Busiest Unemployed Person Ever!

Lately I've been fascinated by how much work I've had to do, considering I didn't really have a JOB!

One thing that anyone attempting to break into book publishing will learn rather quickly is that there's plenty of work out there for people willing to put all of their time and energy into working for free. Internships, manuscript reading and evaluation, blogging, copy writing, researching and networking are just some of the ways I've been 'passing the time' as I sought out more lucrative professional opportunities. (AKA anything that offers payment!)

While any rational-minded business professional would say I was stark-raving mad to offer anything up for free, I'd have to argue that they simply don't understand how the book publishing ecosystem works. Getting a foot in the door is a delicate balancing act, and it requires that you give your time and energy in exchange for information and career support, rather than a typical salary. It may appear on the surface that the book pub industry is antiquated and backward, but the wealth of experience and guidance that you gain from putting in the man hours far outweighs the tempting alternative of taking any job you can get for a meager paycheck.

In October of 2011 I made the leap, and left teaching behind to try my hand in book publishing. In the past 12 months I've basically given myself a survey course in the industry, and met some incredible mentors, colleagues and potential future employers. The experiences I've had, and the wisdom I've gleaned, have set me up to be a successful and valuable member of the close-knit network of book publishing professionals here in New York City.

When talking with a fellow book-pub friend, I mentioned how remarkably busy I've been, and she said, "If you're that busy, then you're doing something right." And she hit the nail on the head. Just yesterday I was offered an Associate Editor position at an E-learning company, as well as an opportunity to be groomed for a future book-pub career at the same time. No details on that second bit for now, but I'll be sure to litter future posts with hints and details as they arise.

I hope you'll take a moment to virtually celebrate with me, and that my success story will continue to motivate and inspire those of you who are on a similar path.

Best,
~Michelle In Turn

Just Say No...to No

Okay, so anyone who knows me can attest to my unnatural memorization of movie lines and recreation of movie scenes. On the one part I think it's in direct correlation to being a child of the 80's, but I also think a good chunk of the reason is that my brain is somehow hardwired to latch onto that stuff. Therefore I have decided to start putting those great movie moments into action in my own life.

We've all had a time where we were dealt a crushing, "No." Whether it was from a jilted lover, the food truck that just ran out of dumplings, or a career opportunity that was stopped in its tracks.

Sample Real-life Movie Moment:
I recently got engaged, and my fiance` and I are REALLY big into food trucks. The idea, the deliciousness, the scene...everything about it. Long story short, we figured rather than having some horrible buffet, or shiny plates of quasi-warm wooden chicken, we'd skip the caterer and go with something we know and love. We've decided that for our wedding, we'll feed our guests hot-off-the-truck gourmet street food. In our quest to find the perfect truck, we came across this new one with authentic Taiwanese food. Being that my fiance` and his family are from Taiwan, we had that truck on the top of our priority list. One busy Friday afternoon we hopped on Twitter, found the truck's location for the day, and drove from the middle of Queens to the Financial District in white-knuckled traffic chaos. When we were about fifty feet away from our destination, the damn truck drove right passed us! We were furious. We whipped the car around, and from the passenger seat I yelled into the truck's window, "Hey, you said you'd be here until 2pm. It's only 1:15!" And much to my surprise the young driver yelled back, with a boyish and apologetic smile, "We sold out." My face must have dropped; I probably looked like a kicked puppy. We did our best to keep pace with the truck, and this time I hung out the window a bit more and shouted, "But we want to hire you for our wedding. We just drove all the way here from Queens just to taste your food!" Pout still firmly affixed to my lower lip, a woman inside the truck poked her head into the conversation and said, "Hold on." I felt the excitement building. Something cool was going to happen. Their truck was moving ahead, we moved up, we moved ahead, they caught up— very spine-tingling stuff. We were coming to a fork in the road, seriously we were, and she shouts, "Catch" and just like that a glorious bag of hot, fresh foodtruck leftovers leaped into my arms. It was amazing! The food I mean, the food was totally amazing.

You see, we easily could have had the canned weh, weh, wehhhhh sound effect win, and driven away defeated. But no, I say No! We left with a steaming-hot bag of Taiwanese goodies. And that's simply because we wouldn't take no for an answer.

I decided to apply this same movie principle to a seemingly failed job opportunity. I had finally found it, THE perfect literary home for myself, in a small indie press here in the city. I had a great phone interview, and then an amazing in-person interview where I fell out-of-love with the idea of the company, and instantly in love with the actual company and its employees. Despite the general awesome feeling I went home with, I ultimately did not get the position. It was a lack of experience that cost me, and I simply couldn't accept that as a good enough reason to let that dream go. I thought to myself, I have to fix this. So rather than puffing myself up and touting, "you can't win 'em all ol' girl," I set my mind to solving the problem. I wrote the company a genuine and heart-felt letter, about how much I was drawn to the company. About my passion and determination to follow my career path in the face of any and all adversity, and more importantly, how I was willing to compromise and jump on board as an intern, if they would have me.

It's like in those cliche` romantic comedies when the girl says "No" and tries the slam the door on Senor Handsome's face, but instead of accepting her dismissal he slams his sneaker into the crack of the door and says, "Wait!" The door usually opens, right? I mean even if it isn't in that moment, eventually he gets the girl. So, I decided this was as good a time as any to slam my sneaker in the closing crack of opportunity's door and shout "Wait!" Now I didn't do this because I was desperate for a job, or because I liked location of their office, that would just be stupid. I was so persistent because I felt something when I thought about this company. When I read articles about their books or their staff, I was moved, interested, inspired! That is the kind of place I want to work. Those are the kinds of people I want to learn from, because somehow they've figured it out. How to be successful and happy. How to find a job you love so much it never feels like work. Some of you might see getting an unpaid internship vs. a paid position as a loss, but I view it as an incredible gain. Now I have the opportunity to experience working in that environment, but more importantly, that employer will finally have the chance to see what I can do as a potential employee.

