Most writers don’t have a clear idea of what it’s like to work in publishing. The many professionals who make publishing possible often work very hard, without much credit.
Our goal with this article, and all of the articles in this series, is to give writers a more realistic idea of what it is actually like to be on the other side of the desk, and what it really takes to make a living (or part of one), in the publishing industry.
We really want to highlight how many people have very different roles on the other side of the desk, and how many of these roles don’t pay enough (or at all).
Often authors can act (or feel like) agents and editors are the enemy, but often they are also writers themselves, and are equally familiar with rejection. I hope this series helps demystify what it is actually like to work in the publishing industry.
If you work in the publishing industry and feel like you are a good potential candidate for a future interview in this series, please send us an email at: submit@authorspublish.com.
We are paying all contributors to this series, and the questions will be similar to the ones asked below. These are the questions we think readers most want to hear the answers to. If you have any additional questions you think should be added to the regular rotation please let us know by sending an email to the same address.
For our seventh instalment of the series we are talking to Isabelle Stillman, the editor of december magazine. She is a former high school English teacher and a graduate of Chapman University’s MA/MFA program. Her fiction has appeared or is forthcoming in Narrative Magazine, Ninth Letter, Epoch, South Dakota Review, and Copper Nickel. Her nonfiction appears in the LA Times. She is currently querying her first novel. You can follow along at @isabellestillman on Instagram.
We are very grateful for her thoughtful answers to these questions.
What is your primary job (in terms of the literary community), and how did you get it?
I am the Editor-in-Chief of december, a literary magazine. I first worked with the magazine as a submission reader about 10 years ago, during its revival. A few years ago, I came back as Prose Editor. When the founding Editor-in-Chief decided to step away from the position this past year, she asked me to assume it, which I was thrilled to do.
Describe a typical day at work. What do you spend the bulk of your time doing?
As one member of a two-person staff, I end up wearing many hats, as does our terrific Managing Editor Jenn. I read all of our submissions, select, and edit them, of course, but I also plan events, manage finances, coordinate marketing and social media, work on strategic planning and big-picture projects, manage our Section Editors and submission readers, organize trade shows, etc. A little bit of everything!
Does this job pay your bills?
Some of them!
What do you think makes you good at your job?
I think my belief in the power of literature and literary community is what really fuels my work. I believe that all writers’ work matters, and I know that our work can feel hard and thankless – having a place to publish makes us more inspired to write, helps us keep believing in and developing our practice. I also believe that people should read writers they haven’t heard of — stories, essays, and poems from far and wide, not just from Barnes & Noble (no shade to B&N!)! I also believe that, because writers are people who crave connection (why else sit down and write another piece about being human!?) but whose work is solitary, we need places to come together as a community to teach, push, and energize each other.
All of this is what literary magazines do — we give writers the opportunity to see their work appreciated, we share art with the world, and we create community for artists to uplift each other. I couldn’t do my job, and I certainly couldn’t do it well, if I didn’t wholeheartedly believe in our mission.
What is a common misconception people seem to have about your work?
People who are not familiar with literary magazines often think that I write the entire magazine – of course I don’t, but it’s always funny to hear. People who are in the literary world and have a basic idea of what I do often don’t understand that december has a two-person part-time staff and is a non-profit – meaning we are always overly busy doing a million things. When you reach out to us, you’re not getting one of twenty staff members – you’re getting me or Jenn. Whatever we do, we do mostly the two of us. It’s common to think that we’re a huge machine that’s always oiled to perfection – but we’re just two Editors trying to do some good in the literary world!
What is an aspect of your job that might surprise most people?
Sometimes I am the woman behind our Instagram stories
Have you ever considered quitting your job, and why?
Nope!
What is the best part of your job?
My favorite part of my job is reading submissions and sending feedback to writers. At december, we offer feedback to everyone who submits, which gives the author something to take away from the submission process and means that our readers engage really deeply with writing and learn from each submitted piece. When I read, I’m not just thinking about whether the piece is good or bad, I’m thinking about what craft elements work or aren’t quite there. I’m thinking about what makes words sing, what makes a story meaningful, how literature can speak to us more effectively. Every time I read, I’m learning about writing.
If you are a writer, how does your work impact your creative writing?
I am a writer, currently querying my first novel, and my work as an Editor definitely has an impact on my own writing. As I said, I learn from each submission I read, and I also benefit greatly from being part of a literary community through december. I’ve met so many writers through my job, and this community fuels me, inspires me, pushes me, and sees me through my own work.
