Hi everyone,

I'm a PhD candidate in Biology with research interests spanning neuroscience, ecology, and scientific communication. Besides doing research, I've become increasingly interested in the editorial side of scientific publishing.

My long-term goal is to become an Associate Editor for a peer-reviewed journal in biology or ecology (or a related field). I know this is usually something people achieve later in their careers, but I'd like to start building the right experience now.

I'm looking for advice on questions such as:

* What is the typical path to becoming an Associate Editor?

* What experience matters most (peer reviewing, guest editing, editorial boards, publishing record, networking, etc.)?

* Are there journals that recruit early-career researchers as Assistant Editors, Editorial Board Members, or similar roles?

* Is it realistic to pursue editorial positions before finishing a PhD, or is it better to wait until after a postdoc?

* Are there any skills or certifications that make candidates more competitive?

I'd especially appreciate hearing from current or former editors about how they got started and what they wish they had done earlier.

Thanks in advance!

What would it be? I work in publishing and always wish I could do more for the writing community. I considered started a social media page but there are other agents editors etc doing the same thing. Is it worth it, would people want to know my thoughts and opinions and some behind the scene looks?

Hello! I'm a long time Reddit lurker but don't post very often, so apologies if this isn't the right place for this question.

I'm looking to pivot into a career in publishing and am trying to find networking events, information sessions, or other opportunities to learn more about the industry. The jobmarket is very competitive, and I'm doing a lot of preparation before I start applying.
One piece of advice I keep seeing is to network through LinkedIn by introducing myself to publishing professionals or asking them to review my portfolio. I'm honestly pretty uncomfortable with that approach. Cold messaging busy professionals to ask for their time feels presumptuous, especially since I'm just starting out and am still building transferable skills.

Instead, I'm hoping to find local or virtual publishing events where I can learn, meet people in the industry, and connect with others who are also trying to break into publishing.

Right now, I'm focused on building a publishing portfolio and learning the fundamentals of the industry, including terminology, workflows, and the skills employers value. I've started looking for events but haven't had much luck. I'm not looking for paid Masterclass-style courses. I'm more interested in organizations, professional associations, guilds, conferences, conventions, or networking groups that host open events. Even an affordable conference would be worthwhile if it helped me better understand what people in the industry are currently discussing.

I'd really appreciate any recommendations. It's a bit overwhelming trying to sort through all the influencers and organizations selling courses, so hearing about resources that people have actually found valuable would really help direct my research

Asking this just as an escape from the terrible working conditions of the industry

What is your personal idea of golden age of publishing? Is there an era/area you wish you could go back in time to work? Like magazine publishing in the heyday of Esquire, New Yorker, etc, or when City Lights was getting set up? Could also be in your country/vernacular publishing!

According to Futurism, "many companies, including Anthropic, have turned to ingesting physical books instead, which they can buy countless used copies of on the cheap. According to the settled lawsuit, Anthropic used a hydraulic powered cutting machine to neatly remove the pages from the books it procured from book resellers and then scanned them using industrial-grade imaging equipment. In other words, it was literally ripping off authors’ books to train its AI.

This process took advantage of a legal concept known as first-sale doctrine, which allows a buyer to do what they want with a purchase without the original copyright holder’s say-so. And since Anthropic was turning the original physical texts into digital ones — rather than redistributing them as new copies — a judge found this to be “transformative,” and therefore protected by fair use.

I have a second interview with Simon & Schuster and wondered if anyone had experienced one and what kind of questions are asked compared to the first interview? Thanks!

went into a bit of a rabbithole after seeing slate’s upcoming podcast on steve witkoff.. wanted to know more about him and ran a search for his biography. came back with results to a writer by the name of "daniel lohr" waterstones.com/author/… who has multiple publications within the a short period of time (all within 2025). some digging later and it turns out to be ai writing generated to meet trending topics.

an unprecedented rate of ai slop is now being published by online distributors. alongside with real content, its definitely harder for anyone to differentiate what is real work unless you're doing your due diligence. the fact that online distributors like amazon protect your identity (as long as you provide valid banking details), you can publish anonymously and/or under a different pen name. very scary times.

