Summer is coming to an end, and so is my internship with Beaufort Books. Though my internship was entirely virtual and I never made it up to New York, I discovered the positive side to working from home. I was able to go to my local coffee shop when I needed a change of scenery, and traveling was basically a non-issue, as long as I had access to Wi-Fi. I even got the chance to visit some friends in Boston for a few weeks!
I also learned a great deal about the publishing world. A lot goes on behind the scenes of book-creation, and most of it has nothing to do with actually writing the book. Still, every step in the process is equally important, and if one step is ignored, that entire process will fail. I think what I found to be most surprising about publishing is how crucial editors are to the writing process—I’d always assumed that editing was one of the last steps in publishing a novel, when in reality an editor will sometimes advise the author to completely rewrite a draft long before the book’s publication.
Despite the positives of working virtually, I am sad that I never got to meet everyone in person or visit the Beaufort office in the city. I hope that one day I’ll be able to travel to New York without hearing any Covid-19 news, and that I will be able to meet the wonderful people at Beaufort without having to wear a mask or practice social distancing. Until that day comes, I will really miss chatting with my coworkers about all things book-related!
Lamor-BEAU
Tags: internship, publishing industry blog, publishing intern, summer internship