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Topic: Where should I be jumping?
| Author | Message |
| dj_clawson | Posted – 5/5/2008 4:10:50 PM | show profile | email poster I've worked for 2 1/2 years as an assistant to different agents, but it doesn't pay the bills, and I don't really want to be an agent. I love the editorial end of it (submissions, editing) but hate the business end of it (pitching books, sales, publicity). Clearly I want something editorial, but the recommendations have all been "take an internship. You'll get college credit!" I don't need college credit! I have a Master's in Creative Writing. Headhunter? Anyone know a good one? There seems to be an anti-headhunter vibe, but if you know a better way to get in the door, let me know. I've also tried managing editorial, internet sales, and inventory. No luck yet. "Position was filled within the company." |
| UrbanCowgirl | Posted – 5/9/2008 2:02:44 PM | show profile I hate to say it, but if you hate the 'business end' of it then you really don't want to jump to a publishing house. I know several editors (of fiction, non-fiction, childrens books, you name it) who have left publishing to get into agenting because they also 'hate the business' end of it. Editors at publishing houses still have to sit through long marketing and sales meetings. They still have to pitch their titles on a regular basis to internal sales/marketing/publicity teams, and they're at the center of attention as the business folks plow through their lists title by title. Unfortunately, publishing is no longer an editorially driven industry (unless perhaps you hit up a smaller house). Sales and marketing teams ultimately choose what's bought, what the title is and the cover looks like, what the author is paid, and to some extent even the content. At least in agenting, you have the opportunity to work with new talent at a grassroots level. Check out the below quote from Brian Defiore. You can't really work for a salary anymore and NOT have to deal with certain business aspects...if that's what you're looking for, become a writer! Good luck to you! Oh, and as far as headhunters go...I've known a few to use them to some success. However, headhunters generally recruit for marketing/sales/licensing/etc. positions. The high-money positions, if you will, since their salary relies on a percentage of the salary offered to the recruited party. The two most well-known publishing recruiters are Lynne Palmer Executive Recruiting and Jan Meisler of JanPlace.com. "I'm sure there are people at the heads of most publishing houses who would take offense at this, but I think that these days editorial talent is not something that's valued," said Mr. DeFiore. "People are looking much more for marketing talent and bureaucratic talent, for people who know how to cut budgets and work spreadsheets to look good rather than spending money to develop the material, believing in the long run that that's where the value will be created." He said he would like DeFiore and Company to do what "amply staffed editorial departments in publishing companies used to be able to do?chase down leads, develop talent, implement book ideas, take risks on things that are a few degrees less than perfect." |
| rhino writer | Posted – 5/9/2008 6:30:46 PM | show profile I wonder if you'd like being a developmental editor for an educational publisher. You get to do hands-on editing, as well as research the competition and all that stuff. The business end is definitely involved, but that's where you could help develop a new title or series. You need teaching experience to get DE work for that kind of market; if you're fluent in another language or know sciencey things, that will only help as well. |
| dj_clawson | Posted – 5/12/2008 9:40:30 PM | show profile Allow me to clarify - I'm willing to deal with the business end, but I don't want a job where my salary is determined entirely on my ability to make deals. When you refer to educational, do you mean university presses? |
| rhino writer | Posted – 5/13/2008 1:15:22 PM | show profile For educational, I'm thinking more like McGraw-Hill, for example -- textbooks, workbooks, CD-ROMs, etc. for the elementary and high school markets. It's a fairly stable field compared to trade publishing, but you do need teaching experience. |
