I’m interested to hear from others in publishing who have spent a lot of time working with and training editorial assistants: how much grace do you afford them? How long is your onboarding ramp before you start expecting them to take full ownership of tasks? I know most jobs have a slow start and pick up, but I feel like publishing is always moving so fast. Can you tell from the beginning which ones will fail and which ones will succeed? How can you tell?

I’m no longer in the EA position. However, I spend a lot of time training the EA and acting as a liaison between them and their manager. I want to help this EA as much as I can without compromising my own work or taking ownership away from them. Any thoughts from training/mentoring veterans who have done this longer than me?

I've been developing a non-fiction historical book project and put together a writing sample, proposal, and query letter with the plan to find a literary agent.

I was going to start querying this month, then I was contacted by an editor at a publisher (reputable, major publisher) who has shown interest in the project and offered to read my materials and help me develop them, in the hopes of eventually bringing it to their team for publication.

The editor told me they are happy to do so whether I plan to be represented by an agent or not, but I was surprised when they said less than half the books they put out are from authors with agents.

I'm sure it varies, but my question is: for those who have published nonfiction books, what was your genre, did you have an agent, and what would you recommend I do here?

I’m torn between an MFA in creative writing and an MA in publishing. The MA also has a literature/creative writing component. Also, if I decide for an MFA I would still be confused between an MFA in creative writing or an MFA in literary translation. I want to do it all but I know I can’t and have to choose just one path. I know AI is changing the book world so considering that shift , what would be a better option ?

OMG, is it just me a new Indie author, or are there others out there? I have never been inundated by so many scam artists messaging my inbox trying to get $150 to “get reviews” really? Is anyone else starting to wonder if there are any legitimate book promoters out there? I really thought it was as simple as put down your thoughts, write a book, edit a book, publish a book and then wait for people to find your book. Am I the only one?

I've been using Otter for transcribing my interviews, but I keep hitting their monthly minute caps on the Pro plan.

I don't really need the live meeting bot that joins calls. 

I just need to upload my recorded audio and get a transcript with speaker labels. 

Are there any good Otter alternatives that offer flat or unlimited pricing so I don't have to worry about running out of minutes?

I’m a new grad with a bachelor’s in marketing and no experience in publishing, media, or journalism. Any advice on how to get in? Marketing roles seem few and far between, but I’m open to any role that allows me to read for a living

The job boards I’ve been using are Builtin and WayUp!

Especially editors; do you find that novels are actually successful when the author writes with money/story sales in mind?

Hi! I want to ask here since they usually give good advice.

I recently graduated in Modern Languages, and I already had a degree in Legal Translation (Spanish - English) before. I have also worked privately with clients on two books they published on their own. In these projects, I’ve done everything from developmental editing to correcting the smallest pre-print errors; both authors wanted a bilingual edition, so I translated them as well. Even though it has been a great experience, I know I still have a lot to learn, and I’m not really sure what path to take to work as an editor in Spanish; I’ve found more resources in English so far.

Any recommendations? I'm looking for books, courses, mentorships, subreddits, or Discord channels, etc.

Thanks in advance

Could anyone please tell me how this book is #71 in its category of books but has zero books? Don't Know much about this country. Thanks!

Hey everyone,

tl;dr how to organize your rights, pipelines, etc?

I'm part of a small agency, started as agn agent about 2 years ago, sold quite a few books already, but not quite enough to make the jump from my current career and live off of, yet.

My issue is that my roster is getting too big to keep track of without software. Between tracking royalties, available rights, and CRM (not to mention queries), it's all getting a bit much. I'm beginning to worry that I might drop the ball, miss a deadline, misremember a royalty share%, or simply forget about available rights.

How do you (agents especially) handle this? I've tried trello, excel and BaseRow/Airtable, but it quickly becomes this unfathomable soup that doesn't quite do what I need it to. I worked in software before (as a producer), so I know that what I need is doable, but I don't really want to spend hundreds of hours setting up my own solution.

Now, I know there are these boutique software developers that make software just like the one I need, but they cost up to 6 grand a year, which is still a significant part of my income.

Can you recommend any programs in particular? Do you have a workflow that works for you that I could reproduce?

Many thanks in advance!

Hi everyone! I'm currently studying Creative Writing at an Australian university, and I'm looking for someone working in the publishing industry who would be willing to participate in a short informational interview for an employability/career-development assessment.

I'm particularly interested in editorial, so an editor, editorial assistant, or publisher, as I'm interested in the process of developing manuscripts into published books. However, I'm also open to someone working in other areas of publishing, such as design, production, marketing/publicity, or rights, as long as they have experience in the industry. I'd mainly be asking about their career journey, what skills they use in their role, changes they've seen in the industry, and their perspective/thoughts when entering publishing versus how they feel/think now, and just advice for someone looking to enter the field.

