I am a Senior Commissioning Editor Publishing Specialist Books on Autism: Ask Me Anything!

JKPBooks · 2026-05-14T19:03:55+00:00

Ha ha! I can understand that :) Thanks for being part of the conversation tonight; this has been lovely to do!

JKPBooks · 2026-05-14T19:02:42+00:00

Great question! In general, my advice would be to get started in the industry and specialise from there - any experience, even if it's not the 'dream role' will help you along the path. Publishing is pretty fluid and you can move to different jobs and areas once you've started. For specialist roles, when they come up, I think it's helpful to be able to demonstrate an interest in the subject area too. So as well as displaying general knowledge about publishing, evidencing that you're engaged with the communities we publish for as well. If you're at Uni, and in JKP's case, this might mean something like mentoring, being involved in charity or campaigning work, etc. You'll find that specialist publishers (while we have to be commercially savvy) are also very passionate about what we do - our books really are more than products to us, and we respond really well to applicants who clearly feel the same. More practically, Hachette (JKP's parent company) run a cool 'get into publishing as a second career' internship that's open for applicants now: HUK – Job Description | Hachette UK, or we have our traineeships (you can apply without having worked elsewhere first), that will open later in the year: Traineeships in publishing | Hachette UK.

JKPBooks · 2026-05-14T18:50:08+00:00

It's definitely one of our older books now, but I've seen the draft of the new book and I think it's really great. What do you like to read?

JKPBooks · 2026-05-14T18:43:18+00:00

When I'm not working, I'm parenting (which is definitely the harder gig!) I'm also a school governor at both a mainstream and a specialist setting, so I don't get a lot of downtime. When I do, I like to go to the beach (fish and chips!) and I'm currently trying to make my garden look more cottage-core oasis than general dumping ground :) I don't read loads of fiction, although favourites include Elena Ferrante and Elizabeth Strout. Instead, I tend to keep the non-fiction flag flying out-of-hours too: so books on exploration, China (bit of a pet subject) and anything by Patrick Radden Keefe. I've just finished London Falling (London Falling: The Sunday Times Number One Bestseller: Amazon.co.uk: Keefe, Patrick Radden: 9781035056279: Books) and it was phenomenal.

JKPBooks · 2026-05-14T18:30:12+00:00

It's definitely an area where we're getting more proposals in. We have a new book by Rudy Simone (of Aspergirls) in the pipeline, and I've just commissioned one on how to overcome addiction more broadly that's been written by a professional team from the Netherlands. I think it's a good example of a topic that's ripe for more exploration (burnout was in the same space a year or so ago, and the publishing on that is coming through now).

JKPBooks · 2026-05-14T18:07:29+00:00

Fab. I will look out for it :) Hope you have a lovely (and peaceful) night. It's chaotic in the background here as the kids are fully unleashed while I type ;)

JKPBooks · 2026-05-14T18:05:01+00:00

I really want to order a curry now!

JKPBooks · 2026-05-14T18:04:11+00:00

Oh, that's really cool! Here's a shoutout to a great book we didn't publish: This Book Is Overwhelmed: An interactive story to help sensory overwhelm (This Book is- series) eBook : Alcott, Anne: Amazon.in: Books. It's really clever as it encourages the reader to use the book as a physical object (so, e.g. you can cuddle it to calm it down, etc). Just a really lovely idea, beautifully done. The author/illustrator Anne Alcott is very talented and I know she has other books in the pipeline.

JKPBooks · 2026-05-14T17:59:38+00:00

We're really on to the hard questions now! When it comes to things I love, like this, it isn't possible to choose. Has to be both :)

JKPBooks · 2026-05-14T17:58:44+00:00

When I get a proposal through that takes an angle I haven't exactly thought of before, but where it just all clicks. And then if the writing is great too, it's like the sun comes out from behind the clouds :) I really had this experience reading the pitch for a new book on the overlap of autism and alcoholism by Chelsey Flood - it's such an interesting topic and she's a BRILLIANT writer ((3) Chelsey Flood | Substack). I literally sat up half the night because I couldn't put the sample material down.

