By Bobbi Carsley, Arts subeditor
As another academic year draws to a close the cycle of third year Bristol students contemplating their next steps as graduates continues. To office job, or not the office job that is the question. But entering the work force remains no mean feat with recent data from the Office of National Statistics reporting that the UK job market has seen job vacancies drop to their lowest levels since pre-covid.
Within this economic climate can lie intense competition for graduate schemes and entry level jobs which are all the more fierce in creative sectors with fewer openings. However, the path each graduate takes towards their dream job is different. Looking to gain first hand insight into how to successfully break into creative careers, Epigram spoke to Bristol alumnus Evelyn Aylén Heis to hear her experience working within the world of bookselling and promotion.
Currently working as the assistant manager and events coordinator at Max Minerva's bookshop, Heis began working at the independent booksellers during her third year of university. "I joined the team as a part-time bookseller, working mostly weekends and events, and last Summer I was promoted to my managerial and event coordinator role." Speaking about what her role entails Heis said, "I oversee the bookshop’s day-to-day: bookselling, giving out recommendations, tidying the bookshelves, ordering books, picking out monthly book subscriptions, writing newsletters and running our social media, alongside event coordination, which entails pitching to publishers and liaising with publicists to bring authors and translators over to our shop."
Under Heis' organisation, Max Minerva has housed events with comedian Matt Lucas, Women's Prize long listed Peace Adzo Medie, Lottie Hazel, Bonnie Burke-Patel and Mariana Enriquez. Heis has also introduced a monthly translated fiction book club which "seeks to circulate translated literature and encourage people to delve into new cultures and languages."
Heis' personal interests, an academic background studying English, as well as working as a past Epigram Film & TV Editor have all attributed, Heis tells me, to making literature and writing a "significant part of my life." Speaking from an outside perspective, Heis' university experience was packed with involvement in societies spanning Epigram, The Croft, Her Campus, TWSS Magazine, Falstaff as well as being the student representative for the Bristol Poetry institute. A impressive foundation within Bristol's creative scene which doubtlessly places her as an immense asset to Max Minerva. Heis now says that at Max Minerva "there’s not a single day that goes by that I don’t feel grateful for the amazing opportunities that this job has to offer."
When asked what her favourite experience has been while working at Max Minerva, Heis answered that interviewing Mariana Enriquez and being part of Enriquez' Bristol-based book promotion was a personal highlight. "Being Argentinian myself, Mariana Enriquez is the closest thing to God in my life; I wrote my MA dissertation on The Dangers of Smoking in Bed—one of the greatest short story collections of our time—and I have admired her work for a long time. As part of the promotion for her book A Sunny Place for Shady People—her latest short story collection—her team reached out and asked me to take part in helping spread her gothic spirit across the city of Bristol. We got sent spooky caps, bookmarks, a limited-edition Mariana Enriquez x Bristol stamp, and best of all, I was given the opportunity to interview her. It was a dream come true, and I’ll never live it down."
Turning to future events to keep an eye out for at Max Minerva, Heis picks out Booker Prize and Women’s Prize shortlisted author, Yael Van Der Wouden, coming to the bookshop in July. "The Safekeep, Yael’s debut, was my favourite read of 2024, and so I am extremely excited to be bringing her to Bristol. This is an LGBTQ+ historical fiction novel that takes place fifteen years after WWII: think enemies to lovers, but extreme. I highly recommend reading it (and coming along to our event!)"
Heis' experience within the publishing and literary sector additionally expands past her role at Max Minerva with her being named the International Booker Prize's 2025 Independent Bookseller Ambassador. Following her collaboration with the Booker Prize foundation last year as a Reading Challenge Ambassador, Heis' newest role is to "showcase my experience as an independent bookseller."
"Since the International Booker Prize longlist was announced in February, I have been reading and reviewing the titles on my bookstagram, as well as sharing the behind-the-scenes processes within retail on the leadup to the ceremony. As a bookseller ambassador, I was interested in showing how awards such as the IBP can influence book sales and how bookshops run across Bristol. I took it upon myself to interview three independent bookshops in different areas of Bristol to investigate this influence further. It’s been really interesting to compare and contrast how the IBP has affected bookshops and the positive influence it has in circulating translated literature. I have loved working with other likeminded people who truly appreciate and care for translated literature in the same vein as myself—it’s a real privilege."
A further creative outlet is Heis' bookstagram, amuchneededbreak, which houses her creative musings and literary experiences and interviews. Originally brought into existence by a desire to escape the relentless compulsory reading of her English degree Heis found "I was desperate to share my thoughts on contemporary books and connect with other readers to make reading fun and feel less like a chore—literature students will understand this feeling all too well."
"I began to take pictures of books I’d read and write up little reviews for them, without much thought or care. Before I knew it, I was swept away by the wonderful bookstagram community, where I have managed to make friends with readers from all across the world. I cannot begin to emphasise just how validating and encouraging the people in this community are; with their recommendations extremely versatile and varied, my TBR [to be read] list has exponentially grown. What I love most about my bookstagram account is the possibility of putting new books on people’s radars and helping debut authors or translated literature titles become better known."
Learning from the breadth and vibrancy of Heis' creative career journey is testament to the ability for motivated, talented individuals such as Heis to excel. Giving advice to anyone wanting to get into the publishing and literary field is to overachingly "be yourself."
"The publishing industry is an extremely saturated environment, which is not only competitive, but openings are hard to come across. But don’t lose hope. I find that what makes people stand out is embracing your personal interest—that is, having a niche that shows how unique you are. Find out what your literary interests are and nurture them. Don’t try to read like everyone else or mould yourself into the ‘ideal candidate’. Read outside of the norm and see what new things you can bring to the conversation."