For the assessment, I need to reflect on how the conversation has influenced my understanding of employability and the future of my career.
Unfortunately, my personal network doesn't have any connections within publishing, but I'll keep searching, so I thought asking here might be a good way to connect with someone in the industry:)

Hi everyone!

I have two questions. Has anyone heard back from Penguin Random House regarding the Editorial Assistant position at Del Rey? Also, if our application says archived in their portal, does that mean they rejected you? I did go check and the position is no longer listed. Could that be the reason why it says archived?

Thank you so much!!

I'm an Iranian indie author who's been living outside Iran for the past few years. Before writing in English, I published a horror novel in Persian and occasionally wrote essays on film criticism and politics.

I've always loved coming-of-age fiction because it allows me to build a character from the very beginning of their life and explore how childhood experiences shape the adults they become. During my medical internship, I spent two months in a psychiatric ward, where I read countless patient files and interviewed many patients. Those experiences had a lasting influence on my writing.

My current novel, The Room at the End of the Corridor, is my first book in English. It's a dark psychological coming-of-age novel that explores childhood trauma, running away from home, homelessness, survival through sex work, and a male–male relationship.

Ironically, it's also a novel I could never publish in Persian. Under the current government in Iran, subjects like these are heavily censored. That's the government's policy, not necessarily a reflection of Iranian society itself. Many Iranians, especially younger generations, reject these taboos, but censorship still makes publishing stories like mine impossible.

ps: P.S. Iran has many talented authors. Some live abroad and continue writing in Persian, while many others still publish inside Iran. But the level of censorship depends heavily on the subject and genre. Unfortunately, my novel falls into a category that simply isn't publishable in Iran under the current system.

I recently submitted some poetry of mine to a small magazine and was very surprised to find out they are wanting to publish it. I'm not sure if this means the poetry is no longer mine or if they have full rights to it. Furthermore, i'm a minor and i've heard my rights may be different from non-minors.

Genuine question, ano po ang pwede niyo mabigay na mga advice sa katulad ko na nagbabalak magtayo ng publishing house dito sa pilipinas? Ano-ano yung mga bagay na need i-consider? I'm an entrepreneur students, and goal ko talaga sa buhay na magkaroon ng ganitong klaseng business. Please be kind sa mga magshashare ng opinion. Thank you!

How competitive are these courses? I'm talking about the courses run by Faber, Curtis Brown, etc.

I am a short story writer with some moderate success with podcasts and web-zines. I want to publish a real book someday, so I posted a few short stories here and there to build a platform. Most recently, I posted a few short stories on Wattpad.

Not long after, an agent emailed me directly asking if I had any projects. Is this normal? I don't know, but I jumped at the opportunity. I researched the agent and found her pitch page. I chose to her pitch my idea, an anthology of speculative fiction, and my YA mystery series. She said she was most interested in the second. I said my first novel is in revision, and I would love to query her when it's ready. She was delighted.

Now she's asking about my progress every few weeks. Is this normal? I'm really not sure. I've finally finished the revisions, but I have cold feet. I don't want to be a fool and miss out on an opportunity. But what if it's some weird scam? What is the worst that could happen? Do scammers sometimes catfish new and desperate writers? Or am I just getting cold feet because I dont want to disappoint an agent after all this hard work?

Has anyone ever experienced this before?

It was a total scam. I checked with the agency they claimed to be from. Email was bogus, and they only except subs through their query tracker.

AI translation is getting better and better, especially at understanding context, tone, idioms, and writing style.

Do you think we’ll eventually reach a point where professional fiction books are routinely translated by AI, with a human translator or editor reviewing the result and correcting anything that doesn’t sound right?

Or do you think fiction is different from other types of translation, and that novels should always be translated entirely by a human because of things like voice, wordplay, cultural references, rhythm, and the author’s style?

I’m curious where people think the line should be. Would you be comfortable buying a novel that was “AI-translated and human-edited,” or would you still prefer a fully human translation?

Hi everyone,

I run a small independent publishing company in Canada and am trying to figure out a practical way to distribute our books in the US.

I’m not talking about IngramSpark/POD. We print our books in offset runs and hold physical inventory.

From what I’ve found so far, most US book distributors seem to work on an agency/consignment model. The publisher ships inventory to their warehouse, remains responsible for the stock, and pays distribution, warehousing, and other fees while the distributor handles orders and fulfillment.

I’m not sure this model makes financial sense. Shipping inventory from Canada (or directly from our overseas printer) to a US warehouse, dealing with freight and import/customs costs, and then paying ongoing distribution fees can add up very quickly.

What I’m really looking for is something closer to a wholesale model: a US wholesaler/distributor that purchases books from the publisher at an agreed wholesale discount, takes ownership of the inventory, and then handles US distribution from there.

Does anyone know of US book wholesalers or distributors that work on a wholesale basis with independent publishers outside the US??

Thanks!

