Chloe
Kalamazoo, Michigan
Spring 2008

I received a few strange looks when I told people that I was coming to greater New Orleans for a publishing internship. More than a few had heard of Pelican but didn’t know that it was one of the few non-New York houses. I suppose saying that I was leaving for a publishing internship in Louisiana might be kind of like heading for Canada on a football scholarship. Okay. I didn’t know they did that there. Explain.

Before I forged my way south, my explanation for a publishing house in Louisiana included an explanation of the extensive regional books Pelican publishes as well as a small riff on New York and the fact that not everything good comes from there. But now I’ve boiled below the Mason-Dixon Line for over ten weeks and my explanation has shifted.

I never had to get anyone coffee. Fellow recent graduates drowning in the job market can definitely appreciate just what that means in terms of personal responsibility and job experience. Here, I never had to go on a bagel run, I never had to pick up someone’s dry cleaning, and if I made copies of anything it was for my own projects (and June usually took pity on my anyway because I am terrified of touching the Savin). This never would have happened in New York. There, I never would have been entrusted so soon to write copy such as press releases and pitch letters, I never would have met the publisher, and I definitely wouldn’t see the likes of an editorial board before my kids graduated high school. So take that, New York, it looks like Louisiana has something you don’t.

Everyone here was very nice. I’m sure it must be difficult to remember names and other specifics with different interns rotating in and out all of the time but everyone was very friendly and interesting to talk to. Each department seemed very prepared with a variety of things to me to try, which I really appreciated. I’m sure it would have been easier on Nina to just give me the same two things every Wednesday and not take time out of her busy day to show me something new, but she always did. And even though I am not qualified to do too many things in Production, Terry still took the time to explain the department to me and how the printing process works. I really felt like the Promotion ladies made an effort to give me a little bit of everything from the department, even if it involved a lot of explanation and rewrites.

I didn’t expect to be allowed in on all of the different meetings, but I really feel like that helped me understand the publishing process the most. Dr. Calhoun always included me in these meetings as well, which I really appreciated. I wasn’t just a twenty-four year old prop sitting in the corner of the conference room “because Kathleen said so” but a real person he would pause a meeting for just to update me on what was going on or some backstory related to what was going on. He even let me give an opinion on some Jim Harris drawings, which was really cool. I’m sorry I’ll miss Sales Conference but at least I got to make it to one Editorial Board meeting, which was so interesting. I really liked the Sales meetings too, since that was the part of the process I was most in the dark about in the first place (Even the four hour Sales meeting when the air conditioner broke and I thought I just might combust right there at the table if someone didn’t dump me in a swimming pool or at least in a bathtub full of ice).

I usually felt guilty during my time in Promotion, though. Since they were stuck with me 80% of the time I bugged them the most, asking a multitude of questions and making them remind me just one more time what size font the titles on a praise sheet should be. I don’t know how Melanie got anything done during the past nine weeks with me trotting around the corner every five minutes to interrupt her yet again. But all of the ladies always dropped everything when I materialized in their doorways, clutching a ream of praise sheets or another draft of the esplash. They utilize the more experienced interns to train the newbies on certain things but we aren’t just passed along and expected to figure everything out amongst ourselves. Tracy, Melanie, and Katie took the time to explain to me how to complete certain projects and what I did wrong or what I did right. I really appreciate that.

As far as recommendations, mine are minor. I would suggest printing out a schedule right at the beginning so the intern doesn’t have to keep bugging people about which meetings to go to when. I missed a few because I was unaware that I was supposed to attend. I would also make it a little clearer in the beginning how exactly one is supposed to proceed with sending a document to the publisher and to editorial. In my case the process was switching over to email and using track changes so I understand that it was a little fuddled for a week or two.

As a broader recommendation I would strongly suggest a more competitive Web site. People expect the moon in a Web site these days and don’t have much patience. As a customer I would have had difficulty between pelicanpub and epelican, as well as the “search” function on pelicanpub. I feel as though the Web site is not an accurate representation of the company for those who won’t know Pelican any other way.

Before he started here Cole emailed me to ask if there was anything he should know or prepare for. I told him that I really didn’t know what to say as everyone here is very nice and chill and they will take the time to explain everything to you in due time. In Promotion, Melanie is very patient and doesn’t bat an eyelash when you come to her with your fourteenth draft of the next esplash. Tracy always makes sure you have the files and materials you need to write or research a project. Katie is always very encouraging about writing projects and pushes you to “write the same thing fifteen different ways.” Kathleen was very helpful when I turned to her for job search advice and general questions about the industry. Giving advice is a reflection of what I have learned since then. If a new intern were to ask me again what I suggest before they start here, and they didn’t mind if I wax prophetic (as I seem to be doing right now anyway. This looks like page four and if anyone is still with me, thank you, and know that this is a lifelong bad habit of mine to go on and on like this and I have yet to find a cure), I would, off the top of my head right now, include but not limit myself to the following:

1. Before you do anything else, bring Michelle a rock if you are from out of town. She is very nice and will talk to you even if you don’t contribute to her collection but it is still fun.

2. If you are from out of town, A.) Don’t listen to Mapquest and B.) If you have time, do a dry run drive to work. I’m sure the layout of this place makes sense to someone but I’m from the grid-like Midwest and I’m pretty sure I saw the Texas state line during one very lost moment.

3. If you have any history questions, go ahead and ask Dr. Calhoun because he will certainly know the answer.

4. Sneak a peek at Sally during a meeting, her expressions are priceless.

5. Be prepared to research the farthest thing from your mind, such as perfume industry innovators and obscure Texan gunslingers. Google has become my close compadre in this quest for information, (If anyone gets stuck with a future gunslinger project, I found www.findagrave.com very disturbing and useful).

6. Ask questions ask questions ask questions. Everyone would rather you do it right than have to do it again.

7. Don’t freak out about the daily report. Sometimes yours won’t go out for a few days but that’s fine. There are no cement galoshes for missing a daily report or two.

8. I always felt like the icy hand of writing death when I mailed editorial’s response letters but it’s a fact of publishing and you will get used to it. As Dr. Calhoun said, “not everyone is Dr. Seuss.”

9. If you are from anywhere that has snow (and consequently a different temperature range) prepare yourself. Whether you just need a glass of water or a suit fashioned from freezer packs, Louisiana lives up to its humid reputation.

10. If someone says the words “comb binding” and you cannot see June behind the stacks of copies you should probably wear gloves or dip your hands in some sort of polymer.

11. The eight weeks go by much faster than you will realize, so work hard and get to know as many people as possible. Everyone is friendly and interesting. Among other things: deal the humor back to Scott; sit back and observe the banter between Michelle, Kevin and Lindsey; chat with Kathleen at lunch about good things to see and eat in the area.

Thank you to everyone for the opportunities and help, I really appreciate it. I learned a lot and I only wish that the words “Gretna, LA” on my resume instead of “New York, NY” could communicate all of the above. I mean, come on, they don’t even have crawfish.