As students of publishing, we at Ooligan know that there are multiple nationwide publishing hubs: New York City, Boston, Chicago, and San Francisco, to name a few. For most aspiring book editors, designers, and marketers, the Big Apple is the endgame. These people will do anything within their power to get to New York and fight their way up to true publishing fame—even if it means living in a box with eighteen roommates and working overtime shifts without pay. In reality, that’s not such a bad goal. While New York can be rough for some, it certainly houses the biggest names in publishing as well as the competitive spirit. And while intimidating, it almost inevitably leads to upward mobility and substantial professional connections. You will meet who you need to meet to get where you want to go, point-blank, period. However, the East Coast scene isn’t for everyone—I spent my New York publishing days crying in the bathroom (no shame). For people like me, the competition is overwhelming and the upward mobility ladder too steep. And that’s okay. I was given advice three years ago that I’ve never forgotten: you need to get in where you fit in.
New York City
On Finding Your “Niche”: Escaping the Publishing Trajectory
By Amanda Matteo
I spent my time in the New York City publishing scene sitting in a dark hole. Or, at least, that’s what I—and the three other girls with whom I shared one single table in an incredibly cramped, vaguely-uninhabitable alcove—called it. I had just graduated college, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, and was ecstatic about the opportunity to […]
An Internship at Late Night Library
By Paige O’Rourke
Late Night Library. I immediately liked something about the name. Perhaps it was the notion of a library—evoking a sense of community, egalitarianism, a quiet coziness—that first grabbed my attention. Or maybe it was something about this concept combined with the term “late night”—the continuation of the literary quest while all the rest of the […]
Mel Wells: From Ooligan to Literary Arts
By Ooligan PressWe’re excited to showcase our talented alums as they move on to bigger things. Mel Wells graduated from Ooligan in 2009 and currently works as the Program Coordinator at Literary Arts in Portland, Oregon. What made you decide to come to the publishing program at PSU? As an undergrad, I was an English major with […]