July 2…An Update…Have Yet Another Uphill Battle Ahead…

Well well well…of the 17 or so letters I mailed out several weeks ago, I have received two – yes a whopping two responses…I am pleased nonetheless with the two I did get – seems I have a lot to think about.

Both responses were from Editors – one from what is known as a boutique publishing house and the other from one of the Big 5 in New York (I will keep names and companies anonymous) – the boutique editor gave me a run down on his thoughts on where the industry is headed and how ePublishing is affecting the changing environment.  Some insight into his day-to-day, week-to-week, and monthly life within a publishing house and how he got where he is currently.  For this I am ever grateful! This insight will help me map out my own path and where to go – he told me my current skills as a professional administrator will carry over into the publishing world and I need only cater my resume to suit the job postings I am seeing and to apply-apply-apply!  He did mention that I’d have to start at the bottom and work my way up (this was a no duh moment for me, but it needed to be said)…the pay would be low ( from the editor in New York) and it wouldn’t be easy…but hey my life is made up of not so easy moments 😉

The other editor from New York however seemed to not realize two things:

1 – My innate ability to face things head on and map out a way to overcome just about anything

2 – My workable experience and age – got the impression he thought I was a lot younger than I actually am (turning 35 at the end of next month)

So with that in mind – I did listen intently to everything he had to say – he told me that recruiters (especially those within his own publishing house) are less likely to look at resume’s from someone with an out of state address as they worry that the person applying for the job will not like the position/company and they are more likely to return from whence they came.  So that is hurdle #1 – what to do about my out of state address? Well I’ve been down this road once before when we relocated from MD to NC so it’s simply a matter of stating in the cover letter that we were already planning the move.  This seemed to alleviate any concerns potential employers had during our first move regarding covering relocation expenses.  As for the concern whether or not I’d be happy it will simply be a matter of selling myself and my dedication to a position/company once I am in the door along with my determination to make the move into publishing.

That also being the case he also mentioned using people’s need for praise to my benefit – in as much as going through my bookshelf and finding the names of editors/agents in the acknowledgments and reaching specifically out to them because I’ve read some of the work they helped put out there and would be able to speak on it in my initial intro letter – so now I need to re-vamp that letter of introduction and send them back out to that group.  He also mentioned I might have better luck with seeking out introductions to Agents and those within agencies as they tend to have looser standards and are less corporate…meaning they might be more willing to talk to someone from out of state.

Man did I gleem a lot of information from a 20 minute conversation with him – but now I have a lot to think about and a long road ahead – like I told him yesterday I’ve given myself plenty of time to work through this – any major changes wouldn’t happen until next summer while the kids are on summer break – that is if a move is needed (though this is most likely) and that I am treating this process similarly to how I researched my Master’s paper – looking at from all angles and then developing a plan from there…

Slightly nervous/anxious and excited all at once – now the reality of this will begin the settle in and some decisions will need to be made within the next 6-8 months…we have time…in the meantime we’ll continue on the path we’re on and see where it takes us!