I am completely satisfied.

So when it's a career that you really want, a place and a position that your own heart is tugging toward, it may be the right moment to let a high-speed chase ensue, or to shout, or to jam your foot in the door. I mean, what's the worst case scenario? They already said no.

~Michelle In Turn

Multiple Revenue Streams

Have you heard the phrase multiple revenue streams? Sounds fancy, right? In truth it isn't. It's just a great income-earning strategy, especially for those of us stepping into a particular career path late in the game.

Everyone knows that when you are changing careers, there are often many sacrifices you have to be willing to make, including accepting a lower salary. That's all well and good, if you have accepted this fact up front, right? Well, you don't have to accept it completely.

Instead, you can find ways to supplement! Having multiple revenue streams simply means making money in more than one way. For some this can include second jobs, royalties from book sales or even income from an investment or two. But these are not the only sources of additional revenue.

A great way to add income is by pinning down one of your talents or hobbies, perhaps something that's not even directly related to your new career, and figuring out how you can bring in extra revenue. If you're a Twitter nerd like me, then you probably spend a lot of your free time on the computer reading, researching, tweeting and retweeting. So, what I've done is taken my enjoyment of Twitter and figured out ways to earn some extra income by helping others improve their understanding and performance in the Twitterverse. I've also taken my ten years of experience as an English teacher, and combined that with my love of reading and analyzing books, and I've become a secondary editor. Basically after an author works with their main editor to write/create a book project, I come in as the final manuscript reader and clean it up. It's something that I really enjoy and the reward it two fold; the experience builds upon my targeted career skills while bringing in some extra money. To me, this is a win-win.

So what's your hobby? What do you love to do in your free time that can make you a little extra money? Are you a big reader? How about reviewing books on the side? Do you love to play video games and test new gadgets? How about becoming a beta tester or a tech/gaming writer? With the wide reach of the Internet and the incredible accessibility of all kinds of technology, there are endless avenues to connect with like minded people who share your common interests. As a result, there are also many ways you can turn your hobbies and passions into extra cash. All you need is a little creativity.

And the Cup Floweth Over

And the Cup Floweth Over

I can't hand out any magical recipes, but I can say that I think I'm finally seeing a return on all the sweat equity I've been putting forth, for it seems I have found the proper mixture of occupationally interesting ingredients at just the right time.

I'm happy to share that this week things in my neck of the woods have gone from crickets, to a grand cacophony. My resume is getting not just attention, but the right kind of attention, particularly in the children's publishing field I so desire to break into. My cover letters have lost what I can only describe as a stiffness, and I think I'd attribute that to the opportunities I've been applying to. Most recently there have been several openings in the exact job titles I'm seeking, and talking about my love for children's books and young readers alike just comes naturally. 

In addition to several upcoming job interviews (Oh yeah!), I've also been invited to participate in several part-time or remote internships, with an interview for another potential position next week. As if that isn't fabulous enough, I've also been getting some great referrals for my side business. (The one where I help literary professionals with everything from editing to marketing to writing and more.) If this dreamlike state continues, perhaps I'll even get the chance to pick from a handful of job offers, but I don't like to get ahead of myself. Really, I just wanted to share how good it feels to know that the hard work and the (wo)man hours I've been putting in are getting me results.

Passion, persistence and perseverance are my gold-medal traits this week, because without them I wouldn't be heading in this exciting and fun new direction. You can be sure I'll post any affirmative decisions, as well as the necessary shout-outs to friends and colleagues who have helped me along the way, as soon as I have 'em.

Until then...

~Michelle In Turn

How to Proceed

Good Afternoon All,

It's great to write to you on this beautiful Summer day. But, I have to admit, I have been running into a few challenges lately.

One of the challenges of changing careers is finding opportunities to freshen up, your repertoire that is. An interesting hiccup of trying to achieve this in publishing is that many of the internship opportunities I am seeking, particularly in the children's editorial field, will only take on "college students" for their internship programs.

Now, this is not because the publishing industry is ageist, nothing like that. It's because there are laws in place to protect workers from being taken advantage of. Laws that say when you work, you need to be compensated. But, since many publisher's don't want to shell out cash to pay their inexperienced interns, they shell out college credit instead. For an undergrad, this is a fantastic solution. However, for an experienced professional like myself, it's quite a road block.

The good news is that there are alternatives like taking on an internship at a literary internship, much like I did, or working for a newspaper or magazine. Again, great options, but my goal is to get IN HOUSE EXPERIENCE WITH A CHILDREN'S BOOK PUBLISHER. Hmmmm. On the one hand I have a great background that lends itself nicely to a career in publishing, however, on the other it's I have gained no in house experience that would make me more appealing to them.

As always, I will have to be creative and resourceful, and eek out ways to get around these silly little rules. If only I had a full-time entry-level position, then I could afford to take graduate-level publishing classes that would allow me to qualify for the internships. But with nearly $40K left in school loan debt from my previous career, it seems unwise to continue stacking on that pile. Perhaps I can find a relevant grant or scholarship? A good idea indeed...

~Michelle In Turn

Lessons from a Fortune Cookie

Every now and then I find a great statement that really inspires me inside one of those crispy little fortune cookies. When I do, I keep them in the little zippered pouch in my wallet until I have time to tape them onto my refrigerator so they stay fresh in my mind. One of the fortunes that has been helping me out over the last few weeks is:

Never stop. One always stops as soon as something is about to happen.