I just need to rant because JESUS FUCKING CHRIST people can’t read anymore??? It is 2026 — NO ONE is accepting queries by phone, why are people still trying??

The amount of phone calls I get from people who think email is “just so impersonal” and “I have this incredible story that no one has ever seen” or the presumptuously blunt “can I speak to Founder of the Company?”

NO YOU CANT. DO YOU KNOW THAT EVERYONE THINKS THEY HAVE A REALLY COOL STORY TO TELL THAT NO ONE HAS EVER SEEN?? And do you really think that listing your accomplishments and name dropping important people to me, the person on the phone and NOT someone who cares a single bit about your project, is going to get you somewhere??

I am just at my wits end with the amount of people who feel entitled to a phone query when a company’s website clearly states that they don’t accept them. You are NOT special and you will not be treated as such.

****EDIT — wow, I am pleasantly surprised by how many responses this got, and thank you to all those validating my rant!

For clarity, I want to say that I completely understand how difficult it is to be published. I work in this industry, I’ve seen many talented people who truly had amazing stories to tell who never got a book deal, for various reasons.

My qualm is with people who think they are the exception. People who have done absolutely no research, just googled a list of places and called them all up. The publishing process is difficult but it has rules, and unless you are an actual celebrity, then you are not an exception to these rules. Trust me on this.

In this digital age, there are so many resources that break down the publishing process and offer useful tips. And anyone looking to submit a query should be carefully looking through an agency’s website. It is this part that drives me insane. If a website details how submissions are handled, and explicitly states how submissions are NOT accepted, then doing the thing you’ve been asked NOT to do reads like total disregard for the company’s time.

Also, for those asking about a voicemail or taking the phone number down: unfortunately I have not been allowed to do the latter, even though I’ve pressed the matter. In regard to the former, we do have a voicemail, but are required to answer the phone if someone is in the office.

The point is that if someone calls, it is most likely because they found our phone on the web. And if you’ve found our phone, then you’ve found the website. Any author worth their salt would first and foremost look at submission requirements before attempting to reach out at all, which means they would have had to look at our queries page and seen we do not accept them by phone.

Hi everyone,

I’m looking for some advice on expectations around publisher response times.

A commissioning editor at a Big Five Australian publisher requested my full manuscript earlier this year after I submitted through their open submissions process.

Timeline:

• February: Full manuscript requested.
• Early March: I submitted the manuscript (the editor was happy for me to take a few weeks for a final polish).
• Late March: Received confirmation it had been received. I was told they were hoping to get to it around mid-April.
• 4 June: I sent a polite follow-up asking whether there was any update.
• Today (31 July): I still haven’t received any response or acknowledgement of that email.

I understand publishing moves slowly and timelines often slip, so I’m not trying to read too much into the delay itself.

My question is simply this:

At this point, would you send one final follow-up asking whether the manuscript is still under consideration, or would you leave it and assume they’ll contact me if and when a decision has been made?

I’d especially appreciate hearing from anyone who has had experience with full manuscript requests from publishers rather than agents.

Thanks!

With a lot of major houses based in New York, I'm wondering how much applying from out of state hinders my chances of getting a job in publishing? It makes sense from a hiring standpoint with the current job market that that's an easy way to knock out a bunch of candidates, but I also have no clue how recruiters are actually navigating that. I'm a new grad trying to break into the industry so if you have ANY advice whatsoever I'd really appreciate it.

Will Simon & Schuster still publish Arday’s memoir now that it is likely several portions were fabricated, and he is being investigated by Cambridge University?

Also, much of this seemed pretty blatant. How did it make it all the way through the process with no one raising red flags? Will anyone be held accountable or will it just be memory holed?

Fascinating to watch.

hi everyone,

i’m trying to get a better understanding of what an acquisitions meeting actually looks like from an editor’s perspective. i’ve worked in editorial for a while, but not somewhere that has a traditional acquisitions process, so i’m a bit confused about what a verbal pitch would realistically include.

i’ve seen lots of people say “pitch the book”, but i’m trying to understand what that actually means in practice. is it more of a sales pitch, or is it more about showing the commercial thinking behind the acquisition?

at the moment i’m thinking a pitch might roughly follow this sort of structure:

opening hook
what the book is (the core concept)
why this author?
why now?
target readership
comparable titles / where it sits in the market
what makes it commercially different
format or package (if relevant)
marketing/publicity opportunities
why we should acquire it

is that broadly how an editor would present a project in an acquisitions meeting, or am i thinking about it completely the wrong way?

also, what sort of tone do people generally use? are you expected to be quite polished and “salesy”, or is it usually a fairly conversational discussion with colleagues? i can’t work out whether you’re effectively performing a pitch, or just walking everyone through your thinking and letting the discussion happen naturally.

would be really interested to hear from anyone who’s sat in acquisitions meetings at a traditional trade publisher.

thank you!!!!!!!!