On Monday, November 13, Professor of Creative Writing Susan Perabo accompanied 13 English and creative writing students on a day trip to New York City to explore careers in publishing. 

The group left from Dickinson before sunrise to drive up to New York. Their agenda for the day included a visit to two of the Big Five publishing houses and a city lunch. The first stop was Simon & Schuster publishing house, Perabo’s publisher, where the group visited Dickinson alum Sam Weiner ‘05. Weiner discussed her career as a nonfiction editor with the students, working primarily in four-color print and coffee-table books. 

Weiner explained “the life of a book” and answered questions relating to the book-bidding process, author-editor relationships, maintaining a work/life balance, and whether she has become critical of the books she reads for pleasure. Perabo, a long-time author herself, then invited in her own editor who spoke briefly on what life was like as a fiction editor. Both Perabo and her editor spoke of the importance of exploring your interests and offered advice on entering the industry. She also offered insights on what employers look for when hiring for internships or entry-level positions.

Following lunch at Sean’s Bar and Kitchen with their Simon & Schuster hosts, Perabo and the students met with alum Alex Quill ‘15 at MacMillan Publishers. Quill discussed the marketing side of the publishing industry. Quill also discussed her journey into the industry, speaking on the importance of internships, connections, and passion. 

She answered questions on her previous role marketing both classic and contemporary novels to universities and professors. Quill expressed the joy she found working in MacMillan’s children’s division, which works closely with different libraries and schools to bring crucial stories to young children.

The students left with excitement and hope about their literary futures, and were also given a variety of MacMillan-published paperback books. Only a few days later, one of the books gifted to the group, Don Santat’s A First Time for Everything, took home the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature. The group returned late Monday night with an even greater passion for their educational pursuits and in the publishing world than ever before.