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: 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 sixth instalment of the series we are talking to Shannan Mann, a poet and essayist, and the founder of ONLY POEMS, a terrific literary journal that also has a Substack and hosts workshops (among other things). She works full time for Chill Subs.
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?
This is a bit of a funny question for me to answer. I guess technically I am a student. I have been an undergraduate student since, if I’m remembering correctly, 2020. I had to take time off when I was transferring from the Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand to the University of Toronto in Canada. I also had my baby during this time (she’s now 3!). While I was studying, I periodically worked as a freelancer but was mainly supported by my Canadian Student Loan and some grants. I also earned some small one-off income from various publications and a contest win or two. This Fall, I’ll be starting my MFA at Virginia Tech where I’ll get a stipend. I applied to just one program because my partner, Karan, already studies there. That was the only financially viable way for us to be together. Thankfully, I got in! I also work for Chill Subs full-time (since April)! Benjamin Davis (the co-founder) and I became good friends over the past few months as we emailed back and forth (like essay-length emails) about various things related to the lit world. So, the “hiring process” was very informal. A text over Telegram.
Describe a typical day at work.
I wake up around 5 or 6 AM usually, sans alarm clock. Ever since I gave birth, it’s been very hard to sleep in past that time. Whether that’s a blessing or a curse, I still haven’t decided yet. In any given day,I usually have a mix of to-dos with my school work, Chill Subs work, ONLY POEMS work, and personal writing. Then there’s motherhood – which is triple full-time. There’s also just basic self-care and cooking and cleaning and so on and so forth. I’m grateful that for the most part, I get to work from home. This helps me factor in things like school drop-offs/pick-ups, cooking, appointments around projects, deadlines, and meetings. After getting ready, I try to do a quick yoga session and then work until my daughter wakes up. Then, I get her ready, fed, and drive her to school. Sometimes, if we’re running late, she will join me for the daily Chill Subs stand-up meeting (no, we don’t all stand up). After that, it’s kind of non-stop until pick-up time. When Ana’s gone to bed (usually around 10 PM!), I’ll continue to work until about midnight or 1 AM. I can get by on less sleep so this helps, I think.
What do you spend the bulk of your time doing?
My Chill Subs job is full-time. ONLY POEMS also feels like a full-time job, but thankfully I share this one with Karan Kapoor (the Editor-in-Chief and my partner). My personal writing, right now, is not a full-time thing, but I’m trying to write around 500 words a day. And then there’s school stuff, which fits around all the gaps. With Chill Subs, I spend a lot of time looking over lit mag guidelines, submission opportunities, and anything else indie lit related. Analyzing, compiling, creating, managing. It’s fun – seriously, I’m a total nerd and this is kind of my dream job. Especially because it’s with Chill freakin’ Subs!
Does this job pay your bills?
Between Chill Subs and the stipend I’ll be getting from VT, yes – we’ll be covered! I also think it’s important to save and invest so I’ve been teaching myself how to figure all that out. It sucks how little financial literacy a lot of us have. Maybe schools should have taught that instead of all those weird math formulas (sorry math-lovers). But yea, during any down-time I watch documentaries about finance, money, and investing.
What do you think makes you good at your job?
I know the industry very well just through trial and error and time. I’ve been writing and submitting for several years and have a very good sense of how things work and more so, how I wish they would. I want to shake things up as well as create a good balance. I love all that Chill Subs is doing. I also love how we at ONLY POEMS are trying to create something special and lasting in lit mag love. I like taking chances and risks while also continuing to learn, learn, learn. Also, I ask people to tell me, no bullshit, what I can do to get better and contribute more.
What is a common misconception people seem to have about your work?
Since my “work” isn’t that clearly defined as, say, a professor, or a…regular business person (lol, as you can see, I know very little about that), I’m not quite sure how to answer this. As an editor for a lit mag that gets (gratefully) more and more popular every day, perhaps a misconception that I suspect people might have is about how much or how little time can go into making that happen. The truth is: a whole heck of a lot. It’s constant thought, discussion, tempering, creating, editing, balancing. And just chugging on without much monetary return. As an official Chill Subs staff member now, maybe people think we just Netflix & Chill all day eating Subway sandwiches? Ha…no…no we don’t.
What is an aspect of your job that might surprise most people?
I’m not sure if this is surprising, whether with ONLY POEMS or Chill Subs. Though it is a lot of work, it’s also very seriously fun. And because there are core principles behind what we’re doing and trying to achieve, it’s also inspiring to work towards that, in a mission-oriented way, I suppose.
Have you ever considered quitting your job, and why?
Nope! I do hope though someday I can take a vacation, haha. More than money, it’s also just about time and the fact that a lot of work is well, time-sensitive and we’re working towards getting things off the ground, so…can’t really jump ship right now, even if it is just for a fun and brief scuba-diving experience.
What is the best part of your job?
The people I get to work with and the connections I make while doing so. Hands down, with ONLY POEMS, for example…connecting so many wonderful writers through the interviews we do and then beyond has been truly joyful, especially for a super-introvert like me! With Chill Subs, I’m proud to say I work with some of the best people in the world.
If you are a writer, how does your work impact your creative writing?
Practically, there’s less time to write. But that would be the case with any job. Ultimately, my particular work – because it constantly puts me in touch with and keeps me up to date on what’s happening in the indie-lit world right now – helps me stay focused and on track with my own personal writing. I read a lot of bad writing daily but also some incredible gems. These inspire like none else (the good and the bad, yes!). I love that my creative and professional life can get along like this!
