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Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly meme created by Heidi at Rainy Day Ramblings in order to discuss a wide range of topics from books to blogging (and some slightly more personal matters thrown in for good measure). While Heidi is on an extended hiatus, there are five of us who are hosting it and providing the questions. The current team is composed of Berls at Because Reading Is Better Than Real Life, Jen at That's What I'm Talking About, Karen at For What It's Worth, Linda at Book Girl of Mur-y-Castell and Roberta at Offbeat YA. This week's question is...
BOOKISH JOBS: IF YOU COULD DO SOMETHING IN THE BOOKISH WORLD FOR EMPLOYMENT, WHAT WOULD YOU CHOOSE AND WHY?
One of "my" authors (that is, those who I regularly beta-read for) once told me that I had gone above and beyond my beta requirements (because I also point out typos, word repetitions and such - it's in my nature 🤷♀️) and I would make "an amazing copy editor". According to Wikipedia, copy editing is basically "the process of revising written material to improve readability and fitness for its purpose, as well as ensuring that text is free of grammatical and factual errors". Now, while I think she was giving me more credit than I deserved, I realised that copy editing is a job I could do (maybe after a bit of self-training...or actual training...to refine my skills) and I definitely would enjoy doing. Too bad that I'm not built for free-lance jobs, because I don't know how to take care of all the side work AND the stress involved in them and I don't even want to...
Well, that's it for now. Did you enjoy this post? Would you like to participate in the meme on a regular or semi-regular basis, and get emailed the prompt list? Just head over here and fill in Jen's form! (Of course, you can jump in anytime you like - you are under no obligation to actually do all the posts, or even most of them, just because you signed up, and you can remove yourself from the list at any time). And if you're interested in participating in a more casual manner, or only in commenting, here is the TMST prompt list for the rest of January and the month of February:
- January 26th: Do you reread? And are you ever tempted to change your ratings when you do? (a question I submitted)
- February 2nd: Share some of your favorite books written by POC authors
- February 9th: How has your reading changed since the pandemic started?
- February 16th: Share some of your favorite romantic stories/books
- February 23rd: What books are you looking forward to reading in Spring 2021 (March - May)?
I'll be back on January 26th, of course 😉.
Now tell me something...what is/are your book-related dream job(s)?
I never wanted to be my own boss and could never do freelance type work. I know I would love to get a degree in library science and be a children's librarian.
ReplyDeleteYou'd make an awesome librarian, I'm sure! I can see you doing that. Ah, maybe in our next lives...
DeleteMy dream bookish/writing job would be to write comedy. I would love to write comedy for a show like Saturday Night Live. It's something I've always thought about. Who knows what the future holds!
ReplyDeleteMost original answer ever LOL. That came as a surprise - I would never have thought you had a special interest in comedy. Well, you're young, there's still time for that! 😉
DeleteI feel like things like copy editing or proofreading are jobs I *could* maybe do (if not for my now headache problems, obvi) but wouldn't want to do. I feel like having to read books that critically would take up my reading time but not be fun the way reading for pleasure is. I'd rather read finished books. Idk what bookish job I would want and be able to do though!
ReplyDelete"having to read books that critically would take up my reading time but not be fun the way reading for pleasure is."
DeleteI agree, but...it would be an adventure! Helping to shape a book! I don't know, it feels exciting to me 😃.
Maybe you could vibe more with a job in game developing (if not for the headaches, that is 😟).
I briefly considered majoring in something related to game design/dev, and I don't remember why I decided against it. Cuz now I'm like, that would've been super cool!
DeleteThe things we realise in hindsight LOL.
DeleteI would LOVE to do that! I've considered editing science papers for students as a side job, so copy editor sounds right up my alley too!
ReplyDeleteI assume editing science papers would be a little different than editing novels LOL. But I hope you get to it one day!
DeleteOh... I didn't think about jobs like this. I did some beta reading before, and I enjoyed it, but I realized I like waiting for the final product much more.
ReplyDeleteIt sucks a lot of time and energy, so I understand that, even with the thrill of reading a still unpublished book, it wouldn't be for everyone.
DeleteI can see that! The way you re-read books before writing reviews and also just from reading your posts I can tell you have the kind of attention to detail that's needed in a copy editor. But man, that challenge of being self-employed, I totally agree! What a challenge!
ReplyDeleteAww, thank you! You get me already 😉. And yep...being self-employed requires a lot of guts and self-management abilities!
DeleteOhh copy editing, I know we went though that in one class, but nope, I could never, I am blind to editing :D
ReplyDeleteOops 😂. I would have loved to take that class LOL.
