Thinking Ahead: The Looming Presence of a Placement

I was unsure what I was thinking when I first decided to put myself forward for an upcoming placement. I knew I was interested in the world of publishing — in all its different forms, but the fear is slowly settling in. That every present anxiety of others leaning on you and holding you to certain standards — though I do understand this is very often not an outsider’s viewpoint but my own inner eye, judging my every move for not good enough.

It isn’t all nerve-wracking. The more I learn about Luath, and small presses the more intrigued I am about its function. Like many, my knowledge on publishers came from films or late-night YouTube deep dives on “Why won’t publishers accept your manuscript”, or “How to get an agent”. Whilst these were interesting insights to have and learn from, I still wanted to get my hands dirty in the ink of the publishing world.

I am unsure where I currently stand; one foot in a puddle of fear, another in the urge to breathe and exist as a being of confidence. What I do know is the next month at Luath Press will surely prove to be an interesting one.