By Edward Nawotka
In today’s lead story, Andrew R. Malkin, VP of Book Content for Zinio, discusses the stages of his publishing career to date and offers five pieces of advice on how to navigate the choppy seas of the publishing world.
There have been plenty of individuals in publishing around the world forced to reinvent themselves in the last year, either because of a job loss or the transition from traditional to digital publishing, which has radically changed the future prospects for the industry.
So, the discussion question for today is: What are your personal “best practices” for publishing career development?
Personally, I would like to echo Andrew’s first point about looking beyond Manhattan (or London or Berlin or Beijing) for opportunities. What I’ve found is that the recent recession and subsequent lay-off has forced many talented people out of the high-cost publishing centers and spread them around the United States, where they are opening up new companies in places you might not expect. You can find intelligent, talented publishing people all over these days. In fact, if the trend continues, the future of publishing may reside in thousand different nodes across the world and not in just a few big cities.
We’d love to hear what you think. Share your thoughts the comments below or via Twitter using hashtag #ppdiscuss.
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Career Reinvention for Publishing Professionals
5 months ago
[...] DISCUSS: What are your personal “best practices” for publishing career development? [...]
e.lee
5 months ago
As a published fiction writer, I’ve discovered that its essential to be well… presentable. Have a blog, do the rounds of book signings and readings, get over your fear of public speaking and generate your own press as far as possible.
A lot of writers mistakenly believe once a manuscript is done and accepted by a publisher, the authorial participation stops there.
Erin
5 months ago
I think specialization is great for becoming an expert in a field, but in this day and age as people are having to redefine themselves, it’s important to also know a little bit about everything.
I started my career doing publicity in-house, then worked in advertising at a magazine, and, when I was looking for the next step in my career, I began to examine where my weaknesses were in my understanding of the book industry–mine were editorial, international, and digital. So, I began working on projects and in jobs that developed those skills, so I have well-rounded publishing knowledge and the ability and experience to do virtually anything.
Guy LeCharles Gonzalez
5 months ago
I agree with Erin that learning a little bit about everything is important; specialists tend to have tunnel vision, and that’s career suicide nowadays. Having an insatiable mind and a passion for the broader industry are critical “best practices” for anyone working in publishing. Being pro-active is important, too. Don’t wait for the dust to settle — stay ahead of the curve; jump in feet-first and explore new opportunities; get your hands dirty and decide for yourself where things are heading.
Bob Barnett
5 months ago
Malkin & I were roommate reps back in the day. As I progressed through a series of rewarding rep jobs with a diverse selection of publishers (I was always more of a open road warrior than he), ARM was blazing a trail that seems prescient in retrospect. His path, journey, approach is inspiring to those of us seeking reinvention because of macroeconomic realities. As the limits of geography are eroded by the digital network, there are many of us ready to embrace the possibilities, and not bemoan the changes, of the new publishing industry.