WLC Internships – Caitlin Burns

Over three months, I worked as an editorial and publishing intern at Ford Street Publishing, an independent children and young adult book publisher based in Abbotsford. This experience was invaluable as I learnt to edit a range of manuscripts, assisted with book launches and book fairs, saw key concepts and theories learnt from previous editing and publishing units in practice, and had the opportunity to write my own articles for print and online.

I was able to witness the publishing workflow in person and see a manuscript be cultivated from its initial prep meetings with authors to seeing how the publisher organises that book for print in association with marketing strategies. This gave me immediate exposure to how a professional business operates and helped me to identify what processes are most integral to making a profit – marketing being a huge driver. I was especially intrigued to see just how early the company began to market their books online which generally occurred whilst the books were still in their final stages of editing.

My editing skills also flourished as I had the opportunity to provide feedback and notes for manuscripts set for publication. Working with renowned authors and illustrators by providing feedback on their work was such a huge opportunity for me as I got to witness the creative aspect within an industry often run by budgets and numbers. What I am most proud of though would be working as a proofreader on two manuscripts which are set to be printed later in the year – Banjo Tully by Justin D’Ath and Zombies Vs. the Illuminati by John Larkin.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed my internship experience as it provided me with a glimpse into the independent publishing sector as well as into the realm of children and young adult fiction which I had not been familiar with before. The experience provided me with editing and marketing skills which I can utilise within future jobs at a publishing house or within the editorial industry such as publishing assistant, in-house editor, proofreader, copy editor, or content writer. 

Ford Street Publishing: https://fordstreetpublishing.com/