I can't say that I've been waiting for the right opportunity to come along, because that would imply that I've been sitting on my butt expecting employers to knock on my door, bearing gifts, and inviting me to join the ranks of their company.

No, I have not been waiting at all. I've been hitting the pavement, scheduling business lunches, joining groups, writing blogs, connecting with others via social media, scouring websites and job sites and articles about both established and up-and-coming publishing organizations. I've revised my resume, built an online presence, kept in touch with former employers and clients,  and written countless thoughtful and well-articulated cover letters.

Alas, the perfect job offer has not come my way...yet. The trickiest part about landing the right career is that it rarely comes easy. If you're sitting at home waiting for your new boss to show up, it's incredibly unlikely that you are ever going to meet. 

I must admit that it can be a bit disheartening to put so much time, energy, creativity and passion into a job search and come up empty handed– but that is by no means an excuse to give up. When you are determined to do something, to be something, or to say something, you simply keep pushing yourself until you've accomplished that aspiration.  If what you've done this far isn't working, try a new approach, learn a new skill, and keep working towards that end goal.

It always helps to have a strong supporter in your corner, and I'm blessed to have a fiance` who can always see the bright side of everything, and who has reminded me that in the past year I have:

1) Taken a HUGE risk in giving up my tenured, high-seniority position for a life passion.
2) Earned a scholarship to a creative writing program in Tuscany, where I wrote the full draft of a children's book for my nephew and created the illustrations for it.
3) Found a super part-time job to help me in my transition, and that bridged my love for teaching and for cooking by becoming a children's culinary school instructor. It was fun, it supported my local community, and helped me rekindle a passion for cooking that had been dormant for a while.
4) I took my first official step into the publishing world by working part-time at my local Barnes & Noble as a children's bookseller.
5) I landed an internship at a literary agency, and built a good initial understanding of the agency side of the industry, and honed my developmental editorial skills.
6) I started my own small business helping literary professionals with everything from editing their novels, to writing and launching social media campaigns and more.

And these are only the tangible acts I can put down on paper, it doesn't include the reading, the research, the networking etc. So, while at the moment it may feel like I'm treading water, I've really done a lot.

Next time you're feeling down, or like you're just never going to get a break, make a list of your accomplishments, and then flip that page over and make a list of small steps you can take to get you where you want to be. Then just start checking them off!

Best,
~Michelle In Turn

Networking Cards? Who Knew!

I'm sure the networking card is something many people in the corporate world are familiar with, but it was news to me until now. I recently joined the National Association of Professional Women, a huge networking organization for hard-workin' ladies, to increase my networking opportunities and receive mentoring from women who have already achieved a high level of success.

At my first NAPW event I discovered the best alternative to a business card, the networking card.

When you are brand new to an industry, fresh out of college or a career changer, it's hard to commit to a business card because things seem to be changing every few months. I may be an assistant this month and an entry-level editor six months down the line. But a contact I make today, may be even more valuable to me in the future, and I want the first impression I give them to have staying power.

If my job title or company phone number changes, then that business card is useless, and the contact is lost. So rather than pigeon-hole myself into a tight box, I kept it broad and simple. Instead of focusing on details that might change, I chose to highlight the things that stay relatively constant such as my personal contact information, key social networking sites, and a recent image of my face.

Last night I spent a few hours creating my first networking card on VistaPrint. I wanted something that would say "I am a professional". I needed the card to let people know where to reach me, or research more about me, and wanted them to be able to match my face with my name.

The front of my card has a small headshot, and it's the same one I use for all of my social media sites. This is a very simple way of branding myself, so that no matter where someone goes to look me up, they see the same smiling face. Next I included my professional email address and cell phone number, so if I relocate or change jobs, there's still a phone number where I can be reached directly.

In this modern job market, social media sites are likely to be one of the first places a potential employer visits to learn more about you. So I added the URL's for my Linkedin profile, my professional Facebook Page, and my Twitter account. Here they can see my work history, see the kinds of things I chat about, and get a feel for the the kinds of connections I'm making. (Just be careful, and make sure that you're a responsible social media user, no drunken pics, no rants about how stupid your current boss is, that kind of thing will come back to bite you.)

Finally on the back of my card I put a short invitation to visit this blog, along with the URL.

With just one small photo, a few URL's, an email and a phone number, the people that I meet have a clear and accurate picture of who I am, what I do, and how I can best serve them. The only challenge left is initiating the conversations that will land my card in their hands, and that will inspire them to learn more about me.

More on that next time, for now I'll just sit in the lobby staring at my mailbox, waiting for my little box of cards to arrive. Is that too nerdy?

~Michelle In Turn

Resumes Are Like Real Estate

Dear Potential Employer,


I am awesome. 


Stop wasting time and just hire me already, because while you may not know it yet, I'm the best in all the land. 


When do I start?


~Michelle In Turn

I am NOT a Literary Hustler!

Failure is Just a Mistake You Didn't Learn From

While I certainly cannot claim to have avoided failure all my life, I've fortunately managed to get at least a bit better at managing the chaos and rebounding quickly when it comes to potential failure.


If you ever have the chance to talk to my parents, I'm sure they'll be eager to tell you how I love to "learn things the hard way". Some people might view that as a negative, but I actually don't. You see, the reason I tend to learn the hard way is that I am of the breed who likes to take well-planned risks in an attempt to improve or enhance my life. Sometimes they work out, and sometimes they don't, but the key here is that I almost always choose to use those would-be failures as learning experiences and growth opportunities.


