Senior year of high school has a lot going on. There is senior prom, making sure the ACT is done, college applications, and preparing for those final days in the halls where you spent so much time.
From August to May, those days go by so quickly and one theme plays throughout the year: “What are you doing next?” I thought I wanted to go into agriculture because I loved animals. . . turns out, I really don’t like science all that much. I knew I liked history so I went after that instead. Practical? Absolutely not. Did I have any idea what I wanted to do with that degree? Oh heavens no. What I am learning, though, is the career I always wanted, I never knew existed.
Recently, I’ve been attending several author summits of one form or another, trying to learn every minute detail of the writing, editing, and publishing industries. At this point, my head is spinning and I’ve filled an entire notebook and 3″ binder with information and handouts. I am sure I will realize I am not a sponge at some point. I can’t soak in all there is to know about these industries regardless of how hard I may try. And that has me thinking, wishing, and dreaming, that I had known even half of these careers existed.
As we prepare to start a new school year, with a fresh class of seniors preparing to step into the world, here is a list of positions in writing, editing, and publishing that I’ve discovered recently that do NOT involve becoming a journalist! Yes, these jobs do exist and young creatives should know that they can be creative and happy in their work.
.png)
Top 5 Literary Careers I Wish I’d Explored in High School:
1. Editor
Maybe it’s just me, but I guess I never really considered how a perfect book just happened to get to the bookstore shelf. If that is the case then boo on me. If not, Editor is an official title for magazines, newspapers, and publishing houses, AND can also be a freelancer’s position as well! Book editors are broken down into several categories based on the depth of the review and can specialize in the style and genre of editing they focus on. Some Editors choose to focus specifically on non-fiction or academia while others look to edit fiction and particular genres. Some types of Editors include:
– Developmental Editing
– Line Editing
– Copy Editing
– Proofreading
Some of these positions can be paid by the project or by the word count. Editors, at different levels, provide strong support for authors by helping to develop the plot, helping with sentence structure, and catching errors that the readers are definitely going to see.
2. Book Coach
Book Coaches provide the one-on-one support authors need to successfully work their way through their manuscripts. Another freelancer position, Book Coaches are professionals that writers hire to help offer support, feedback, and accountability in their writing journey (“Become a Book“, 2023). These professionals help to establish routines and guide authors through the process of developing their books. A support group, cheerleader, project manager, and so much more wrapped into one wonderful individual, a Book Coach can be an integral part of completing a successful manuscript (“Become a Book“, 2023).
3. Literary Agent
Between the steps of having a publication-ready manuscript and books reaching bookstore shelves, numerous other working parts require (or are benefited by) a specialized individual. One of these individuals is a Literary Agent. Literary Agents are often required by traditional publishing houses for consideration of publication, without a literary agent’s representation, a writer’s manuscript may never be reviewed. Authors seek out Literary Agents to represent their books and help them reach a publishing deal with a traditional publisher.
4. Publishing
I left this category broad on purpose as there are so many different positions within publishing. From production to publicity to design, there are a plethora of positions available within the publishing industry. Publishing companies vary in size and as more small publishers are started, you don’t necessarily have to live in New York to get started in the publishing business anymore. Some of these positions can even be accomplished as a remote worker or even a freelancer. If you love reading and are passionate about books, a career in the publishing industry may be right for you.
5. Writer
Don’t give up on your dreams of writing just because you’ve been told you’ll never make it. With the rise of self-publishing, traditional publishers are not the only way to publish anymore. Readers are everywhere and writers are finding audiences in the most unlikely places including social media, crowd-funding, blog content, etc. If writing is your passion, keep writing!
These are just the bare minimum details of these positions and this is definitely not a comprehensive list! When you have a child interested in reading and writing, don’t brush them off as fantasies. Help the creatives in your life find those careers that speak to their souls. 💖
Happy Reading!
References
Become a Book Writing Coach | Author Accelerator. (2023, August 27). What exactly is a book coach?: Become a book writing coach: Author accelerator. Become a Book Writing Coach | Author Accelerator. https://www.bookcoaches.com/what-is-book-coaching-blog/what-is-a-book-coach
Literary agent. Publishers Association. (2020, May 11). https://www.publishers.org.uk/about-publishing/careers/literary-agent/
Leave a Reply