Publicity Assistant Candice Frederick gave me some serious insight into the world of publishing. Along with her job at Penguin she keeps an awesome film review blog called Reel Talk. Check out what she has to say:
How long have you been in publishing?:
Six years. I worked at Circulation Journal (a cardiovascular journal in Boston) and Essence magazine. Now I’m at Penguin in book publishing.
Describe your job:
I provide admin and publicity support to the Gotham and Avery Publicity departments, as well as spearhead my own book campaigns. In the support role, I act as a liaison between the publicity, marketing and sales departments as well as making sure our media database is up to date and pitch media ideas to the publicists. In the project manager role, I launched the 2009 “Take Back Your Family” tour (a parenting book by Rev Run and his wife Justine Simmons), as well as help kick off the upcoming Hill Harper book, “The Conversation.”
How did you find this job?:
On bookjobs.com. I also worked with my current manager while I was at Essence Magazine.
What was your previous experience?:
Editorial Assistant at Essence Magazine.
Likes/dislikes about your job:
I like that my job is always changing. I never know what to expect on a daily basis (whether it’s putting out a fire or embracing a new responsibility like highhandedly taking over the Rev Run tour). I like that it constantly pushes me to be a better publicist.
Tips for people who want to get into publishing:
Be nice to everyone. You never know who can help you along the way. And maintain contacts with everyone you meet. These people may come in handy later. Start a blog! Get your writing and your voice out there! And be persistent when it comes to interviews, put your best foot forward. Be well rounded and comfortable talking to people about anything. You can find out a lot just by talking to people.
Favorite books of all time:
To Kill a Mockingbird and I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.