Take my recent endeavors for example. Here I am, at the start of a second career and eager to make a good name for myself in a tight job market and a tough economy. So in an effort to establish a reputation as a talented and capable publishing professional, I decided to put my talents, skills and passion out there as a "freelance editor". I thought this was a genius move, but yesterday I learned it was more like a ticking time bomb.


Man— I had NO IDEA that putting my name out as an editor without formal "in house" experience could be detrimental to my career and/or my professional reputation. Apparently literary professionals like in-house editors and literary agents actually steer their authors away from self-proclaimed editors like me, and after hearing my friend out, I was totally able to see her point.


But now that leaves me in a bit of a quandary, and here's why: 


I do have a very natural talent for editing in all its forms, and that natural talent was strengthened and honed via my years as an English teacher and my voracious reading. It was then validated through my internship at a literary agency, confirmed when I assisted a client with proofreading some client manuscripts, and even more so when I completed a manuscript for my first official editorial client. But at the end of the day, aside from my BA in English, I have no formal editing experience or credentials. 


While interacting with and guiding writers is something that brings me true joy, I wouldn't want to jeopardize a long and vibrant career by coming off like a literary hustler.


I am NOT a literary hustler! 


But, I am going to figure out how to make lemonade from this mess, and I've already started by revising my current job description on every site from LinkedIn to Facebook to Twitter to this blog. 


Until Next Time...


~Michelle In Turn

Rung #2

I'm happy to report that rung two on my publishing-career-ladder-to-success has officially been reached.

Shifting gears from teaching to publishing was a HUGE risk, and I knew that breaking into the industry wouldn't be easy for an "outsider" like me. But I'm of the mindset that thinks along the lines of "You've got to know the system, to beat the system." So, in a lot of ways I am still in learning mode— a sponge.

Over the past few months, since leaving my internship at FinePrint Literary Management, I've been fortunate enough to work with a pretty incredible woman: Stephanie Gunning. She's an independent book consultant, book coach, developmental editor, thought leader, innovator, self-publishing company partner and so much more. Partnering up with her has given me insight into the world of publishing that exists outside of the publishing house.

What I have seen so far is that the face of the publishing game is clearly changing, and only those who are innovators and one-step-aheaders will survive the complete overhaul of the old-school paradigm. I plan to be one of those stay-aheaders gosh darn-it!

One way I intend to reach my overall goals is to diversify. I think it would be foolish, at this stage of my life and in this state of industry-wide flux, to limit my experience to one specialty of mode or experience. So as I work as an independent contractor for Stephanie Gunning Enterprises, I'm also working to build my own freelance editorial business.

Presently, I am open to working with authors of both fiction and nonfiction in all genres. In fact, I've just had the pleasure of completing my first major freelance job for author Elizabeth Lions. Her first book, Recession Proof Your Life http://amzn.to/OSCaSV was a great success. Through Steph Gunning I was connected with Ms. Lions, and had the opportunity to edit the manuscript for her second book, I Quit! Working For You Is Not Working For Me. The subject of career change could not have been more appropriate, and the experience couldn't have been more validating.

I'll post a spot-light on the book when it's up and running, but for now I'll just keep smiling.

It's good to be back!

~Michelle In Turn

Closure and Next Steps

Today I have bitter-sweet news to share.

Tomorrow is my official last day as an intern @ FinePrint Literary Management in NYC.  My experience in their program has been invaluable, informative and above all else SO fun!  The staff at FinePrint is top notch, and they have given me so many new tools for my little publishing arsenal.  I will miss our day-to-day dearly, but treasure all the knowledge and 1:1 time they've given me.

On the sweeter side, I have also been fortunate enough to land a position as an independent contractor for the next three months.  As mentioned in an earlier post, I will be working with a fabulous, seasoned and diverse publishing professional on a host of projects.  Her twenty-plus years in the industry promise to give me tons of new experiences and tasks to add to my publishing repertoire.

While I am sad to see the first official chapter of my publishing career come to a close, I am very excited for this next chapter to begin.

As I mentioned when I initially started this blog, anyone who wants to break into the industry has to wait their turn, and work their way up the ranks.  Here's to rung #1 on my career ladder, and stepping up to rung #2.

Wish me luck!

~Michelle In Turn

Due Diligence

As a career changer with a budding new career in the broad field of publishing, I can't help but always have my ear to the ground in search of new and exciting opportunities.  The publishing industry is in the middle of a great shake-up.  With all the modern technology available today, writers are crawling out of the woodwork, and using unconventional methods to get their writing out to the masses. This is changing the game for a lot of publishing professionals, and means that someone like me has to work twice as hard to learn the old ways of doing things, as well as the new and upcoming.  However, in this ever-changing world of publishing you really must do your due diligence.

"What's due diligence" you ask?  Well, Miriam-Webster's website will give a good description (see below),  but basically it means CYA, or in explicit American slang, Cover Your Ass!


I've recently been presented with a great opportunity to learn a lot, and potentially earn a modest living, from a very successful writer, editor, and entrepreneur extraordinaire.  But with that opportunity comes the challenge of just how to handle this new opportunity.

I've spent hours (in truth, weeks) researching the various aspects of my new career path.  I've had to, because I'm putting both my reputation and my livelihood on the line.  I have worked too hard in my life to risk losing it all for an oversight or a poor decision.  So I guess that's where this post is directing me to today.

Regardless of what industry you are in, or seeking out, and what the job title or description is, be sure you know the ins and outs of it intimately, well before you jump in with both feet.  There will always be risk involved, as I'm a firm believer in the theory of no risk = no reward, but you can make these risks less frightening and more fruitful if you spend some time doing your homework, reaching out to others in your field and being certain you understand all legal ramifications.

