(Note from David: A technical issue with Cristina's Blogger prevented this post from going through. She sent it to me via email and I'm putting it up here in a post from her that was initially blank.)
After working with a travel company’s Creative Team, I believed that Publishing was my true calling. Finally, with regards to my career path, there was a light at the end of the tunnel. And this light involved editing, proofreading and creating. I loved the fast paced enviroment of deadlines, drafts and final proofs. I was sure that Publishing was the industry in which I belonged, and questioned why for so many years I believed Law to be my career route. I have been writing books since before I could spell. Seriously. I dictated the first book I ever “wrote” to my kindergarten teacher. I spoke, she typed, and wa-la, The Best Christmas Ever was accomplished.
Jason Epstein’s Book Business introduced me to more than just his impressive list of acquaintances. After reading about the direction of the Publishing industry and the new introductions of technology, it seems the soon the industry will “go digital”. Epstein explained the different digital paths certain publishing companies are pursing in order to build a “new technology driven” relationship with readers. Additionally, certain bookstore conglomerates, such as Barnes & Noble, have taken to selling electronic titles directly to the consumers. This action cuts out the middle-man, the middle man being the Publisher. I am already nostalgic for an industry that I never truly experienced. Perhaps I am a few decades too late to get involved with the Publishing industry. Nevertheless, it appears that now, more than ever, the Publishing world needs a few passionate minds to throw it a life jacket, before it goes
I leave each class discussion thinking of new ways aspiring writers and publishers can use the advancing technologies to their benefit. Although I change my career goals as often as the season, I am very interested in the business and marketing aspect of the publishing industry. I find the “Bit-of-Lit” to be a brilliant marketing tactic, both for the aspiring author and publisher. I wonder if the same idea was brought to grade schools and distributed each month to students, perhaps the same success could occur with the children book industry. If students were given a pamphlet with the first chapters and summaries of the latest books, I believe parents would purchase the items. The socio-economics of each school district would have to be accounted for when predicting sales. Nevertheless, I feel it would a positive move for the children book industry.
I feel like I'm in the same boat, Cristina. I fell in love with wanting to pursue a career in the publishing industry based on all of the slightly corny visions I had developed in my mind: working in an obnoxiously small cubicle, rushing to make deadlines, going through manuscripts and editing to final proofs... I fell in love with the idea of being involved, face-to-face, with the production of books. As I grew older, I realized that I wanted to move more towards childrens books and still envisioned that one-on-one process... only with cute, simple little storylines. I was positive that I'd found my niche.
ReplyDeleteFast forward to me moving to Boston and going on an interview to be a nanny. The dad asks what I hope to do after college and I excitedly dive into my dream of entering into the world of publishing childrens books, explaining how I love the idea of being so involved in the process, etc. He delivered my first start back to reality with one simple sentence: "Oh well that's interesting since the publishing world is becoming more and more technology-based, right? I mean, you don't really get to jump in and 'get your hands dirty' so much anymore." I played along as if I completely knew what he meant but inside, my mind was racing. I'd truly had no idea.
I agree that our class discussions this semester introduced new ideas for publishing, and I even agree that the "Bit-of-Lit" plan is a wonderful idea. I still can't help but feel as if I would be missing out on something with all of the new advances in publishing. I too am nostalgic for an industry that I have not been able to experience.