Beyond the Blog – #ArmchairBEA
7 June, 2012
Beyond The Blog – Writing is the next step.
So, today’s topic is actually really important to me at the moment. Having just finished university and nearing graduation, I am finding myself looking into the abyss known as the future. While this shouldn’t be such a scary prospect, for me it really is.
Why?
Because, before September I knew what I was going to do when I graduated. I was going to carry on and do a Masters or I was going to do a PGCE and get on with some teaching preparations. But all of this changed so quickly and dramatically, I felt I was left standing in deep waters.
After being hit with some life-changing moments, that unfortunately effected my university work (and motivation for it), I found that going straight on to doing a Masters simply was not a clear-cut decision anymore. Now that leaves me with this big wide open space, wondering where I should go next. Of course, the writer in me tells me that the next logistical step is to do something with writing but is it really that easy?
My blog was started to help me with my future. It was the experience I would need to show I could be a committed individual – what better than a practical, overflowing CV that is continuously being updated – and to give me the experience at writing reviews that I needed for a career in film or book criticism. In reality what my blog has proven to me is that while I adore blogging, I could never actually be a critic for a newspaper (magazine, maybe), because I thoroughly enjoy being subjective in my reviews.
Unfortunately then, instead of being a stepping stone into a career, this blog has advised me of where I wouldn’t feel comfortable. Luckily, however, the blog has also widened my horizon of the book community, publishers, and authors alike, and it has shown me many different places and avenues that I could explore. So it has shown me new career options instead. We can’t win them all but at least there’s a silver lining, right?
That’s where it gets complicated – just where do I go now with all this new information?
I really hope that today will show me a few new avenues that I could possibly venture down – it’s never too much of a problem to have too much information, or so I’m told.
If you have any advise to give me or have participated in today’s post with a similar topic, please link to me – I’d love to see how every other blogger feels about this topic!
Faye
15 Comments
pussreboots
I think you should talk with Pam of Bookalicious Pam. While she wasn’t working on a masters, she has gone through a similar set of life changing moments and now has a career she loves (being a literary agent and a writer). Maybe she can give you some advice.
Faye (Daydreaming_Star)
Thank you so much for this reply, I will definitely be heading off to talk to her. <3
Nicola
Are you thinking of going into publishing then? The way I got into it was first working in a bookshop, got me to know some behind the scenes stuff, I then organised work experience in a publishers after unsuccessfully applying for a job advertised in the back of the trade magazine The Bookseller. They said sorry, you don’t have enough experience, but would you like some? It was awesome working there putting together children’s’ book prototypes for international book fairs! :) You could prob try a few places, if you have friends in London who will put you up for a few weeks? I then signed up with a temping agency and got a job at a publishers doing their accounts – just data entry but then I learnt lots about the industry, and was perfectly placed to hear about internal vacancies and got an editing job on one of their magazines within 8 months. If you actually want to write though most of it is freelance I think, just got to write it and send it in. Lots of my old London friends work in the media, i could ask them for more tips if you like?
Faye (Daydreaming_Star)
First of all, I want to thank you for commenting – I truly appreciate it.
I’ve definitely been thinking about going into publishing since running this blog, possibly on the publicity side of things because I’ve met some great publicists and I have always liked advertising side of things. So I think I will definitely look into internships over the summer – or if not, in the winter when i have enough money to afford unpaid work!
Fortunately, as well, I actually live 30mins away from London via train so I would be able to do internships without needing to put myself up somewhere but I do also have friends who may be willing to help out.
That would be great if you could. More knowledge is better than less knowledge, as some people say! :D
Faye <3
heather
Knowing what you don’t want to do is an important step.
Faye (Daydreaming_Star)
That is very true indeed. I think that’s another reason why internships are so helpful – they tell you whether or not this is something you like doing!
Thanks for commenting :-)
Julie@My5monkeys
I think figuring out what you want to do for a lifelong job is most important and do something that you love.
