 2015 to 2018. My work focused on storytelling and materialised fiction, aiming to create conversations about the future of my hometown, Ramsgate.

My final collaborative project evolved after graduation into a small design studio in Harlow, Essex, specialising in printer material and merchandise. Whilst doing this, I worked in retail, selling clothes in a store in Borough Market.  

Reviewing my past design work, I realised how frequently my projects involved books, fiction, and connecting with the public.

All of this came to a halt during the pandemic. After several months of furlough, I was made redundant, which gave me valuable time to think about what I enjoyed doing. Reviewing my past design work, I realised how frequently my projects involved books, fiction, and connecting with the public. This led me to develop an idea for a bookshop that specialised in myth, magic and storytelling. I put this plan into action by enrolling on a business start-up programme with The Prince’s Trust (now The King’s Trust), creating a business plan and pursuing funding. 

The programme stretched over two years, providing space to test new working methods, and, crucially, connect with fantastic people across the publishing industry. I worked with authors, agents, booksellers, marketing teams, and distributors. I was being exposed to a world I previously knew little about. 

During this two year period, while running various bookshop events, I took on other roles selling software for education tech and then for a logistics management solution. While unexpected, these positions provided valuable experience, but again ended in redundancy. Thankfully, having built a good portfolio of events and activity with the bookshop, I began teaching graphic design sessionally in universities and taking up a role in higher-education admissions. These roles were flexible enough to sustain my side-project, and gave me more time to sell books and run events.

Sometimes there is a lot of pressure to get a project over the line, a book to press or make a last-minute amendment. The best skill in those moments is to take a minute and double check what you’re doing before you action it.

With a desire to work full-time with books, I began exploring roles within traditional publishing. After attending a HarperCollins open day, and speaking with the team, I learnt about production, an area that I felt perfectly matched my design background, practical business experience, and passion for well produced books. This was then the area I set my sights on gaining a full-time role in and is where I am now. 

Whenever I have been looking for a job, especially for the one I am in now, I have had times which were incredibly frustrating and extremely isolating. I have also had times where I applied for jobs that absolutely did not suit my background and I would not have enjoyed doing. But it is always after speaking to people through friends of friends or by reaching out on LinkedIn, or social media, that I have been given the best, most honest advice and ultimately came across production. So my advice to anyone reading is not to think too much about anyone else's journey, but how you’ll make your journey work for you.  

What skill did you find most valuable during your first few months in publishing?

In production, the ability to remain calm and take a step back. Sometimes there is a lot of pressure to get a project over the line, a book to press or make a last-minute amendment. The best skill in those moments is to take a minute and double check what you’re doing before you action it.

What’s a part of the publishing process you didn’t even realise existed before you

started?

Signing off the quantity of books to be reprinted.

I didn’t study publishing at all, so this was new to me. It did not cross my mind the amount of skill and judgement needed to call the number of books you’re going to print. Too little and you could miss out on sales, too many and you’re left with too much stock and the problem of finding where to store it. It’s an art getting this number right. 

It did not cross my mind the amount of skill and judgement needed to call the number of books you’re going to print. Too little and you could miss out on sales, too many and you’re left with too much stock and the problem of finding where to store it. It’s an art getting this number right. 

What one experience really stands out from your first year in publishing?

I’ve only recently been able to do this one: visiting one of our printers. It is so exciting to see books being made and the machines that make them. The sound and the smell of the factory is fantastic. 

What’s the best piece of unofficial advice you picked up – something no one tells you before you start?

You learn by making mistakes. Of course nobody wants you to, you don’t want to make

mistakes either, but once you do make one, you’re unlikely to make it again and you know what to look out for next time.

If your career in publishing were a book title, what would it be – and why?

Inferno. The first few weeks were a baptism of fire. So I’ll go with this. It’s enjoyable at the same time – you’ll have to trust me on that!