Favorite Quote: “They paint the world full of shadows… and then tell their children to stay close to the light. Their light. Their reasons, their judgments. Because in the darkness, there be dragons. But it isn’t true. We can prove that it isn’t true. In the dark, there is discovery, there is possibility, there is freedom in the dark once someone has illuminated it.” – Black Sails
Favorite Pace Publishing Course: E-books: Tech, Workflow, & Business or Principles of Publishing: Copyediting
What are your plans post-graduation?
I’ll be remaining in New York City applying for various positions and networking. A small fun thing is I also work part-time as a ticket allocation specialist with TodayTix Group, basically helping to sell Broadway tickets. I will also be keeping up with freelance work writing book reviews for bookreporter.com and reading submissions for West Trade Review, a literary magazine.
How do you think classes prepared you for your career in publishing?
The classes at Pace exposed me to all facets of the industry. I feel like many people come into the program only having an idea about the editorial aspect. The classes offered at Pace help expand an understanding of all the moving parts and how many roles actually exist in book production. There were niche electives offered to go further in-depth on certain topics, like with the e-books and metadata courses, I feel like those are huge topics with digital expansion and it is amazing that Pace offers a chance to learn more about them. The courses were taught by professionals who offered out-of-classroom anecdotes and insights. I would also say the provided projects felt like hands-on case studies of the work I would be doing in a publishing house.
What are your favorite moments in the program?
Getting to know my colleagues, for sure. I made wonderful friends with so many brilliant, kind, talented, and hard-working people through this program with amazing perspectives! I also have loved the opportunities to connect through events like the photoshoot and the alumni mixer. I would also say the opportunity to connect with industry professionals and find an incredible mentor through the mentorship program. These are connections formed I can see myself putting time into keeping and I have the program to thank for that.
Advice for incoming/current students?
I would say to participate in all the opportunities and events the program offers. Pace is genuinely dedicated to seeing their students succeed and offers so many resources for networking and internships. Also, keep an open-mind regarding where you would like to end up.
What are your five to ten year hopes & goals you want to accomplish?
I have a few directions I’d like to go. If editorial, I would love to acquire works that aide in changing the fantasy landscape with voices often underrepresented in the genre, and less of a leaning toward violence against women. I would also want to work with international fiction, I think it’s so fascinating to see how narrative approaches change by country and find exposure to perspectives different than ours. There was a time I studied journalism and the goal to get people’s stories and words out there, elevating their work still remains a motivation. I would like to spend some time with eBook production, I think there’s a lot that can be done with the format and a lot of eBooks that need to still meet standards, or at least move away from PDFs. Ultimately, I want to end up in an environment producing a product I love, maintain great connections and one day perhaps find success enough to give back to the Pace community and help mentor students.
What are you reading right now?
I am someone who reads many books at once in different formats. I am reading The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O’Farrell, beautifully written and a lyrical perspective of Lucrezia de’ Medici, duchess of Ferrara, known in history and told in the first few pages of the book for being only 16 when her husband supposedly might have killed her. I am also listening to Finding Me by Viola Davis on audiobook, which is such an impactful way to hear her story. I would highly recommend hers as far as celebrity memoirs go, it is so grounded and raw.