Niamh – MA Publishing and discovering Editorial
This time last year, I was in the final year of my undergraduate degree in Classical Studies, so I was learning all about ancient civilisations, literature and even trying my hand at Latin for the first time! Yet I always knew I wanted to work in publishing and perhaps even publish a children’s series of my own one day. However, I didn’t know where to start. Despite keeping an eye on industry trends through my bookstagram and watching content designed to help fellow publishing hopefuls on platforms like Youtube and Twitter, I did not have a clear idea on which sector I wanted to pursue career wise.
I did know that I wanted to make an informed decision before putting myself out there for certain publishing roles. I needed to be sure that the roles I was applying for were:
A) Great for my strengths and my skillset.
B) Roles where I could be of great help to the employer.
I wanted to learn everything I could about the publishing industry in terms of processes, departments, important skills and how books generate income for everybody involved. Where would my strengths and experience be most useful? Could I be a future marketing whizz? Maybe I have the potential to become a top-notch publicist? Luckily, I was less than three months into the MA at UCLan when I finally realised my true passion in publishing. Editorial!
I was surprised to learn during Kieran’s classes that there’s something incredibly satisfying about copy and line editing. Though, I imagine this isn’t too surprising for anybody with a love for writing and languages like myself! Emma’s workshops for developmental editing as well as delivering efficient yet friendly author care I also found to be both hugely helpful and thoroughly enjoyable. The MA also gave me plentiful opportunities to practice my proofreading abilities. Students can work on tasks where they are able to suggest edits for future UCLan titles and even review some fantastic works through NetGalley prior to the book’s publication date (Clementine Florentine was my first review and my all-time favourite!).
I’m eternally grateful for the wealth of experience and knowledge that comes with studying this MA and thanks to UCLan Publishing, I have been able to find the perfect area to pursue within the industry. As a result, I’m working hard to secure a role in editorial and cannot wait to get even more involved with UCLan Publishing as we enter our second semester!