On Being a Reluctant Salesgirl

Things a sales person should be?  Driven. Motivated by money. Convinced of the value of what they sell (and/or good at lying). Smooth talker. Pusher. Workaholid. Social maestro. Incredibly competitive. Not particularly concerned with work/life balance.

Things on that list that apply to me?  Hrm… I believe in what I sell and I have competitive moments (just ask my husband about our last Scrabble match), but that’s about it.

So how did I get here?  Despite the piles of books about New York publishing interns – so glam, so fast-track – you rarely hear about the people who sell  the books. No, not the teenagers at Barnes & Noble who haven’t heard of what you’re looking for and always seem to assume you’ve gone back to school if you’re buying a classic. Mysterious middle men and women are out there making sure a publisher’s books are on bookstore shelves, and I am one of them, pulled in by the chance to work for a publisher – a publisher! My dream! – and keep a toe in academia. Yes, I’m one of the evil souls who pedals those dreadfully expensive college textbooks you were just complaining about. I was lured in by a unique publisher that swore their books would never be that expensive (other than when they were) and would never behave like the corporate crazies (other than when we do).

Welcome!