Having graduated last year with a
degree in English, I decided to take a gap year before applying to MFA programs
in Creative Writing. I knew the field was competitive, and hoped to use my time
to mature and gain applicable experience. Soon after graduating, I was
forwarded an e-mail from my writing professor telling me that Wising Up Press
was advertising an internship opportunity. I was excited; interning with a
publishing press would be advantageous for me as a budding writer, and it
offered an opportunity to familiarize myself with the industry. I was also
excited to see their commitment to social pluralism.
I was raised in a small town in
rural south Georgia, a place both industrially and educationally stagnant. My
upbringing never offered a glance into different worldviews, which is one
reason reading and writing intrigued me: it offered insight into another's
consciousness. For this reason, I majored in English and minored in Writing at
Georgia Southern University. It also spurred me to move to Atlanta, where I
volunteered as an afterschool tutor at Refugee Family Services, helping promote
literacy in refugee children. This underscores my attraction to Wising Up and
its ability to present a voice to those generally overlooked or disregarded.
The Wising Up internship
experience is an unusual and refreshing one. Usually, I meet up weekly with Dr.
Tosteson and work primarily from home. This gives me a fairly structured
schedule with the freedom to work at my own pace. It is also an exercise in
motivation by working towards a deadline without direct supervision. Dr.
Tosteson and Dr. Brockett work from their home office, which is much more
informal and relaxed than corporate jobs. Indeed, several sculptures, paintings,
and interesting statues ornament their walls and shelves. It's more like an art
gallery, not a workplace involving strict dress-codes and cubicles. Even their
attitudes towards publishing are vastly different than I first imagined. I
always envisioned the grumpy editor stamping rejection letters at a desk
brimming with loose paper. But Wising Up views publishing as more of a
relationship; they print books that fit their Universal Table view, not books
that only serve to grow their purses. This communal attitude is what, I
believe, sets Wising Up Press apart.
This does not mean Wising Up is
lax. Before starting my internship, I had a very fuzzy view of publishing; I
envisioned grumpy editors and some magical materialization of book. Not only
have I seen the helpful demeanor of Dr. Tosteson and Dr. Brockett, but the
specifics, like artist contracts and the many hours and many tasks that go into
the making of a book. In my internship, I've helped proofread and copy edit
poetry, anthologies, novels, and nonfiction works. I have also worked closely
with Dr. Tosteson with her poetry manuscript, learning about all stages of the
process from its first compilation through designing the cover. I have also
learned about web publishing, and helped with our first attempt at audio
recordings (which may be forms of publishing more highly valued than print in
the changing world of publishing). Truly, my experience with Wising Up has
offered me insight into the operations of publishing, and my experience with
web anthologies ensure my skills will stay relevant in the fast changing world
of online publishing.
Currently, my professional goals
are shaky. While I do foresee myself earning an MFA in Creative Writing, I am
also researching teaching English abroad either through the Peace Corps or
through programs offered by foreign governments, both options which were
suggested by Dr. Tosteson and Dr. Brockett. I believe these experiences abroad
will afford me an opportunity to enrich my life experiences (which may also enrich
my writing, making me a better candidate for graduate school. . . ). Whatever
my fate, by providing marketable skills and an improved understanding of
publishing, my experience Wising Up Press has been a valuable first step into
to my future.
