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Posts Tagged ‘publishing industry blog’

Reading on the Road

Thursday, January 26th, 2023

Hi, everyone. I am one of Beaufort Books Spring Interns. 

I am so excited to be working at Beaufort Books this spring. I grew up in upstate New York, although my mom and I were constantly moving around. We spent so much time in the car traveling from one adventure to the next, and we would always pack a big bag of books to read while driving. 

In December 2022, I graduated from Loyola University New Orleans with a B.S. in Psychology. For so long I thought my passion for stories would always just be relinquished to staying up too late to read just one more chapter. New Orleans, though, held so many opportunities, amazing mentors, and my passion for publishing became my main focus. 

Discovering new novels that will take readers through a whirlwind of emotions is something I am looking forward to during my internship. Some of my favorite books are The Way I Used to Be by Amber Smith; Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert; and my newest favorite How to Kill Your Family by Bella Mackie. Don’t worry, I promise my mom is safe and sound. 

I can’t wait to see what my adventure at Beaufort Books holds!

Best Wishes, 

Judith Beaumann 

A Virtual Farewell

Tuesday, August 10th, 2021

Summer is coming to an end, and so is my internship with Beaufort Books. Though my internship was entirely virtual and I never made it up to New York, I discovered the positive side to working from home. I was able to go to my local coffee shop when I needed a change of scenery, and traveling was basically a non-issue, as long as I had access to Wi-Fi. I even got the chance to visit some friends in Boston for a few weeks!

I also learned a great deal about the publishing world. A lot goes on behind the scenes of book-creation, and most of it has nothing to do with actually writing the book. Still, every step in the process is equally important, and if one step is ignored, that entire process will fail. I think what I found to be most surprising about publishing is how crucial editors are to the writing process—I’d always assumed that editing was one of the last steps in publishing a novel, when in reality an editor will sometimes advise the author to completely rewrite a draft long before the book’s publication.

Despite the positives of working virtually, I am sad that I never got to meet everyone in person or visit the Beaufort office in the city. I hope that one day I’ll be able to travel to New York without hearing any Covid-19 news, and that I will be able to meet the wonderful people at Beaufort without having to wear a mask or practice social distancing. Until that day comes, I will really miss chatting with my coworkers about all things book-related!  

Lamor-BEAU

Take a Chance On Me

Thursday, December 12th, 2019

As I’ve started to reflect on my time here at Beaufort and Spencer Hill, I’ve been remembering just how quickly the opportunity came to fruition. It had been less than a week since I moved from the middle of Oklahoma to a new apartment in Brooklyn in the hopes of securing my first internship in publishing. My entire family thought I was crazy, and I wouldn’t be surprised to learn they had taken bets on when I would return home. In fact, the thought of working in publishing hadn’t even occurred to me until I was already six months out of college, and it felt like I was racing the metaphorical clock to get entry-level publishing experience before it was “too late.” Though I have since learned that publishing is a very accepting industry that welcomes newcomers of all ages with open arms, I still spent every day scouring BookJobs for any opportunities I may have missed.

I was tending to my battered ego after a string of rejection letters came in (all in one day, to make matters worse) when I noticed a brand new posting for a fall internship at Beaufort Books. I applied, and within a week I was sitting on the phone with Karen, discussing Beaufort’s catalogue and the various opportunities I could take advantage of as a potential intern for Beaufort Books and Spencer Hill Press. Karen and Megan took a chance on me, and by the next Tuesday I was sitting in Beaufort’s Flatiron District office as their newest intern.

It all still feels like a blur, but I couldn’t imagine a better way to be introduced to the publishing industry. Though I’m incredibly sad to be leaving Beaufort and its talented team of editors, I take solace in the fact that I gained an invaluable, first-hand look at what it takes to transform a rough manuscript into a polished final book, that I am never more than a quick train ride away, and that there are dozens of Beaufort and Spencer Hill titles that are still to be read.

I hate to say goodbye, but all good things must eventually come to an end. It feels fitting to wrap up with one of the most popular quotes from the character that inspired my pseudonym:

“Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear. The brave may not live forever, but the cautious do not live at all. From now on you’ll be traveling the road between who you think you are and who you can be. The key is to allow yourself to make the journey.”

-Meg Cabot, The Princess Diaries

I am forever grateful to you, readers, for joining me on my journey at Beaufort Books!

Cheers,

Mia ThermoBEAUlis

This is a shared blog post for Beaufort Books and Spencer Hill Press. 