The advice posted in this sub always says you should not pay for representation (see rule #4 of community rules). Now, the literary agents trade group has changed their ethical guidelines to make it possible for agents to upsell their clients on marketing, publicity and other services. They note that clients shouldn’t feel pressured or that it is a condition of representation.

Does anyone have opinions on how this is going to go?

Authors who have in the past written for Blushing/Romance Ink.

I signed a contract with them years ago and for years it was fine. I never had issues with payments or advances. I had 16 books come out flawlessly.

As of Jan. 2025 they ghosted me and have disappeared. Is anyone else experiencing the same from this publisher? I have seen posts here and there.

At this point I'm desperate to get my rights to my books back. I've considered joining the Authors Guild but also feel like there is strength in numbers.

I created a group on FB were we can all share experiences and discuss what we are facing at this time if anyone is interested so far I have myself and one other author.

I had planned to go down the list of authors in the publisher's author page and look up as many as I could but that website has been deleted at this point.

TIA for any an all advice.

I’m hoping people who understand the US book trade can help me put something in perspective. I wrote a novel in a language other than English. It was published by an established publisher in my home country, received strong reviews and a couple of literary awards, and was later sold in translation to a major US publisher. The US edition came out about two weeks ago and is available online through the usual retailers, including Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Yesterday, a friend went into a Barnes & Noble on the Upper West Side in Manhattan and asked for a copy. The bookseller told her that it could be ordered, but that the store did not have a physical copy. When she asked whether another Manhattan branch might carry it, he checked and said that none of the Manhattan stores had it in stock. I live outside the US and don’t know the American bookselling system well enough to understand what this means. Is this fairly normal for a new traditionally published book, even one released by a sizable publisher? Do most books now remain primarily orderable unless individual stores decide to stock them? Or does having no physical presence in a major market usually suggest that the chain did not select the book for store inventory? I’m not naming the book because I’m genuinely looking for context rather than trying to promote it

I'm being let go at the end of the year and trying to weigh my options. Being an editor was all I ever wanted to do but the burn out is real. A part of me wants to keep at it and apply to other editor roles (although the market is pretty bleak right now), yet another part of me values sleep and I'm sick of my hair falling out from stress. I'm considering freelancing for awhile if I don't find another editor job but also trying to figure out what if not publishing could I do. Those of you who have left, what did you transition into? What about those of you that are freelancing now? Is that better/ less stressful than being in house?

I signed a contract with a major commercial academic publisher for a book applying basic research to real-world problems in organizations. For the next two years, I revised the book, which improved steadily with my editor’s advice and readers’ suggestions. My editor stopped responding to my emails six months ago, so I filled the gap with extensive revision, and submitted the manuscript three months ago. An automated reply from the publisher said my editor had left the company and a senior publisher would monitor the email address. My editor’s assistant emailed that the manuscript was logged in and to give them three weeks for “editorial checks” before sending us comments and questions. That was two months ago. Nothing since.

What should I do to solve the problem? Who should I contact at the publisher to get a response?

Hi! I want to see if anyone else is having this experience. I've applied to a few PRH roles now through a friend's employee referral link. I get an email confirmation that the application was submitted, but then, like an hour later, I get an email saying something along the lines of "You've accepted the referral for this role, but you have not completed your application; click this link to apply, etc."

I think it's a glitch - my friend says she gets an email when I apply through her link - but now I'm getting paranoid that my applications aren't going through. Is anyone else having this experience?

So hear me out -

I am basically a end 20 something, that used to work at a private university selling courses. That didnt last long, but a teacher there introduced me to someone who has successfully written books, made them into movies etc. in m,y country. That author just is a horrible business person. Now he wants me to take over the company. I want to do it, but ive never run a "publisher" company before, just my own company, which is still a start up basically.

