Work in publishing

I understand now why I was turning to publishing with such misguided, perhaps unclear fervor. I needed a goal to work toward and a step to take. I don’t believe this one is it.

I believe now that any number of careers could be the “right one” for me. I believe publishing could be a very rewarding one of those. However, I also believe that working again in the Academy could bring me satisfaction. I’m also finding, as I gear up for my second interview with an educational nonprofit, that this kind of work could be absolutely perfect for me right now.

It doesn’t seem like publishing is exactly where I need to be right now and I’m alright saying so.

I spent the last year languishing as an English and Latin teacher, waiting the year out so that I could escape and find a new job in my “chosen” field. I had an editorial internship in college, but that’s the extent of my real publishing experience. Well, on Monday I start work at a research institute; I’m going to be proofreading the standardized tests that they write and print for elementary to high school students. Proofreading 9-5 every day. To my friends this sounds like grunt work. But I am so excited. Different minds, I suppose. I’ll call this in progress, but not completed quite yet. Next step is to move to a company that publishes “real” books.

How do I go about publishing worksheets I have created in my classroom? These worksheets can either supplement trade books or can be used to enhance other units.

For a few months now, I’ve been a little self-deprecating, thinking that if I’m going to call or believe myself “a writer,” then I’m going to have to write and if I’m going to write, then to be at all legitimate, I’d better be writing fiction.

This is absolute rubbish, isn’t it?

Literary careers come in a variety of styles and maybe I’m cut out for something less obvious. Maybe I’d make a brilliant managing editor. Maybe I’d be a stellar personal editor. With a few years under my belt and a little more confidence, perhaps I’d be a good agent.

I don’t know what I want to do, in truth. Part of me still considers teaching, laughably. The point is that, as I keep forgetting, I’m 25 and I have a million doors open to me. It’s just finding the right one to walk through and doing so without the stigma that society or experience would have me adopt.

If this is your goal, by all means do it! Publishing is like Hollywood. Lots of pressure, deadlines, trying to fit into mainstream and hitting the right numbers. It isn’t easy. Forcing creativity for the author, landing the right works for the editors and agents. The business if slow and doesn’t pay much… that’s the downside, but the rewards are GREAT when things work out. If this is your dream, just know that it isn’t all rosy and easy it’s tough, but it’s SO worth it.

So I always imagined myself wearing an ill-fitting suit and absolutely devestating some young writer by covering their manuscript with red correction marks. I don’t do that. I work for an information delivery service and look for magazines that aren’t there, but should be, all day. Not so romantic, it’s only a little bit sexier than riding any other database for a living. But it is, I guess, a publishing, company, and so this goal is, I guess accomplished. Yay!

I have accepted my new job working in the marketing department of a big publishing company – once I have served out my notice at my old job I can tick this one off the list!

I missed out on an internship at a small publisher with an interst in transcultural topics, which was really too bad. How much does it suck when people won´t let you work for them for free? But I´ve still got another iron in the fire, so let´s see if that pans out. Less of a “traditional” publishing house, but it´d still be a decent place to start. And this would include a SALARY, for Pete´s sake. See “Become Financially Independent.”

I’d do it even if it meant that I had to live in New York City. And for this Red Sox fan, that’s saying something.

With my new job, I’ve re-achieved my goal