As I embark on a new chapter in my life, and walk the road less traveled, I am always embracing the challenge of forging ahead in a world of uncertainty.

More reports on my new endeavor later,

~Michelle In Turn

due diligence

 noun

Definition of DUE DILIGENCE

1

: the care that a reasonable person exercises to avoid harm to other persons or their property

2

: research and analysis of a company or organization done in preparation for a business transaction (as a corporate merger or purchase of securities)

Contracts

Rapidly approaching the third month of my internship at a literary management agency in NYC, I am trying to focus my attention on several aspects of the business of being a literary agent that I haven't covered all that well just yet.

One of those aspects is the importance of understanding book contracts.  I had requested a workshop on this topic from the supervising agents, and they were wonderful enough to set up a discussion and several sample contracts etc.  However, it ended up being scheduled during day 3 of my post-eye-surgery agony, so I wasn't able to attend.  But all was not lost, since the newest agent in our office is the new contracts manager.  She was kind enough to carve out a few minutes to go over a general contract.

I was a bit relieved to find that generally speaking, the design of most book contracts are pretty similar and pretty straight forward.  While there can be shady bits from time-to-time, the beauty is they are relatively easy to spot if you are well versed in standard book contracts.  Anyway, here were a few tips handed down by my contracts mentor:

#1)  As the agent, your role in the process is getting the writer the best deal possible.  You are there to protect his/her interests.

#2)  As my father taught me when I was first learning to drive..."Look at the BIG picture."  A book contract is a long-term investment.  You'll naturally want to get the best deal for right now with the best advance, but more importantly, you want to give your author the best chance at future success as well.

#3)  Earning Out.  The writer will get an advance when the contract is completed, and you will get your commission, however, neither of you will be paid anything further until the book has sales that exceed the amount of the advance.

#4)  Agency Clause.  As a literary agent, your main role is to protect the writer.  But you must also protect your rights as well, so always be sure your agency clause is clearly written into the agreement.

While there are plenty of finer points, these are just a few of the basics to help get you started.

~Michelle In Turn

(p.s. Thanks Joy!)

Blogging with my Eyes Closed

Some of you might be thinking, "What's with the massive font, Michelle?"  And to you all I reply, L-A-S-E-K.  


That's right, after 31 years of being legally blind without glasses or contacts, I decided the time was right to have vision correction.  This was a really tough decision in some ways, mainly because I am in the process of seeking out a new career in the publishing world...you know, the land of READING!  But on the other hand, it's one of the easiest decisions I've ever made as well.


I had the PRK Custom Lasek, because my vision was so poor, and I wasn't really able to get any less-invasive procedures.  The first few days of recovery can only be described as brutal, but now on the 5th day I can honestly say I am already seeing better than I have in my whole life.  I mean, I have peripheral vision!  I frown on the overuse of exclamation points too, but this is one occasion that warrants it.


I can see!  And now, I'll be able to see perfectly for my new career, and the rest of my life.  So what if I've temporarily lost that sexy librarian look for now, I'll so get it back in my mid-40's.  Something to look forward to ;-)


Happy seeing!!!!!!!


~Michelle In Turn

An Interview = An Opportunity

The Interview

Just after your resume` and cover letter, an interview is usually your prime chance to make a great first impression.  I feel that having the chance to meet with a potential employer face-to-face, rather than just via a few pieces of paper, is always a better way to show 'em what you've got.  

However, many people that go on interviews forget about the small stuff.

1)  Dress professionally.  No, not like a kid trying to be a professional...but top to toes professional.  THIS INCLUDES UNDERGARMENTS.  You don't want your interviewer's standout memory of your interview experience to be the panoramic view of a massive wedgie as you exit their office.  No, no, no!

2)  Bring extra copies of your resume` and cover letter.  In the event that it's a panel interview, or if another supervisor/important entity in the company decides to pop in unexpectedly, it always shows foresight when you can nonchalantly slip a copy of your credentials in front of them without having to interrupt the meeting.

3)  Have supporting documents with you.  While this is rarely required, especially during an initial interview, I've always thought of supporting documents like a security blanket.  In a high pressure situation, it's easy to lose your cool, but even easier to lose your memory!  Even if you never open your portfolio, or binder of prior experience, having it as a concrete object in front of you allows you to pull ideas from it.  You may not need to open it, but having a well organized collection of supporting documents can give you inspiration in a pinch. It also lets the interviewer know you've done your homework, you have experience and you can prove it.

4)  Don't be afraid to ask for a few seconds!  There's nothing worse than answering an interview question with a knee-jerk reaction and wanting to slap yourself in the head right after.  The English language is rife with filler phrases, so work some of them into your repertoire to buy your brain a few extra seconds of processing time.  "Wow, I hadn't really thought of that before.  Let me think about that for a second."  Now your brain has caught up with your mouth and you can give an appropriate response.  (Politicians do it ALL the time.)  Trust me, it's so worth it.

5)  Show up with confidence.  In this tough economy, if you've been invited to the party you're already a hundred miles in front of the pack.  The company has clearly expressed interest in you, and even carved out a portion of their day just to meet with YOU.  So, take it for the compliment that it is and have confidence in your abilities.  Rather than focusing on whether or not they like you, or if you are the one they want, assume they already do or they wouldn't have called you.  Focus on your strengths, abilities and what sets you apart.  The rest is a trip to HR to negotiate salary ;-)

6)  Never fear...NEGOTIATE!  Once you know you have the position on lock, you have one opportunity to negotiate a higher salary.  An employer is always going to do their best to keep their own costs down, and so if you don't ask for anything more, they have no motivation to offer you more.  And once you're hired, salary increases are usually slight, and few-and-far between.  Be prepared with prior salary, prior related experience, education and any other tidbits of information that can help you secure a better take-home for yourself.  The worst thing they can say is no, or it's the best they can do.  You haven't lost anything by asking.

