I'm known for having a zillion ideas, and I love to share them. When my clients are busy with the details of the many projects they already have underway, they hire me to research the market, get creative, and think ahead to the next products they can tackle. I brainstorm new titles, taglines, characters, formats, marketing campaigns, and more. I'm always on the lookout for inspiration. It's one of my favorite parts of the job!
What is a typical day like? On weekdays, I try to spend my first hour of the morning on my own projects, whether that's writing a picture book or strategizing about how to grow my business. Then I do some creative work for clients, and before I take lunch, I answer emails, pop in on social media (IG @heidifiedler and Twitter @heidiuncovered). After lunch, I do a couple more hours of client work, reply to emails once more, and make my to-do list for the next day. If it's going to be a longer day, I try to break up the afternoon with a walk or a little yoga. Then it's time for dinner and one more round of hellos on social media. On weekends, I try to take a real break and soak up some inspiration at a museum, a bookstore, or on one of the beautiful trails near our house.
How did you end up in this career? I was the student that teachers always urged to be a writer, but I never thought seriously about doing it. Then, somehow I found myself doing it all day long! I started as the children's book buyer at my local bookstore. I moved on to being the buyer at Lakeshore Learning Materials and learned how to develop products from scratch there. At Walter Foster Publishing, I started as an editor for their children's imprint and created how-to-draw and crafty titles for kids. Then I moved on to the custom packaging side. There, I got to work with all different publishers. We created books and kits for adults and kids. Our clients ranged from everyone from Target to Michaels. I also got to do custom work for publishers like Chronicle, Watson Guptill, and Barnes & Noble's imprint, Sterling. I moved on to Teacher Created Materials to oversee their specialty products and launch their fiction imprint. When my husband got a job in Massachusetts, we decided it would be a good time for me to go freelance and start my own business.
What kind of education or training did you complete for this career? I was a philosophy major in school, and I think that's helped me structure books so they make as much sense as possible. I've always taken lots of writing classes, and when I became an editor, I took classes through Mediabistro to strengthen my skills. But really, the best way to become an editor is to be an apprentice. I was lucky to work with people who knew way more than I did and were willing to teach me the art of publishing a book.
What advice would you give to someone who wants a similar career? Read like crazy. Take lots of classes. And don't be afraid to take a job that's related to writing or editing, but not quite that. Once you find a home at a publisher, you'll find people are happy to teach you what they know and give you opportunities to show what you can do. Once you have a few clips to your name, it will be easier to find a job that's specifically devoted to writing and editing. Mediabistro, Publisher's Lunch, and The Editorial Freelancer's Association all have great job listings. Don't be afraid to apply! Often you just need to submit a sample of your work. If you can capture the voice someone is looking for, you'll get hired.