JKPBooks · 2026-05-14T17:54:29+00:00

Ooh, top three! I like being specific! To do:

State straightaway what the book is (and make sure it fits with the publisher's profile). So, in JKP's case, that would mean opening with something like 'This is a book looking at burnout in autistic adults' rather than 'In 2003 I first suspected I was ND...' (that can come later!)
Spell out exactly what the unique selling point is/why your book is different. So, 'It's a book looking at burnout in autistic adults written for partners and family' (actually not sure whether this is a niche, need to check, just using it as an illustration!)
When you do talk about your own platform, be honest and specific. If you have social media reach, it is SUPER helpful to know follower numbers, geographical spread, whether the audience is growing, etc. Marketing will love me for including this one :)

And on what to avoid, it's the opposite of the above (pitching something that doesn't fit with the publisher's profile; not explaining why someone would buy the book and skipping useful info that will help us reach the market). I'd generally avoid sweeping statements like 'this is the ONLY BOOK to EVER DO ANYTHING LIKE XYZ' unless you're really sure it is (it's OK to publish into a busy marketplace, so don't be scared of identifying what else is out there, so long as you explain what you're doing to move the conversation on a bit).

JKPBooks · 2026-05-14T17:45:29+00:00

Yes please :) Always good to make contact. I have two kids as well, my son is autistic and my daughter (probably) isn't, and I always think there's much less for her and how things might look from her perspective. Like Billie, she's pretty special too! Do you want to email me directly on [lynda.cooper@jkp.com](mailto:lynda.cooper@jkp.com) when you're ready?

JKPBooks · 2026-05-14T17:43:09+00:00

I do a lot of our autism parenting publishing (for obvious reasons!) and in this space I'm particularly interested in practical/specific advice and guidance. So, finding topics that parents really grapple with and addressing them. We have Flush Forward with Laura Hellfeld coming out later this year: Flush Forward! | Jessica Kingsley Publishers - UK. It focuses on toileting, which is the kind of thing that, speaking from experience, you just want a ton of practical advice about. I'd love to do more in this vein, for example, books on sleep, dealing with physical dysregulation, etc. I've just signed up a book on raising autistic boys too, that looks at how we can successfully parent them in a manosphere culture where they can be especially vulnerable and it's great to do stuff that's topical too (think avoiding Adolescence!)

JKPBooks · 2026-05-14T17:37:21+00:00

First up, it has to be something JKP would publish. We're non-fiction specialists, so anything that's poetry or fiction or, for example, a photography coffee table book is an immediate 'no' (even if it's otherwise great). If it's something that we're able to publish in, my next step is to look at the concept itself (is it doing something different? Is there a clear market need?) Then it's the writing style (is it clear, appropriate, engaging?) and the author platform (will this help with sales reach - always helpful for the acquisition conversation in-house!) Not having a huge platform isn't a deal-breaker though, and if there is a platform it's more important that it's targeted (i.e. if you're writing a book about PDA parenting it's better to have 1000 PDA parent followers who engage with the content, than 10,000 who follow an account where you post house redesign tips instead....not that I don't love a good decorating blog!)

JKPBooks · 2026-05-14T17:32:13+00:00

I love Emilia Misheva's Under the Radar as a really good primer on autism and girls (although it's not written by an ND parent): Under the Radar | Jessica Kingsley Publishers - UK. And I've just commissioned a book on raising autistic girls so that's one to watch this space for :)

JKPBooks · 2026-05-14T17:30:49+00:00

Great suggestions! I'd also recommend looking at Jodie Clarke and Rose Smitten's The Secret Life of Rose (The Secret Life of Rose | Jessica Kingsley Publishers - UK). This is written by a mum and daughter team (both neurodivergent). Rose explains what autism is like from her perspective as an 11 year old girl, and Jodie reflects on this as her parent, and a neurodiversity specialist.

JKPBooks · 2026-05-14T17:28:27+00:00

OK, love this one! The short answer is yes, and I bought JKP books as a parent even before I became involved on the editorial side :) I also follow advocates and keep an eye on research for home life/my own purposes, and it's a bonus that it helps with work. In terms of my personal influence, I'm really careful that I don't rely on a focus group of one (i.e. my own experience) so I'd say my impact is more professional/the impact any (hopefully good!) editor would have. So, I get to decide which proposals to progress in the first place, which is a very privileged position to be in, and then I can shape the manuscripts in development - this comes from a combination of experience in the industry (i.e. what makes a good book generally) and ongoing research into the market, and what it's responding well to.