That being said, I need to hop in the shower and prepare for my own interview today.  Wish me luck!

~Michelle In Turn

The Value of Author Websites

Yesterday I had the chance to attend an industry professional development session with writer and techie-guru Lori Culwell of bookpromotion.com.  The focus of the presentation was on author websites, and their value to your (ie. the writer's, the publisher's and the agent's) bottom line.


Here are some of the big ideas from Lori's presentation:


1)  Y'all (writers, agents and publishers) should know what comes up as the top-ten items when you Google an author.  That first google page is what the vast majority of your "visitors" will see- be sure it's full of good things, and ultimately, things that can lead them to purchase your book!

2)  Today's readers, especially fiction readers, want to feel connected to the author.  A contemporary writer must have an interactive online presence to hook readers, and keep them hooked.

3)  Writer's should have control of their own domain name, and control it's hosting.  Free websites are NOT recommended, as the writer ultimately does not own the content, and/or cannot change or update the content over time.  Owning your domain and paying for hosting are small investments that will pay off over time.

4)  The subject of an author's novel doesn't have to be the only fodder for online discussion.  Does the author write about vampire love, but have a passion for basket-weaving?  Great!  Add some tweets or a blog post or two about things other than their writing life.

5)  Nonfiction writers need to establish themselves as an authority. So, they should be spending time blogging, posting, writing articles, and tweeting about everything and anything to do with the subject matter of their book.  Build a presence in the real world, and establish credibility within their area of expertise.

6)  Take advantage of the many forms of web statistics available.  Find out how to capture emails, track who is visiting the author's page, and use that information to reach out to audiences new and old.

7)  Photos can go a surprisingly long way.  Google images for example, is a source readers and online shoppers frequent.  Be sure to take advantage of this not only by posting lots of pictures on various subjects, but also by tagging all of your photos so they lead back to your website and your book.

8)  Make buying the book as simple as possible.  Have links for individual booksellers that go directly to the purchase page for your particular book.  [According to Culwell, online shoppers have short attention spans, so make purchasing fast & easy, or risk losing the sale.]


Lori Culwell covered so much in such a short period, but she is clearly an authority on the subject, and a great person to reference.  You can tweet her at @loriculwell or check out her website bookpromotion.com.


~Michelle In Turn

Books from the E & F Trains

Living in Queens, and commuting to my internship in Manhattan several days a week, I can't help but notice just how many people choose to spend most of their subway time reading a good book.  Some are thumbing through paperbacks, drooling over a hardcover, or zoned in to their eReader.

I decided it might be fun to start talking to my fellow commuters about what they're reading.  Or, if they're not in the mood to talk...I could always just jot down what it is they're reading and in what format.

The first night I began to observe I met two women.

The first was a shy little lady, mid to late 40's,  reading a hardcover of The Inner Circle by Brad Metzer.  It wasn't a book I was familiar with at all, so I looked it up online to see what it was all about.

While searching Amazon.com for a description, I found this note by Davit Pitt from Bookmaster:

In this political thriller with historical-conspiracy overtones (or perhaps it’s the other way around), Meltzer creates his most engaging protagonist in years. Beecher White is an archivist with the National Archives, who stumbles upon an old book hidden away in a room used exclusively by the president. But did the president know that the book (a spelling dictionary that once belonged to George Washington) was there? And—almost impossible for Beecher to imagine—could it be that the president or someone close to him is willing to kill to regain possession of the book? Meltzer teams Beecher with an equally strong character, Clementine Kaye, a woman from the archivist’s past whose estranged father is, perhaps not coincidentally, the man who tried to kill the current president’s predecessor. Meltzer expertly develops the story, throwing in twists and turns at appropriate intervals, and he does an excellent job of putting us in Beecher’s corner and making us care about what happens to him. The story has a surprising and satisfying conclusion, and Meltzer leaves the door wide open for a sequel. --David Pitt

Another woman, a very friendly and upbeat lady in her late 30's was using her eInk Kindle to play a game.  Since she was sitting right next to me, I decided to ask her a bit about her eReader, and what kinds of books she enjoyed.  She told me that she LOVED her eReader, especially for the subway, because it was much less cumbersome than carrying a traditional book.  She shared that she had almost always had at least two books with her, and at times a back up for her back up! (No reader wants to be left with idle time.)  She also mentioned that in an effort to clean out her house, and make room for new things in her life, she had recently donated her very large collection of books to a charity.  She said it felt good to give those books to people who would actively enjoy them, and also get back the space in her house.  Now, she downloads new books ALL the time with her Kindle.  Her most recent download was Helpful Herbs for Health & Beauty:  Look and Feel Great, Naturally by Barbara Griggs.

I'll be sure to keep stalking the reading material of my fellow strap-hangers to bring you more great titles from the E&F Trains.

~Michelle In Turn

The Query Letter

One of the very first things you'll learn about as a literary intern is the query letter.  It's your first opportunity as an intern to prove that you can separate the rare gems from the glorified sandpaper.

Once I decided that I was officially going to make the leap from education to publishing, before I ever even started looking for internships or hunting for entry level jobs, I started to do research.  What do literary agents do?  How do writers get in touch with agents? How are they chosen, or not chosen for that matter? And one of the first bits of information I found was about the infamous query letter.

