How I Got My Job in Publishing

[@JustJJr]

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! As someone looking to get into the industry it’s so refreshing to hear from a person of color!!!

[@MinimalBookie]

Good luck with your journey into the industry! It's definitely challenging but the community of BIPOC professionals I've found has made it rewarding so far 💙

[@LouieV6]

Same!!

[@pjthgllhp6273]

Same!

[@raydivine]

Thank you for being a part if BiPOC, I hopefully will be getting into publishing so thanks for all the info and encouragement.

[@paganofthegoodtimes3337]

This was so great to hear! as a POC trying to get into publishing at the moment I was getting a little discouraged about the entire application stuff, but I get you need to get comfortable with being told no. Are there any tips you might have to add to portfolios of people looking to get into the marketing side of things?? thank you again for your video!

[@MinimalBookie]

Hello with a late reply, I hope the search is going well! I think one of the key things for marketing is just staying aware of the places where people are looking for books, both traditionally (magazines, websites, etc. where you can advertise) and for more recent things like social (staying up on the places people are searching for and actively buying books from). People in marketing generally love when you come in with fresh ideas but also know what's currently going on and can point the brands that are doing things well.

[@likeliterallyliterary]

This was really interesting and I feel this. I’ve heard some of this being in the publishing realm specifically in Canada being a smaller knit of people and industry. I’m really happy I found your channel! I’m excited to watch and listen to your other content!

[@gracebartel3294]

Dude figuring out your life in HIGH SCHOOL is so incredibly admirable. I'm on the same page with the wants-to-write-but-also-wants-to-eat!

[@MinimalBookie]

I just consider myself really lucky tbh that my brain was like "that thing!" because it definitely made my life a little easier haha!

[@delishabanton8394]

Thank you for the fast paced story 😂 so much of what your story mirrored my own which was extremely helpful because now I feel like I have more direction.

[@trishajain8527]

Hi, I’m so happy to find your channel!! I live in Toronto, am a WOC, and I’ve been looking to find opportunities in publishing. It’s so great to hear you talk about toronto, I was at U of T in 2017 and I remember the strikes lol! I recently got an internship offer at a publisher, and I’m so excited to start!!

[@bookishsophia]

this was so fascinating to watch! a lot of the talk of luck/circumstance/timing/networking sounded so similar to what i heard as a film major when we'd hear advice about how to break into the entertainment industry. i applaud you for pursuing your passion, even if it feels shaky!

[@chelseablackburn4061]

Thanks for sharing! this was so helpful as I’m currently scouring the job boards for an internship in Canada. Just listening to how ambitious you were from such a young age is so inspiring 😊

[@MinimalBookie]

Best of luck with your searches, I hope they're going well!

[@storynut3075]

lol working on the slides for our special project and listening to this on the bg, so thank you, friend!! also LOL the too impatient for teaching thing is also very ME.

[@melowcholy1151]

This gives me so much hope.

[@cassidy_reads]

I lived in NYC for 2 years trying to get into publishing. I applied to everything and never even got an interview. It’s so hard to get into. I ended up having to move back home because I was broke and sad. That was 2 years ago now and I’m still wondering if I should try again🤷‍♀️

[@MinimalBookie]

There are SO many barriers in place, but if it's something you really want to do, right now while things are still partially remote is the best time to try without having to be in NY! (Also, honestly, sometimes just enjoying books without having to work on them is great, too lol)

[@carlyoakman635]

this video was a weird nostalgia trip to when I wanted to be in publishing, I miss those York days with you!!! ❤️ u and loving your videos.

[@MinimalBookie]

SO hard to believe it's been so long!!

[@erica261]

Thanks for sharing!!! I've started looking at universities abroad for a publishing program. This really helps.

[@MinimalBookie]

I'm glad it was helpful--I hope your research is going well!

[@IsabellaBoyne]

Thank you so much for this video! I really want to get into publishing after I graduate from university so thank you for the info

[@typeonereader]

This is super interesting and helpful to watch as I am trying to get into publishing! Just started the ryerson program. Excited to learn more about the industry and to see more videos about your experience.

[@MinimalBookie]

I know a lot of people who started off at Ryerson! It's one of the most flexible programs out there tbh, I'm so glad this video is a little bit helpful 💙

[@wordsmith101]

Ex-book editor here. If you have persistence, you can probably get a job in publishing. Whether it's worth it, I won't say. I don't think much of the biz today.