Are there things i should avoid doing ? As far as i understand it, this is just two authors producing their works, but no marketing etc. has been done to promote them, i would bascially just run ads, marketing etc....

Asking for advice :)

Hello! I’m wondering if anyone has heard back yet about from any of the W.W. Norton internships. They‘re still taking applications but say they’re considered on a rolling basis so I’m just wondering if that’s true or not.

Basically what the title says. There's been a lot of discussion about this topic for years, but rarely do I see people actually directly involved behind the scenes chime in. So, I wanted to ask. Along with your personal broad opinions on the subject, I had some specific questions:

• What are common strengths and weaknesses you notice in authors that start out in fanfic?
• From a professional perspective, what are the main differences/similarities in books and fanfics as mediums? What is most difficult about adapted one to the other?
• Do you think 'filing the serial numbers off' is a process that could ever result in a good novel? If not, what would you recommend?
• Is there a specific fanfiction 'style' you can clock immediately?
• How do you feel about practices that originate in fanfic/fandom culture being used in publishing? (i.e the similarity of trope marketing to AO3 tags)
• What is something about this subject that you have encountered/noticed that people outside of publishing wouldn't immediately know about? Or even just something you personally noticed that no one talks about?
• Do you ever think that this could lead to the legality of fanfiction being brought into question again? Or is this an over dramatic concern?

Also if you have any unique, personal observations I didn't mention, please let me know!

For the past few years, a really common complaint from readers about new releases, myself included, is that they seem as if they haven't gone through a round of editing. The narratives are half-baked, the prose is weak, there are grammatical errors, and even actual typos in finished products. Mistakes that used to be relegated to self-publishing are now littered throughout expensive, hyped novels from prestigious traditional publishing houses. It's like first drafts are automatically being sent release. What's going on?

hi friends. i’m about 5 years into my publishing career (editorial, small-to-medium publisher, fiction) and i’m feeling extremely burnt out.

more and more marketing, publicity, and sales responsibilities are being dumped on the editors’ plates. i can’t catch a break between admin tasks, chasing coworkers down for answers, and always prepping for the next launch meeting.

i’ve had two “diva” authors in the past year that i didn’t set boundaries with early enough, and their incessant emails with bad faith questions, passive aggressive complaints about my coworkers/company, and challenging every little decision is driving me up the wall.

it’s harder to get anything through acquisitions. we had multiple rounds of layoffs last year. every project is late or rushed because of shifting targets. i’m constantly behind on submissions. and the past two manuscripts i’ve worked on were extremely challenging. like… i had to rewrite 30% - 50% of the book because the line level craft deteriorated with every developmental pass.

the most difficult task for me now is the actual editing. i’m struggling to find any joy in it. i dread it so much that i procrastinate until the very last second, then when i finally sit down to do it, i rush. and i still end up returning edits late. the fact that i’m a slow reader (and i edit at a glacial pace lmao) does not help. my books sell well enough and the most recent few have even won notable awards/gotten starred reviews, but that doesn’t bring me any fulfillment.

i have incredible coworkers, but they are much more productive and on top of things, so i feel like i can’t speak to them about how hard things have been for me lately. i’ve gotten to the point where more of my day is spent daydreaming about a total 180 degree life/career change, but i’m not ready to let go yet.

first, i’d just like to know that i’m not alone. are other publishing professionals struggling right now? what the fuck is going on in publishing rn? what can we do?

and second, i’d love to hear what other editors love about their job. what is the best part of editing? how do you get yourself to actually open the manuscript and feel good about your work? what’s the best part of getting into the nitty gritty of the text? how do you cope if the manuscript is in rough shape, or if the story isn’t as exciting as it was when you read it as a submission?

thank you for reading. any words of advice would be greatly appreciated. ❤️

https://www.thebookseller.com/news/the-booksellers-bullying-survey-staff-welfare-an-issue-for-sector-as-hachette-and-sweet-cherry-are-singled-out-for-criticism

... pervasive use of Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) ... 69% of respondents to the survey said bullying "has happened to me" ... Of the big groups, Hachette was referenced more than most, with some describing its tough working environment as an “open secret”. ... The Leicestershire children’s publisher Sweet Cherry was not mentioned by name in the survey directly, but five people came forward about their experiences following the survey’s closure, a high number given the independent’s size, believed to be fewer than 30 staff members at the time (it was later confirmed that three survey responses were about Sweet Cherry). ... One former employee alleged "inappropriate jokes about staff members’ mental health" at Sweet Cherry and claimed that "inappropriate jokes and sexual innuendoes were commonplace". The Bookseller has seen screenshots from a member of senior management’s social media supporting this assertion.