In many ways, a query is much like a cover letter.  The cover letter can often make or break your chance for a job interview, and the same holds true for the query letter.  If an author can't hook the query reader in with that letter, be it digital or hardcopy, you have likely lost the battle before it had begun.

Much like my post on resume`s had emphasized, a query should also be tailored to the reader.  And who is that reader?  Well, many authors new to the game are not too happy (or even REALLY pissed) when they learn that the person reading their painstakingly penned query is none other than a lowly intern like myself, or perhaps an agent's rookie assistant.  We get piles of unsolicited hardcopies of queries, and we sit at a little table in a quiet room [if we're fortunate to have that much room to claim as our own] and read letter after letter.  Or, we face the ever-glowing computer screen, and scroll through countless emails containing "the next big thing" in compelling literature.  As you can imagine, the letters start to sound very redundant rather quickly.  In fact, it is estimated that roughly 5% of all queries will ever make it into the hands of someone who can do something of value with it, and even less- maybe 1%- will ever be given serious thought.

So, if you are new to publishing, how do you tell a quality query from a crumby one?  Well, when I started out I grabbed a few books.  One of the most helpful was the 21st annual edition of the 2012 Guide to Literary Agents.  It was a great 101 course of literary agents, who they are, what they do etc.  Inside, I found several great articles that gave me the backstory on queries.  In fact, I credit the article "Crafting a Query How to Write a Great Letter" by Kara Gebhart Uhl, for helping me to land my first opportunity.  Basically, it highlighted what a query was: "A query is a short, professional way of introducing yourself to an agent." (Uhl 40)  Kara then pointed out the 3 main parts of the query, and even some tips and tricks for separating the good from the bad.  Without this background, I'm not sure I would have passed my first potential literary intern test.

Before being offered my internship, I first had an interview with all the basic questions and inquiries:  Tell me about yourself.  What makes you want to get into publishing? What do you like to read? Do you have any questions for me?  Etc. etc.  After I passed the personal information portion of the interview, I was immediately asked to read and respond to six different query letters and complete them within 45 minutes.  Thanks to the article mentioned above, I was able to express not only opinions of the letters, whether or not they were professionals, the credibility of the authors, whether or not I'd like to see more or reject it immediately.  Once the agents looked over my responses, they were satisfied and believed I was up to the task of interning.  And now, here I am, wading through various queries.  Reject, reject, reje-hmmm, this might be interesting...reject, reject, reject, reject, WTF is this?, reject, reject.  Well, you get the idea.

So, to all potential interns or other rookies to the publishing game, if you want to make a good first impression, do your HOMEWORK!  (Darn it, there's that teacher voice again.)  Take the extra step to bring some background knowledge with you to the table, it will give you an edge over the other hopeful candidates, and give you a little publishing street cred. 

SIDE NOTE:  Authors, if you want your book published you need to do your homework too.  


A query is your first impression, so make it an incredible one.  It is SO rare that I even get to see a half-descent query, so it leads me to believe that many writers simply don't know what it is or how important it is.  Listen, it may be an entry level nobody reading your inquiry at first, but the bottom line is WE ARE READING IT!  Not the CEO of Super Awesome Literary Agency, or that guy who shows up at your front door with million-dollar checks and balloons for no apparent reason.  So, your letter needs to be concise, professional, and an incredibly interesting read.  Much like a newbie intern should spend some time reading query letters to get a feel for them, you should spend even more time drowning yourself in queries.  Look at what is out there, and how you could sell your idea 100x better.  Get others, preferably professional writers, to look it over before you send anything out.

Also, research the agencies as well.  Each agent has an individual set of preferences.  Know them, and cater to them.  If you want your book picked up, it has to be marketed to the right agent.  Lastly, if you are not already an accomplished professional writer, don't pretend to be one- but start acting like one.  Join professional writing organizations.  Submit to credible writing contests that will get you some notoriety.  Share your writing (or at least concepts and characters) with other professional writers to get some industry feedback- lots of feedback.  That's how you can start to pick up on the holes or flaws in your writing, and can improve a piece before you send it out with both fingers crossed.  One last note, sadly I must tell you that paper letters are dead to most industry professionals.  If you are still mailing out envelopes full of queries and partial manuscripts, they are likely to be viewed as amateur, and dumped into the trash bin.  So, send an email, just be sure your email address isn't #1potsmokerJackass37@hotmail.com, okay.

One last bit of advice, check the small details.  Don't send a query to David Smith, CEO when it's Daniel Smith, CEO.  You'd be amazed at how often these kinds of things happen.  Get in the habit of individualizing letters so your letter intended for Super Awesome Literary Agency, doesn't begin with a greeting to The Wrong One agency instead.

While I'm sure there are plenty of other hints and tips I could send your way, I fear my post is already far too long.  So, if you have any further questions, feel free to drop a comment or send me a question.

That's all for now.
~Michelle In Turn

The Dreaded Resume. Ugh.

What is it about writing a resume that makes me feel like someone has dropped a burning stone into the pit of my stomach?  Worst of all it just sits there, heavy and scorching, until the new resume is complete and sent off to a potential dream job, and left for the fates to decide. 

So what do you add in, and what do you leave out?  As someone who's just made a career change, I'm finding resume writing even more tedious these days.  Not to pat myself on the back, but after a decade of hard work I have quite a few things that I think are important and worthwhile to include on a resume. Shouldn't I?  After spending ten years as a scholar, a teacher, a leader in my professional circle...I should have a lot to show for it, right? But therein lies the problem; it doesn't really matter what I think. I realized that since I am not the one offering myself a job, I'm also not the person I need to cater to.  That means I have to stop stroking my own ego, and get down to it.


