h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

"Or, say, a book..... Not naming any names..... "

"Also, as a personal question, how would one go about finding an editor job for a publishing company to apply to in the first place? And, if one found such a thing, but didn't technically have a degree in English or whatever, how would one go about marketing one's skills?"



~*~As for the book... ugh. I think I know which one you mean...~*~

Uh.... I really don't think you do.... Since nobody possibly could.... I meant that I'M writing a book, and I was wondering how someone gets a publisher to publish their book, so I'll know what to do once I've finished it.



~*~Regarding your question, please PM me and I’ll see if I can help you [your mate, mother, whatever]. Having a degree in English would be advisable, but one can get into journalism, for example, without it (see: Fearne Cotton).~*~

Not journalism precisely, though that would be fine too. I'm looking to pay the bills, preferably by being editor for a book-publishing company. Thing is when I went to college I majored in History and Theater, not English. So I can't exactly point at a college degree to prove that I know how the language works. Equally important, I don't know where you would go to apply for such a job in the first place. Since you apparently already have a job as an editor, or have in the past, I was hoping you could shed some light on the subject.

Oh, crap!

*Adds subject line*

Heh, heh, heh.... Nothing to see here.....

One more thing, out of curiosity, what book did you think I was talking about?

Hiya Mr X

I apologise for the delay, my fault.

RE the book, I thought you meant 50 Shades- a brilliant example of how rubbish and no knowledge of anything literary can be published. I’d like to think you’ve been writing for a while, so I’ll write with the assumption that you have.

RE publishing. Either you can self publish- through the Kindle format or set up your own publishing company, or you can go for the big houses, like Random House etc. Is this your first book? Once it’s written, you’ll need to send it with a summary, like a blurb, and contact details. They may or may not get back to you and if they don’t, it isn’t the end of the world.

You’d need to make your opening page or two really, REALLY good, cos that’s all that will be read. You might get lucky and get it returned with an explanation of why it was rejected but more often than not, you will not.

Journalism, like editing, requires you to have a thick skin and tell it like it is.

I would do some googling but in order to get a job as an editor you’d need experience, which I don’t really have cos I’ve just edited fanfiction in the past (almost as painful).

I hope I’ve been helpful, but I’d say your best resort would be Google, books and perseverance! Let me know if you need help and I'll happily be of assistance!

~*~RE the book, I thought you meant 50 Shades- a brilliant example of how rubbish and no knowledge of anything literary can be published.~*~

Never read it.



~*~I’d like to think you’ve been writing for a while, so I’ll write with the assumption that you have.~*~

School essays and short stories. Never a fully-fledged book before. In my defense, they're very good essays. I also read a lot.



~*~Either you can self publish- through the Kindle format or set up your own publishing company,~*~

I'd rather not. Apart from the obvious fact that established companies have editors I'd like to have access to, there's also the matter of marketing. Which I wouldn't have a clue how to do, much less the resources.



~*~Once it’s written, you’ll need to send it with a summary, like a blurb, and contact details. They may or may not get back to you and if they don’t, it isn’t the end of the world.~*~

How long would you recommend waiting to hear from them before sending it to someone else? Also, I assume that before I send it to anyone I should copywright it first, yes?



~*~Journalism, like editing, requires you to have a thick skin and tell it like it is.~*~

I wouldn't worry about that. Trained as an actor, and not the prima-donna kind.