Stark Reflections on Writing and Publishing

EP 380 - Passion Project Publishing with Brianna Wodabek

Sep 20, 2024

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Mark interviews Brianna Wodabek, Assistant Manager of Digital Marketing at HarperCollins about her lifelong love of reading, books, and writing, and her evolution in the book industry.

Prior to the interview Mark welcomes new Patrons, shares comments from recent episodes, a personal update, and a word about this episode's sponsor

This episode is sponsored by FROM PAGE TO PLATFORM by Matty Dalrymple and Michael La Ronn. You can learn more about the book at https://theindyauthor.com/platform.

In their conversation, Mark and Brianna talk about:

How Brianna always loved reading and writing, but also knew that she wasn't interested in journalism
Finding the brand new Creative Writing & Publishing degree program at Sheridan College
Learning improv and how that helped with the overall process involved in publishing pitching
Thinking that she would be focusing more on the writing program when she got involved, but pivoting over to the publishing side of things
Getting an unofficial internship in her first year with a small Canadian publisher in Oakville, Ontario and being able to gain experience wearing multiple hats
Her official internship at Wolsak and Wynn publishing in Hamilton
Having to deliver her valedictorian speech for graduation via video because of the global pandemic
Securing her first job as Digital Marketing Coordinator at Harper Collins US (HTP Books) within 2 months of graduating and then progressing through a series of promotions to other positions
The fact that Harper Collins HTP Books interns are paid
The in-house influencer program called "The Hive" that Brianna and one of her colleagues created
How there's a growing trend of book influencers who collect more than one edition of a book
Brianna's passion project achievement with Voyage of the Damned by Frances White and bringing it to North America despite not being an acquisitions editor
How the role of the gatekeeping in the publishing world is being lowered due to additional influencers even from outside the publishing realm - social media influencers, for example
The way some publishers are reaching out directly to authors via social media DMs
Advice Brianna would share to authors and what she would like them to know about the traditional publishing world
The value of being you and being authentic
And more . . .

After the interview Mark reflects on the idea of a new type of reader who collects multiple editions of a book, how Brianna's passion led to a fantastic acquisition, and the importance of authenticity.

Links of Interest:

Brianna Wodabek, an Honours Bachelor graduate in Creative Writing and Publishing, transitioned from independent publishing to her current role as Assistant Manager of Digital Marketing at HarperCollins. In this capacity, Brianna combines her expertise with her passion for storytelling, having notably personally acquiring important books like "Voyage of the Damned" by Frances White and collaborated with authors such as Colleen Hoover, Mary Kubica, Chelsea Devantez, Eve, and more to enhance their brands.

Apart from her professional endeavors, Brianna's written works have been featured in publications like the Journal of Applied Social Science, PAUSE. Magazine, and The Mighty. With her industry experience and creative drive, Brianna is devoted to crafting compelling narratives that resonate with diverse audiences.

The introductory, end, and bumper music for this podcast (“Laser Groove”) was composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of www.incompetech.com and is Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0