The key to a strong resume is that you MUST appeal to the reader. Those of you out there who are still sending generic resumes that glaze over your "greatness" to any and all potential employers are making a grave mistake.  In today's challenging job market, everyone is desperately clamoring to secure an interview, let alone an actual job.  So if you're resume isn't hand tailored to fit the specific company, job description and potential interviewer you are applying to, rest assured it is being passed up.


I was fortunate enough to have a couple of the supervising agents at my literary agency set some time aside to help me take a much needed hatchet to the 4-page nightmare I had been shipping out lately.  


Here are some of the key pointers I was given:


1) Keep it focused.  Get rid of extraneous accomplishments or experiences that don't really translate well into the specific position you are currently seeking. This also means, the shorter the better. Showcase the best, and keep the rest in your back pocket as fodder for the interview.
2) Vocabulary.  Use strong verbs to show the reader what you have been doing, or what you've done.  Also, be sure to vary those verbs too, as there's only so many times a person wants to read created or fostered within a single document before slipping into madness. (Sorry, a little former English teacher frustration releasing itself there. But imagine reading 135 sloppy versions of the same crumby paper each and every day...maddening I tell you! But really, it's what your potential employers have to deal with every time they try to fill an open position. Just something to think about.)
3) Aesthetics.  If your resume looks cluttered or disorganized, it's a turn off.  The reader will feel that his/her time is precious, and wading through pages of chaos will not be appealing.  While there is not one specific format that works better than another, I think clarity and conciseness are much appreciated by all readers.
4) Social Media? Here was a question met with a cocked eyebrow and a smirk.  With a "Hmmmm.  I've never heard of that on a resume before..." followed by a full-on Cheshire grin.  Listen, in today's global economy, the world is moving too fast for all-things-human to keep up.  But if you can show a potential employer that you are doing your best to try, it may be that little extra something that catches their eye and gets you the phone call, text, tweet or email saying "Come on down, and let's talk."


Now, writing cover letters is just as tricky, if not more so. But that will have to be for another session...just talking about resumes is setting in panic and making want to go searching Publisher's Marketplace for my next opportunity.  Wish me luck!


~Michelle in Turn

Love is in the air...for the undead.

Ah, February 14th.  The one day of the year where I absolutely insist on giving in to the spiraling, tumbling world of romance.  While I give in most other days too, I consider myself very fortunate this Valentine's Day to once again have the arms of my beloved to hold me tight.  So, to show my love just how much I care...I bought him a book [naturally].  


You see, my lover has a mild obsession with ZOMBIES.  He's read and nearly memorized Max Brooks' Zombie Survival Guide (just incase we are faced with a zombie apocalypse), and is now entrenched in World War Z.  He loves classic zombie flicks like Night of the Living Dead, and the comical stylings of Zombieland and Shaun of the Dead.


In truth, he's even gotten me hooked on the whole zombie craze.  We are very dedicated  "Walking Dead" fans, and tune in to AMC every Sunday night for a little bit of zombie terror.  And one of my new favorite series of books is by Carrie Ryan, The Forest of Hands and Teeth, because it mixes just the right of amount of gruesome gore and heart-thumping romance.  I've already finished the second book in the series, which is called The Dead Tossed Waves, and will soon delve into the third which is The Dark and Hollow Places.


So what does one get their zombie-loving lover for Valentine's Day?


Zombie in Love of course!  


You see, I moonlight as a bookseller at Barnes & Noble, and while running amuck cleaning up after everyone in the children's section a few weeks ago, I noticed the rather disturbing cover of this bizarre little children's book.  It features a 90's era grunge-looking zombie fella holding an anatomically precise human heart.  It was perfect.

So, if you're not sure what to get the handsome weirdo in your life this Valentine's Day, consider picking up Zombie in Love.  

Oh, and one other little treasure I've picked up for the two of us to share, is Zombies vs Unicorns by Holly Black.  While I haven't had a chance to read it yet, I love Holly Black and her twisted approach to fantasy writing.  And since I am totally TEAM UNICORN, and my man is TEAM ZOMBIE, I thought it might be fun to share some of these sick little short stories just before bed- how romantic!  We both enjoy reading for a bit at night just before bed...and one of us [not me] likes to wake the other up after having zombie attack nightmares because of what they read at night!  But, that's all part of the package.

Happy Valentine's Day!  

~Michelle In Turn

A Fresh Start

Michelle In Turn, what does it mean?

Well, anyone who has ever attempted to start a career in the world of publishing can tell you that it isn't a professional circle that one can just glide into.  In many ways, you really have to put in the leg work to establish yourself as a solid candidate, secure an internship or entry-level position, and start building your name.  Before you can jump into your dream job (or figure out exactly what that is), you need to start at the bottom and work your way up.  In essence, you have to wait your turn.  There were other interns before you, other entry level assistants before you etc. So, as they move up, they make room down below for you.

Putting in the time up front to learn the ropes is vital.  But networking and getting yourself out there is even more essential for opening doors and accessing new opportunities.  And if you're wise, you'll use the time wisely- soaking up all of the experience and information you can.  This will help you further establish yourself as a great potential employee, and will be your best chance of moving your career forward.

I have been an intern at a literary agency here in New York City for about a month now, and already know that it is the best decision I have made in a long time.  My new task of learning to navigate the world of social media is what brings me to this blog.  I hope some of my posts will be helpful to other people starting out in publishing, or with other ambitions such as becoming a successful writer or taking the leap of faith required to switch careers.

I'm Michelle In Turn, and this is my blog.