So here’s the deal. My fairy tale days sponging off VA benefits are rapidly coming to a close. I graduate this fall with a degree in Humanities and Western Civilization with an Emphasis in Literature, though I’ll probably stay in school through the spring.
Don’t publishing houses need peons to read submitted manuscripts and report on them? All those literature classes have given me the impression that I’d love to land a job reading. So I’d love to hear from anyone who has had such a job, or knows how it’s usually done. Monster.com yielded nothing promising. So this kind of job exists, right? Anybody know the usual qualifications, salary, etc.? Is it wishful thinking that I could stay in the Kansas City area and do this? Thanks for any help folks.
Most large publishers are in New York and San Francisco. Specialty publishers exist all over the country however. University press might be an option if you live in Manhattan or Lawrence. I would check out Writer’s Market (available in all libraries and any decent sized bookstore) for more information – including contact information – on publishers in your area.
The type of job you’re describing is an Editorial Assistant. The pay is horrible wherever you are… it might actually be better in KS than NYC because if there’s one thing NYC has, its an endless supply of trust-fund kiddies willing & able to work for almost nothing.
If you are near Kansas City, MO this link may prove fruitful
http://books.missouri.org/publishers.html
–Used to be a content Editor for US’s 2nd largest bookseller, interacted with such people all the time
I think it’s more likely the OP is looking for a manuscript reader position. That’s a job where not-yet-published books are read and reviewed by readers to get a feel for how salable they are. Sort of like test screenings are for movies. An editorial assistant is more of an entry-level careerist job in which a new grad or such begins as the coffee and paperclips type. They may occasionally read an article or book but it’s more likely they’ll spend time logging in manuscripts that are submitted and doing the administrative work that allows the real editors to get to reviewing copy.
If I’m right and the OP is referring to the manuscript reader concept I can tell you it’s no fit life. I have a pal, a good one, who did that for a while. She said it was a tough life and didn’t pay much. She got some sort of check for each one she read and filled out the forms for, true, but it wouldn’t have been enough to pay her bills. Just that it was a nice little bonus if she could keep up the pace. Generally two per week for less than $100 per book. And that’s as an independent contractor with no benefits. Do the math and that’s less the $10K per year.
Maybe she had a crappy version of the job and there are really good ones out there. But I haven’t heard of any.