Faye (Daydreaming_Star)
Yeah, I definitely don’t want to settle doing a job just to get money to pay the bills. I know that I may have to do that to begin with but as long as I continue moving onto something I love and enjoy, it’ll be okay, right?
Thanks for stopping by!
Faye
Karin Perry
Well, you’ve really put a lot of thought into this. I saw someone else already comment about maybe going into publishing/editing. Since you have found you like to be subjective in your reviews that might be a good option for you. AC BEA has been a very helpful week. I’m glad you’ve participated.
Faye (Daydreaming_Star)
Yeah, I definitely think it’s an avenue I should at least think about! Though editing had never really crossed my mind, but that is an intriguing thought. I guess it’s all about just finding what works best for me!
I agree, it has been extremely helpful! Thanks, and thanks for stopping by and commenting.
Faye
Stephsco
I wish I’d known more about the publishing world back in college, I may have pursued that route. There are lots of free resources that can give you more ideas about the industry – signing up for emails from Publisher’s Weekly and Publisher’s Lunch (the free versions). They link job listings sometimes, – just see what types of jobs are out there as an idea for what you might want to do. I follow some publishing agents and houses on twitter; you can learn a ton by researching online. You can use bloggers to your advantage – some agents are really great about posting industry FAQs on their blogs. Nathan Bransford used to be an agent, now he’s a published children’s writer and runs an excellent blog with a lot of archived articles on the industry.http://blog.nathanbransford.com/
good luck with your career! Many of us stumble into what we do. I have a rather dull day job, but it pays the bills which allows me to pursue writing in my off time :)
Faye (Daydreaming_Star)
I am straight away going to thank you for commenting here today! I had not heard of Publisher’s Weekly or Publisher’s Launch before (I have been living under a rock, clearly) and am now signed up for both so I want to thank you for putting them on my radar! Hopefully something interesting will come of them :-)
And thank you for the blog too. :-)
I also follow publishing houses and publishers on twitter but I’ll probably end up following many more now.
Yay for writing – as long as you’re still doing what you love, that’s what matters.
Thank you again for your post.
Faye :-)
nea barabea
Oh, Faye, I wish you’d known how much I understand your situation. I am, too, currently finishing my studies. I have one exam left – and I’ve been doing it since the beginning of February. I still haven’t made it. And it’s freaking me out, quite honestly. I have it on Monday. I hope this time I’ll pass. Becuase really, if don’t, I don’t know what am I going to do. I’m so tired of this exam. It’s stressing me out so much, sometimes I feel like I’m burnt out. And my motivation – is nowhere to be seen. I haven’t studied yet for Monday. Becuase I KNOW, I know the subject well. Just need to organize my knowledge to make it almost perfect. Like the professor wants, I guess. And I’ve been accepted at the University of Edinburgh for the Master! I am so excited about it. I have my international English exam on Thursday and I feel so anxious about it. I’m completely frightened. And I need to work a lot in the summer so I’ll be able to move and pay my fees for the Master. And I am moving from my Uni city in 10 days. And go back home so I can work. I am leaving all my best friends behind. And then I’ll leave all my friends from home behind. And I am scared. And if I fail the english or the uni exam.. I don’t even want to think about it, because frakly, I wouldn’t know what to do with my life.
Beautiful post! And, you’re not alone in this kind of situation. It’s not a great thing, but at least it’s comforting, somehow. Wish you all the best! ;) <3
And see you at the twitter party!! :D
RhiannonPaille
Hey Faye,
Some great responses already here and honestly, I think you need to follow your heart in this case. You’ve had enough experience to know what you don’t like and you might be one of those trial and error people. You try something, if you’re not good at it you try something else. Keep going, you’ll find where you fit soon!
Faye (Daydreaming_Star)
Hi Rhiannon,
I guess that’s what it’s all really about at the end of the day, right? If it were easy it wouldn’t be called work, right? ;)
Thank you for commenting and stopping by the blog.
Faye