The WNBA Professional Development Series for Publishing
Who is Perpetua Charles?
What can she teach us about the publishing industry?
Perpetua Charles
Publicist, Beacon Press
Wednesday, October 4th, 2023 7 p.m.
Virtual Event
$10 for members, $20 non-members*
Register HERE
The Boston Chapter of the Women’s National Book Association is thrilled to welcome
Perpetua Charles as our inaugural presenter to our series!
WNBA: We’re excited to hear your thoughts. What is your presentation about and how are you preparing for it?
PC: I will be sharing about my experience in Boston’s publishing industry. I have worked at Beacon Press for the last 8 years, so I’ll be taking everyone through the life of a book at our publishing house. Some of what you learn will be typical to the industry and other things will be unique to our press. I’ve spoken with every department at Beacon to get the most important and interesting pieces of information about the publishing process to share with you. You’ll learn about the publishing landscape in Boston, and about where you can get involved in the world of writing and books.
WNBA: How did you get into publishing?
PC: I hadn’t really considered publishing until the moment in my college career when, as an English major, I asked myself, What do I do with this degree that I just spent so much time and money on? I spoke with my adviser and with professors for advice. I was on the staff of my college literary/arts magazine, Cantilevers at Florida Southern College, a small liberal arts college in Central Florida. After two years I became managing editor, overseeing the entire process. Holding a finished book in my hands was thrilling. Advisers suggested that publishing could be a good fit for me. I applied to graduate publishing programs and attended Emerson College in Boston right after undergrad for a 2-year program which introduced me to the industry. I had several great internships and was hired at Beacon Press when I graduated.
WNBA: How did you land in a marketing role?
PC: My first class in grad school was an overview of the publishing industry (a little like the presentation I’m putting together). I had the opportunity to wear many hats in that course and I found publicity the most interesting. I realized I’m also a bit of a natural—I’m always convincing people to watch my favorite shows, like Doctor Who, The Good Place, The Chosen, and The Bear. Now I do it with books. I love the challenge of connecting the right reader to the right material.
WNBA: Tell us about Beacon Press and its publications.
PC: Beacon Press is a non-profit trade publisher. We publish subject matter often adopted into curriculums. Many of our authors are activists and academics. We also have a strong presence presence in the library market. We’ve been around for over 170 years and were the official publisher of The Pentagon Papers. Beacon seeks to educate in an approachable way.
WNBA: What changes would you like to see in the publishing industry?
PC: Publishing needs to create more space for a multitude of lived experiences. It’s hard to break in but once you’re in, you stay. If a culture builds around a homogenous group, one type of story will be told. We need to stretch our brains beyond who we see our readers to be. We can’t let our own narrow perspectives dictate what stories will be told.
WNBA: What’s the best thing someone can do to get a foot in the door?
PC: Show up to events. Meet people. Go to virtual events (like this upcoming event), author events, book readings, and anything where literary people gather. Boston is a small town. Once you know someone, you’ll have access to everyone. Step outside of your comfort zone. You never know where it may lead.
Aime Card, Programs Chair, Perpetua Charles, Deborah Norkin, President, Boston Chapter
Up next in the series:
How to work in the world of books
Wednesday, October 18th, 2023 6 p.m.
Virtual Event
with Annie Stone, Director of Acquisitions, Podium Audio
and Hannah Feldman, HR Business Partner, Pubmark
$10 for members, $20 non-members*
Register HERE
Annie Stone, Director of Acquisitions at Podium Audio , and Hannah Feldman, HR Business Partner at Pubmark will share how to work in the world of books. Topics covered will explore the publishing industry over time, how to find opportunities, and how to set yourself up for success to break into the industry. Between self-publishing, AI, the explosion of audiobooks, and more, the world of publishing has been constantly changing over the past decade. What are the opportunities for people in Boston looking to break into publishing? How can students, recent grads, or people looking to change careers think creatively about joining the field and setting themselves up for success?
*Scholarships available, email boston@wnba-books.org for info
Tech Checklist
Wednesday, November 8th, 2023
Our professional development series continues with a session hosted by WNBA-Boston board members intended to teach valuable tools for anyone in any career. Whether you need a touch up on Zoom features, learning how to use Canva, or navigating Google Suite and MailChimp, we'll cover a little bit of everything in the technological toolbox needed for success. More details coming soon!