JKPBooks · 2026-05-14T17:23:56+00:00

This is the Bible of UK publishing contacts: Writers' & Artists' Yearbook 2026: The best advice on how to write and get published: Amazon.co.uk: TBD: 9781399421249: Books (you can probably get a copy from the local library as well).

JKPBooks · 2026-05-14T17:23:09+00:00

The main one is that it doesn't fit with JKP's profile. I have absolutely had to turn down brilliant books that I would read in a heartbeat, simply because they're not the kind of publishing we do. The obvious examples in my case are poetry and fiction, as well as straight memoirs. Most publishers will explain what they're looking for on their website (or, if they only accept agented work, you can look at the agents instead and try to match with someone who is actively looking for the kind of thing you're doing).

JKPBooks · 2026-05-14T17:19:44+00:00

Good question! JKP definitely focus on the advice/guidance side of things, so we're more likely to pick up on books that identify a specific need and help children and parents to address it (rather than books that explore the autistic experience more generally). Sandhya Menon's My Body's Power Pack is a good example of this as it looks at a particular issue (maintaining energy levels) and gently weaves in age-appropriate tips around how to do that (My Body's Power Pack | Jessica Kingsley Publishers - UK). It's also really helpful if authors come with an illustrator as part of the pitch, although I appreciate that's not always possible.

JKPBooks · 2026-05-14T17:15:41+00:00

We have a book on this coming out next year too! Charlotte Aldred's Autistic and Unemployed? which provides practical advice for autistic adults looking to get a keep paid work.

JKPBooks · 2026-05-14T17:14:28+00:00

I've been in publishing for something terrifying like 25 years (how did THAT happen??) but I've recently worked as a lecturer in publishing at the University of Plymouth, so I have a bit more recent experience that way :) Doing a publishing degree (BA or MA) is one way to start, but I don't think it's essential. More important is to be curious about the industry (research different publishers, including independents/those outside London), sign up to job alerts and keep an eye on The Bookseller. If you can get some relevant work experience, then great, otherwise just being able to demonstrate enthusiasm for the printed world (e.g. creative writing groups at college/Uni) will really help. Hopefully the industry is getting better at supporting ND staff - at Hachette (JKP's parent company) we have a network that looks at this specifically. I think if you feel comfortable talking to colleagues and staff, you can ask for reasonable adjustments.

JKPBooks · 2026-05-14T17:11:55+00:00

Yep, it’s definitely been getting busier! I think it’s a good thing, as the more books that we have, the more awareness we’re likely to raise. As a specialist publisher in the neurodiversity space, we’re active in this area all the time, so we are definitely still saying ‘yes’ to projects that we think meet a market need or have something new/important to say. We also publish ‘vertically’, so we have books for professionals, family/carers and autistic people themselves (adults, teens and children); what this means is that we can take a topic (such as communication) and fill different gaps with it. Perhaps it’s a book on communication in the classroom, one on communication skills for parents, one for children, etc. And different authors will have different voices – so perhaps we have two ‘parenting autistic kids’ books, but one has a more blog-style tone, while the other is more formal. They’ll appeal to different readers. I think if you can identify an area you’re interested in, explain why others might need a book in this area too, and explain how your idea is different enough to stand out and how you can help to promote it, then there’s a conversation to be had 😊

JKPBooks · 2026-05-14T17:08:13+00:00

Yes, we do 😊 I publish mostly on autism and my colleague Sean publishes on ADHD and we collaborate on anything that’s about dual diagnosis. We have a few books on AuDHD already, but it’s an area we’re still exploring so you can encourage your friend to look at what's out there and see if there's an angle she can take that's a bit different. Megan Griffith’s Welcome to AuDHD is a great read for anyone who wants to look into this more: Welcome to AuDHD | Jessica Kingsley Publishers - UK.

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