Announcing the DRF David Miller Internship Programme 2026


Announcing the DRF David Miller Internship Programme 2026

  • The DRF David Miller Internship Programme returns in a new partnership with New Writing North

  • Two paid internships providing an entry level insight into rights and agenting in publishing

  • Companies providing placements include David Higham, Eccles Fisher, Faber, Greyhound Literary, ILA, Lutyens & Rubinstein, Penguin Random House, PEW Literary, Profile Books and RCW.

  • Last year’s interns have secured jobs with Curtis Brown and HarperCollins.

  • Interviews w/c 29 June, 6-week placements 7 Sept - 16 Oct including a visit to the Frankfurt Book Fair 2026.

The DRF David Miller Internship Programme

The David Miller Internship Programme (DMIP) is dedicated to opening doors for individuals from under-represented groups in the publishing rights sector. For our 2026 programme, we are thrilled to announce a new partnership with New Writing North to recruit two candidates specifically from the North of England.

Now in its fifth year, the DMIP supports two paid internships in London over a six-week period (September-October) including a fully-funded visit to the Frankfurt Book Fair. Interns receive payment at the London living wage, as well as accommodation and expenses.

The internships typically involve placements at 8-10 leading London agencies and publishing houses. This year companies who will host interns are David Higham, Eccles Fisher, Faber, Greyhound Literary, ILA, Lutyens & Rubinstein, Penguin Random House, PEW Literary, Profile Books and RCW. The two interns are given mentoring and guidance throughout their placements.

Recruitment

New Writing North will facilitate the initial long-listing of potential candidates drawn from permanent residents of 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.

Applications should be submitted to New Writing North following this link.

Key dates:

  • Informal session via Zoom with previous participants to find out more about the opportunity on Thursday 30 April at 6pm .

  • Deadline for applications: Friday 22 May at 5pm

  • Candidates notified of interview: w/c Monday 22 June

  • Interviews: Wednesday 1 July

Praise for the David Miller Internship Programme

Gill Coleridge, Founder of the Deborah Rogers Foundation, comments:

‘I am delighted to see the internship programme return for its fifth year and thrilled to be working with New Writing North. It is truly inspiring to witness the start of such promising careers within our latest cohort, and I am deeply grateful to everyone who supports this initiative. It remains a fitting tribute to the enduring legacies of both David Miller and Deborah Rogers.

Claire Malcolm, MBE, Chief Executive, New Writing North comments:

‘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.’

Danielle Olanipekun completed the David Miller Internship Programme in 2025 and has since joined Curtis Brown as a literary assistant. She comments:

‘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.’

News


The Deborah Rogers Foundation announces that submissions for the 2025 DRF Writers Award will open on 1st January and close on 31st March 2025.
DRF 2025: The 2025 Writers Award will open for entries 1st January - 31st March 2025 and the Judges are announced. Read the David Miller Internship report.
Entries for the 2025 Writers Award will be sought from 1 January 2025 until 31 March 2025. The winner of the Award will be announced in November next year.
Leanne Francis and Lena Bruns have been selected as the successful candidates for the 2024 David Miller Internship Programme. Two paid internships provide an entry level insight into rights and agenting in publishing. Placements begin in September and include a visit to the Frankfurt Book Fair 2024.
Announcing the return of the DRF David Miller Internship Programme in partnership with Creative Access. Two paid internships providing an entry level insight into rights and agenting in publishing. Focus on attracting candidates from communities under-represented in the industry. Interviews in June, 6-week placements from mid-September including a visit to the Frankfurt Book Fair 2024.
April 2024 marks the tenth anniversary of the death of Deborah Rogers, after which this Foundation was set up in her memory. So this seems the appropriate moment to celebrate the positive impact that the DRF has made to our industry by supporting emerging talent in the publishing world.
Winning candidates Milan Sehmbi and Wiggy Bob Snow spent six weeks on placement with literary agencies and publishing companies to gain an insight into the world of publishing rights.
Judges Abdulrazak Gurnah, Claire Adam and Annalena McAfee announce Neil Rollison as the winner of the 2023 Deborah Rogers Foundation Writers Award for his work, The Dead Don’t Bleed.
Judges Abdulrazak Gurnah, Claire Adam and Annalena McAfee announce the shortlist for the 2023 Deborah Rogers Foundation Writers Award.
Nobel Prize winner, Abdulrazak Gurnah, chairs a panel of three judges. The winner receives £10,000 to complete first book. DRF Writers Award to be presented on 9th November in London