The DRF David Miller Internship Programme
View the Submission Guidelines and apply
The David Miller Internship Programme focuses on creating entry pathways for people from groups under-represented in the sector and is currently partnering with New Writing North to deliver this. The annual award has an educational brief and supports two paid internships in London over a six-week period in September-October including a visit to the Frankfurt Book Fair, the key yearly rights event.
The programme offers an entry-level introduction to rights and agenting in publishing companies and literary agencies, aiming to give candidates a full understanding of the roles of rights professionals within the wider industry. This goal is achieved through first-hand experience and intensive training, providing participants with a significant stepping stone in their search for future employment.
Topics covered include:
- The concepts underpinning intellectual property and copyright
- How publishing licenses work
- How authors and agents work together
- The role of the publisher both domestically and in international markets
- The ways in which translation rights are sold
- The role of literary scouts
- How publishers exploit the rights they have acquired
- Insight into some translation publishing markets in a variety of countries
The internships typically involve placements at 8-10 leading London agencies and publishing houses. Companies who have provided placements and training include Aitken Alexander, David Higham Associates, Eccles Fisher Associates.Faber, Greyhound Literary,
ILA, Lutyens and Rubinstein, Penguin Random House, PEW Literary, Profile Books and RCW.The internships are overseen and managed by the Trustees of the DRF together with senior executives from the collaborating publishing houses and agencies.The two interns are given mentoring and guidance throughout their placements.
Payment for the internship is made at the current rate of the London living wage, and travel to Frankfurt is covered by the Foundation. Accommodation in London for the six-week period is provided if needed.
Career pathways
Recent interns have gone on to work at HarperCollins, Curtis Brown and Hachette. Learn more
Recruitment
The DRF is focussed on attracting candidates from those communities under-represented in the sector. It is working in partnership with New Writing North, the development agency for creative writing and reading in the North of England, a charity and Arts Council England partner dedicated to identifying talent and creating career-changing opportunities within the writing and publishing industries. New Writing North will facilitate the initial long-listing of potential candidates drawn from the North. Trustees from the DRF agree on a shortlist and the final selection of two interns is made by an interview panel of highly experienced rights professionals associated with the Foundation.
"The North is full of talented people but many struggle to make connections to access jobs in the publishing industry. Working with the Deborah Rogers Foundation and their esteemed network of industry supporters will allow us to open out new and exciting opportunities for people in the North. The reputation of the internships are of the highest calibre and the outcomes for those that benefit from the opportunities are second to none. I’m excited for whoever gets to undertake this opportunity and look forward to developing future work together with the foundation”.
Claire Malcolm, MBE, Chief Executive, New Writing North
Previous interns have been found through Creative Access a leading social enterprise specialised in diversity, equality and inclusion.
About David Miller
David Miller approached RCW in March l988, asking to work there because he loved the authors they represented. He first sat at the front desk but after a very short while was working as an agent and built up a wonderful list of his own clients. He was exceptionally well read, a wonderful editor and friend to his authors and all who came across him throughout the publishing world. He died tragically young, just 50, on 30 December 2016.
Gill Coleridge, colleague, writes: “David was very involved in the creation of the internship to help people learn about the rights world and he would have been thrilled to think that it now bears his name.”
Richard Cable, publisher and friend, writes: “David was truly one of a kind. His enthusiasm for the ins and outs of the publishing business was intractably tied to his huge capacity for making friendships and relationships. He was interested in everyone he met, whether a senior publisher or someone new to the industry. He lived life to the fullest and revelled in his ability to work with others in the publishing world to bring great writing to a readership, but he also never lost sight of the fact that you could have some fun along the way.”
Testimonials
“The experience I gained at the Deborah Rogers Foundation was invaluable in my job search, particularly the exposure to rights, getting hands on experience as well as the mentorship and experience within office settings with industry professionals. It gave me unique insight which came up repeatedly in interviews and helped me speak confidently about the industry.”
Danielle Olanipekun, DMIP 2025
“This internship has done more for me than you can imagine. On my own, without your endless support and generosity, I’m not sure how long it would have taken me to break into the publishing industry. You’ve opened a door that I thought might be locked, and for that, I will never thank you enough … I have never felt more comfortable or safe in a working environment before. I have felt welcome, respected and seen. It’s gone by so fast, and I’m sad that it's over, but also so excited to see where I go next.”
Wiggy Bob Snow, DMIP 2023