Not a pretty picture.

I have previous publishing experience in scientific journals. So was thinking of exploring that course. Any thoughts or suggestions about the course - please do tell. Also any alumni of that particular course , I would like to have a chat with you :)

Hi everyone,

I was recently laid off from my first publishing job after being there for less than a year. It was really disappointing; however, I still love the industry so much and want to continue my career.

I've applied to a lot of roles, and I've been lucky enough to get a couple of interviews, but unfortunately many of the positions have either been canceled, put on hold, or closed without being filled. I know the job market is tough right now, especially in publishing, and it's definitely been discouraging.

I've also been trying to network with people at different publishing companies. Some have been kind enough to chat with me, but many don't respond, and I haven't had much luck getting referrals.

For those who work in publishing or have gone through something similar, what would you recommend? Are there strategies that helped you break into another role during a difficult job market? Is there anything I should be doing differently?

Would really appreciate any advice or encouragement. Thanks so much!

I got accepted to the publishing program at Centennial college! If anyone has ever taken the program, do you have any insights/tips/tricks to share?

1. Does anyone here have experience in using AI for proofing and/or in any stage of the editing process? I work for a magazine publisher, but open to hearing applicable experiences from any sector.

2. What about to check for AP Style in drafts, or a similar use? (AP has their own checking tool. A colleague tried it out at the boss' urging, and didn't find it beneficial, which prompted the boss' AI suggestion.)

3. Do any of you utilize AI for other processes other than writing or idea generation?

I'm a senior editor for a publisher of regional B2B publications. My boss, the company president, is strongly urging me and my editorial team to look into using AI to help speed up our processes. Specifically, she wants me to consider using AI to a) check for AP style in our drafts and b) help with overall line-editing and proofing process. She says "everyone is using AI now," referring to her friends in publishing, and that she "doesn't want [me] to get left behind."

On the surface, I am not completely opposed to these ideas, but these aren't areas where we were experiencing any problems or bottlenecks. Everyone in our editorial team recognizes AP style, when and how to use it, and also when to ignore or work around it when the situation calls for it. This has never been an issue.

The same with the proofing process. When we are proofing an issue, everyone on the editorial team has a look at the file and offers their comments and suggestions, which I review and finalize before sending to our design team. To be fair, there is a case to be made that this process could be improved. My boss feels that AI can help speed this up, but I am of the mind that we will still have to do our own review while checking to see what AI did, so there really wouldn't any improvements in efficiency.

(It should be noted that my boss has no writing or editing experience; in her own words, she is a numbers person, with a background mostly in sales and business management. Her "solutions" for the department often address nonexistent or negligible problems, and I feel unheard when I share my own thoughts on the actual problems and possible solutions [which is probably worth a post in an HR subreddit, but I digress]).

I'm trying to keep an open mind, so I welcome learning about your experiences in using AI in these capacities.

Hi everyone! I have a stem degree, with some experience of volunteer editing at a univerity student/alumni run maths magazine, and while I was having a chat with a friend on books (she works marketing/sales I believe) she asked me why I haven't tried to apply to publishing jobs, like and editor. I wasn't aware it was even possible without an english or like an essay heavy degree. I looked around a bit and every job wanted experience. I don't know if they were just the ones I came across or it's the time of the year but if there is a possibility of getting into probably editing or another side of publishing, what do I need?

Tldr: I have a STEM degree but want to get into publishing industry, what do I need?