This Is Farewell

Wednesday, December 11th, 2019

“What we call the beginning is often the end. And to make an end is to make a beginning. The end is where we start from.” – T. S. Eliot

Four months have never passed so quickly. When I started at Beaufort Books and Spencer Hill Press in September, it felt like I had all the time in the world to soak up the experience of being a publishing intern. How naïve of me. New York City is so fast-paced that 14 weeks seem to go by in mere seconds. Nevertheless, in these 14 weeks, I have gained valuable experience and knowledge working with truly impressive and wonderful people. Taking a book from manuscript to publication is an arduous undertaking, but the people at Beaufort Books and Spencer Hill Press do it with grace and skill. I am thankful to have had the opportunity to learn from them, and parting ways with them is bittersweet.

Leaving New York City is equally as hard. I have gained so much from this incredible city. The confidence of navigating an often confusing and delayed train system. The determination of pushing through crowds of tourists when you’re late. The list goes on. Being here during the holidays has been a dream too! Christmas has always been my favorite holiday, and being here in the City to see all the lights and decorations has only deepened this sentiment. Of one thing I am certain, I will be leaving a part of my heart in this city when I go, but I know that I will be back soon.

I figured that before I say goodbye, I should probably leave you all with my recommendations of things to do in NYC. Check them out below!

  1. Get free tickets to Late Night with Seth Meyers or another talk show

Sign up for a 1iota account to be put on the waitlist for a plethora of shows and events happening in New York. I went in early December to Late Night with Seth Meyers and saw Saoirse Ronan (Ladybird) and Alex Borstein (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel)!

2. Take a walk around Brooklyn Heights/DUMBO

I lived in Brooklyn Heights during my stint in the City, and it was such a great place to be. The neighborhood has tons of restaurants, beautiful brownstones, and is a short walk from the Promenade where you can get million-dollar views of the city skyline. Right next door is DUMBO, another great neighborhood with tons to do and incredible views.

3. Visit Times Square. Just go early

If you want to visit this tourist attraction without the crowds, I recommend going around 9 AM and not during the holidays. I went early in the morning at the beginning of November. No massive crowds. No lines at the Disney store. It was glorious.

4. See a Broadway show

I managed to see TEN shows on Broadway during my four months. I kept the costs minimal by entering the lotteries and joining the rush lines for plays that I wanted to see. My top recommendation is Jagged Little Pill. Alanis Morisette’s iconic album inspired the musical. It was a marvelous and emotional ride.

5. Leave the City

Although I love New York, there are so many amazing places that are just a short train ride away! I went to Connecticut to visit friends and enjoyed the change in pace from New York. Mystic, CT, is a quaint little town on the coast that is a perfect place to escape from the hustle and bustle of the City. There are also beautiful places in upstate New York that are close by.

Well, dear readers, the time has come. Goodbyes are so bittersweet, but I am excited about what’s next for me. Thank you for joining me on this journey. I hope all of you have a joyous holiday season and a blessed 2020! Love hard, read often!

With gratitude,

Captain Beaumerica

This is a shared post with Spencer Hill Press.

BEAUcoup Books Lover- Publishing Industry Blogs

Friday, November 12th, 2010

Hello world!

To continue on in the same vein of Margot’s earlier post, I have decided to dedicate this entry to all the great publishing industry blogs that are paving the way for the rest of us.  In an age where information is so easy to come by, and the attention span of the average internet surfer is getting shorter by the second, it takes a special eye for news and an ingenious voice to keep loyal followers.  These blogs have all found the magic formula.

First is my personal favorite, Galleycat: the perfect way to combine procrastination and work into one.  The articles are all extremely informative and full of industry insight, but all have the feel of an afternoon brain snack.  Another blog not to miss is that of Nathan Bransford, who has worked in the industry as author and literary agent, and is now moving to the tech field.  His blog is full of useful links, complete with publishing essentials for query letter writing and manuscript formatting, extensive lists of publisher, writer, and agent/editor blogs,  book blogs, and literary journals.  You can get lost in this site for hours.  Follow The Reader is yet another blog to keep an eye on.  There is no doubt that NetGalley is one of the leaders of innovation in the publishing industry, and this is reason enough to watch out for their blog.

For those of you writers out there looking to build your platform, there are a number of great writer blogs out there to glean some ideas from.  For some reason I am drawn to the blogs of YA authors, specifically Adrienne Kress,  Natalie Whipple and T.H. Mafi, who has a particularly entertaining entry about why it would be fun to date Dumbledore.  Other genre authors blog too!  Check out romance author Sara Freeze, thriller writers Alex Scarrow and Debi Alper, poet Kevin Wenger, David Isaak, who is part of MacMillan New Writers Group, and Emily Benet, the winner of the Author Blog awards in the Published Category.

There are many more out there to be discovered.  What are some of your favorite author blogs?