Dear O'Abby: What do I need to study to get into publishing

Dear O'Abby,

I'm a high school student and I really want to work in publishing.  I'm going into my senior year, so thinking about college and I'm wondering what would be best to study to best set myself up for a job in the publishing industry.

Do you know or have any resources you could point me toward?

Thanks so much!

Sincerely,

College-Bound

Dear College-Bound,

Publishing is a big field with many, many facets so it's difficult to know what to tell you without knowing what aspect of publishing you feel you'd like to take part in.  Different parts of the business require different specialist knowledge.  Most people think an English degree is a must, but that is not always the case and there are many jobs within publishing that don't even require a degree at all.

So before you make any decisions, think about where your skills and talents might best be utilised. Publishing encompasses many different areas - art and design, editing, sales, marketing, digital, legal and administration - so there are multiple routes you can take.

Most publishers also have internships available, so before making decisions about where you think you might fit, it could be worth getting some real-life experience by interning for a period of time and getting a real feel for how the industry works.  Through being on the inside and seeing the work people do, you are likely to get a better idea where you might fit and what job will make you happiest. It may not be what you think!

If that's not possible, my suggestion is to just pick college classes that you're interested in and that you're going to enjoy.  Not everything you study needs to lead to a possible career.  Employers are often looking for people with a diverse range of knowledge and skills rather than something specific.  Having a college degree shows that you can learn and through doing a bunch of different classes, you can demonstrate that you're a multi-faceted person with a wide range of interests. 

So best of luck for the future.  Take your time to enjoy college and the see what might be out there for you on the other side.  It may not be what you expect, but it may be the exact right thing for you.

X O'Abby

COVER LOVE: Daughter of Chaos by Jen McConnel

I've been enjoying my status as a peon in children's publishing for nearly half a year now. I work for Month9Books as an editorial assistant. Month9Books is a fantastic publisher and we see eye to eye when it comes to good fiction. Case in point: Daughter of Chaos by Jen McConnel. This is the first book I read for them that will be published, and the date is set for March 2014. It seems SO far away, so I am thrilled to share this crucial step on the road to publication: the cover reveal! I found it here, and here and here and here and here and here and here on Jen McConnel's author website. (Also the author is hosting a Rafflecopter giveaway of two other great books.)

Add it on Goodreads

Witches must choose the path they will follow, and Darlena Agara is no exception. She’s been putting it off long enough, and in her case, ignoring it has not made it go away. In a moment of frustration, Darlena chooses to follow Red Magic, figuring she had outsmarted the powers that be, since there’s no such thing as Red Magic. But alas, Darlena’s wrong (again) and she becomes a newly declared Red Witch.
Her friends are shocked and her parents horrified by the choice Darlena has made. As a Red Witch, she now governs one third of the world’s chaos. She is the walking personification of pandemonium, turmoil, and bedlam, just as the patrons of Red Magic would have it to be.
But Darlena believes there must be more to Red Magic than chaos and destruction, and she sets out on a journey to achieve balance. Only doing so puts her at odds with the dark goddess Hecate, who simply will not allow Darlena to quit. She encourages Darlena to embrace who and what she is and to leave good magic to the good witches. If only Darlena could, life would be simple, and she would not be the Daughter of Chaos.

DAUGHTER OF CHAOS is the first in a YA paranormal trilogy.

I can't even tell you how fulfilling it is to see something I had a (very, very small) part in turn into a real out-there book. I have experienced it as a critique partner to the amazing Operation Awesome blogger/writers and it never gets old. I LOVE WORKING IN PUBLISHING!!

Jen McConnel is an experienced writer whose other books also have a creeptastic witchcraft motif and stunning book covers. Check them out:

CONGRATULATE JEN ON TWITTER

The Publishing World....in GIF form :D

Sorry about the linky post today, but with a new book that just released (A Bandit's Stolen Heart, check it out!!), a manuscript nowhere near done that is due in a week and a half, and a nice little cold that decided to take up residence, I thought it might be best if I spared you what was sure to have been a medicine-fueled ramble-fest and instead shared a few amazingly funny and awesome gifs relating to the publishing world today :)

Ever wondered what the publishing process is like? Nathan Bransford did an amazingly awesome gif post about it :D

The Publishing Process in GIF Form

And here are a few more great links for some publishing and author life gif funnies :)

Life in Publishing

Life in Authoring

On Publishing: The Literary Agent Process