[@LiselleSambury]

I loved hearing about this!! This was super interesting especially since I know a few people who have done that program at Ryerson. Super looking forward to more of this series. Maybe I should swap industries now that I’m funemployed? 🤔

[@MinimalBookie]

omg we would be LUCKY to have you 😩a lot of people from work also did Ryerson or Humber, they all pretty much offer you the same info it's just a difference in contacts in the industry after 🤷🏽‍♀️

[@deathnoteST]

I guess working in publishing is quite challenging no matter where you are from. I have a Bachelor's degree in publishing and a Magister degree in advertising, and 3+ years of experience working in a bookstore, and I still can't launch a job in publishing in Bulgaria. I've been applying for jobs for about 4 years now and sometimes I'm invited for an interview, but I still can't start my career. Even though I know people in the industry, there's always something that I lack, yet again there's no feedback. A friend of mine, that is working as an editor in one of the biggest publishing houses in Bulgaria, says that the industry is very unstable because of Covid and that's why there's a lack of job offers. And I know this past year has been impactful for a lot of businesses, but I feel like it's just hell trying to find a job in publishing even before the virus.

[@booksvsmovies]

As a college freshman who wants to work in the Canadian publishing industry is it all based in Toronto or are there publishing houses in the other provinces as well?

[@MinimalBookie]

Vancouver is another hub for publishing on the west coast! You can find smaller houses all across Canada but Toronto/Van are the places where the bigger multinationals have based themselves (hoping more remote positions open now that we've seen we can function without being in-office now though!)

[@tanayakapila5500]

What qualification did you pursued to get into publishing industry? And what would be your suggestions for the freshers to get into publishing or getting chance to work for books and tons of novels ? Hehe #obsessedbookreaders.

[@MinimalBookie]

Hi Tanaya! I got a certificate in publishing at Centennial here in Toronto, but there's a ton of applicable programs like that, elsewhere. Truly, the best thing is keeping up with current trends (what kinds of books are being published, what publishers are currently focused on) to show you have active interest in the industry, but any other advice depends on what area of publishing you end up wanting to be in!

[@manasvijain6962]

Hi! I am from India and I've been thinking about moving to New York for my masters so that I can work at the publishing houses there. In India we do have branches of the big 5 publishing houses but I think the headquarters might offer more job opportunities and it is the heart and soul of the publishing industry. Do you think I should move there because if I don't get a job there, all the money spent will go down the drain? Or do you know someone who has a similar situation to mine?

[@MinimalBookie]

Hi Manasvi! While I can say that, comparably to my industry, the US has a significantly larger workforce in publishing and therefore more positions available, jobs can never be guaranteed as it’s still competitive (and the problems of the industry itself like low pay, overworking, systemic barriers etc. are present everywhere). It truly depends on if you think you'd like New York, if you'd enjoy your time doing your Masters there and wouldn't consider it a 'waste' even if you did not end up specifically in *New York* publishing. The job is the same job regardless of where you are, haha. Most of the people I know personally who ended up in New York who weren't American transferred through the company they were working for!

[@elenathegreat]

this was really interesting!!

[@andjievalery7516]

I live in Montreal and the book publishing industry is so hard to get into...there’s not really a lot of internship...is there someone in Montreal that had an experience in a book publisher ?

[@ch-tc2vc]

I agree about the starving artist claim. Like bro my parents didn't come to this country for me to be broke.

[@ginagidaro]

Wait, photography is used in publishing??

[@MinimalBookie]

it is in social, especially for smaller teams! we're often taking our own photos for our accounts unless it's a bigger house that has the budget to outsource photography

[@MinimalBookie]

publishers for cookbooks also hire photographers for recipe shots as well used in the books!

[@Yelgie]

Is there a way to contact you. Your insta isn't working anymore😭

[@MinimalBookie]

SO sorry, I hadn't realized I forgot to update those in my description! My user is @paigefeliciaa!

[@prithvi3180]

I want to work in publishing,Iam from asia as some who hasn’t been to western countries can I get a job and be secure financially???

[@MinimalBookie]

Unfortunately I don't know much about the industries outside of the US and Canada, and as far as I'm aware at this time the remote positions here are only open to people who live regionally, but that doesn't mean there aren't companies where you are where it'd be possible to find work! Publishing tends to be western-focused, but there's publishing and translation work happening everywhere on various scales. Financial security is honestly a whole other subject, though, as the industry here is notorious for not paying very well, especially for entry-level positions 😩