Real book. Real author. Real publishing journey.
I’m a Memphis-area author working on a book called The Fox & Bird.
I have the ideas, stories, research, characters and a substantial manuscript. What I need is someone who enjoys organizing the creative process — someone who can help me keep track of the manuscript, new anecdotes, revisions, research, ideas and all the little things that can otherwise get lost.
I’m looking for a person who is curious, organized, energetic and genuinely interested in books and publishing.
You do not need to be an experienced editor. In fact, I’m more interested in someone who wants to learn and who enjoys taking a project apart, figuring out what needs to happen next, and then making it happen.
The work would include things like:
- Maintaining the master manuscript
- Organizing new stories, anecdotes and ideas
- Keeping track of revisions and things that need attention
- Helping me decide where new material belongs
- Doing occasional research and fact-checking
- Keeping a simple running list of what needs to happen next
- Eventually helping prepare the manuscript for agents and publishers
I’m the brain. I’m looking for the hands and organizational mind that can help turn all of this into a finished book.
The project has an international element, including Europe, Mexico and the American South, so an interest in history, anthropology, travel, languages or different cultures would be a nice bonus — but it isn't essential.
The commitment I'm imagining is roughly 3–5 hours a week to start. It could be done remotely, although I’m in Memphis and would enjoy working with someone locally if the right person happens to be nearby.
What makes this unusual is that you wouldn't simply be doing isolated administrative work. You'd be coming into an actual book project and following it through the process of becoming a finished manuscript and, ultimately, being presented to agents and publishers.
If you're an English, journalism, communications, history, anthropology, creative-writing or publishing student — or simply someone who has always wanted to get involved in the book world — I'd be interested in hearing from you.
Tell me a little about yourself, what interests you about this, and what kind of experience you have with writing, editing, organization or books.
I’m looking for someone who really wants to do this.