DeleteI have Beta-Read for a couple of authors and it's awesome to help out an author that I like. it's a lot of work though. I used to write freelance articles for Yahoo Contributor Network before they closed and I loved it. I've been told I should either write a book (autobiography) of my childhood or one about my Apartment Life posts. I like shorter articles though not book length stories to write for myself. Hence the blog. lol
ReplyDelete"it's a lot of work though."
DeleteIt is, but as you said, it's awesome!
"I used to write freelance articles for Yahoo Contributor Network".
I've never heard of it, but I just Googled it - it sounds like it was a nice way to make some cash on the side! Congrats on being part of it until it closed!
You could always write a book made of short entries LOL.
I love this! If, in some magical world, it was possible to make a living off of book blogging, I could see myself loving it as a career. I genuinely have so much fun while writing reviews, taking pictures for posts, and organizing my website. I'm not sure that going into publishing is in my future but I am grateful that I discovered this online community because blogging has been a staple in my life since I was in middle school!
ReplyDeleteclaire @ clairefy
Book blogging would be a wonderful career on paper...but a tricky one, because, once it becomes a job, you lose the complete freedom you have when you only blog for yourself. Anyhow, I hear you about it being a staple (though I only got to it when I was already an old lady LOL).
DeleteI wish I was better at freelance too, because I love the sound of it. And while I've published a few things I feel like I could do so much more if I was on top of all the ins and outs haha. Still, that's high praise and I'm sure you're totally deserving of it!
ReplyDelete"And while I've published a few things I feel like I could do so much more".
DeleteYou have? Now I'm curious 👀.
"that's high praise and I'm sure you're totally deserving of it!"
Thank you! 💚
I also feel like copy editing is one of those jobs closest to what book reviewers do - because it is reviewing in a way, but in a finer and more close detailed way!! I think you'd do great at it ^.^
ReplyDeleteYep, it is, now that you mention it. And thank you!
DeleteSounds like you could be a copy editor. But I know what you mean. I don't want to deal with being a freelancer either.
ReplyDeleteI think I could be a proof reader except I can't spell too well. I have been spotting mistakes in books lately, it's just too bad my brain doesn't seem to work on my own writings.
Have a lovely day.
"I have been spotting mistakes in books lately, it's just too bad my brain doesn't seem to work on my own writings."
DeleteLOL, that's something that happens a lot to...everyone, I think. I lost count of how many times I posted something only to realise that the same thing I had reread to death before posting included a mistake!
Copy editing would be a lot of fun! I often read over my sister's essays and projects for her and I enjoy that - I wish I was as good at catching errors in my own writing as in other people's, haha. I did for a while think that I would like to become an editor in general, but looking at the qualifications I needed put me way off!
ReplyDeleteIt's a well-known and universal law that we're better at catching other people's errors than our own! It's practically unavoidable LOL.
DeleteI don't know what qualifications one would need, but aren't there schools/courses for them? If yes, they would be worth a try!
I think you would be AWESOME at copy editing (& blurb writing lol).
ReplyDeleteThe authors I beta read for give me a list of things they want feedback on and usually aren't at the spelling/grammar phase yet but I did have to do a few more intense reads that were very close to copy editing. It was fun but I'm not sure I would want to do it for a living.
Like I said in my post, I wouldn't want my reading to be a job and ruin things for me.
Karen @ For What It's Worth
Thank you! Haha, yes, I forgot blurb writing!
DeleteI understand that beta-reading/copy-editing for author friends is different from actually working for authors, period. And one might have to read stuff they don't even like. I've had a similar experience with working as a radio host (akin to you and animals, though also different), which used to be my dream until it wasn't, so...who knows, maybe it's better for us to only read selected WIPs and only work our magic (so to speak) on them LOL.
Copy-editing sounds like really meticulous, but nonetheless interesting work! This is probably a very unoriginal answer, but I'd love to own a bookshop and also (obviously) work there. I think it'd be really fun to organize the displays, see what kinds of books people buy the most, and try to create a bookshop that is welcoming and comfortable. :)
ReplyDeleteI think you would do a very nice job with it, from the pics you post (like the Christmas ones) 😉.
DeleteLate to the party on this but I stand by my original statements about your copy-editing (and beta-reading) skills. :) You are incredibly thorough! If I worked in publishing I’d definitely want to be an acquiring editor aka one of the people who picks what gets published. I realize with great power comes great responsibility, but come on — I have impeccable taste. 😅
ReplyDeleteThank you again Erin! And ha! that's a job I didn't even think about, but it would be awesome (and you would as well LOL). Sometimes (well, often) I wonder what would happen if publishers took more risks and were less preoccupied with riding trends and compartimentalising genres/age ranges (which exist for a reason, but then again, don't have to ALWAYS be so strict. We probably miss out so many awesome books because of them).
Delete