First of all, I think I should get points for coining the term bibliomemoir. I’ve been using it for years and upon performing a quick Google search, I’ve found that only one other person on the indexed Internet has used this word, and it was fairly recently (March 2007). It’s true that I never wrote down the word with a definition on a piece of paper and then mailed it to myself for proof, but I have been using the term since before I even became interested in reading that kind of book. (I’ve always been a little intimidated, to be honest. Though book blogs are sort of bibliomemoirs, I suppose, but mostly unintentionally.)
In any case, I’m thinking of writing one. Gears have been turning in my head about format and it seems like every time something fantastic happens at the bookstore, I want to put it into a book. Why not write a book about my experience with books, bookselling, and publishing?
Oh, by the way, I’m an editor now. It’s freelance work, and I haven’t gotten my first manuscript yet, but it’s an extremely complicated process nonetheless and I’m very excited to embark on this new journey in my life. If I don’t enjoy it, then I know editing is not the correct field for me in publishing. If I do, then I’ll have an awesome new line on my resume detailing why I’m more experienced than those other entry-level jerks. I’m also hoping it’ll give me some insight about editing my own work. I find it’s much easier to look over someone else’s; perhaps this will help me look at my stories a little more objectively.
Unfortunately it means that I won’t get a lot of reading done for the remainder of the year. I’ll count whatever book I receive as a book read, even if I can’t talk about it or promote it yet. But I’ll be reading it four or five times before the editing process is complete, and that’s four or five other books I couldn’t get to. I could never give up reading entirely, of course, but I’m well aware that one of the pitfalls of being an editor is that you hardly ever get to read books just for fun.
So! To recap: Michelle has used her English degree to its fullest potential and made up another word and she’s an editor now who must edit out invented words from otehrs’ manuscripts.
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Ha, that’s a lot to accomplish in one blog entry!
Congrats on becoming an editor! I can’t wait to hear the details of the work… but, from what I know, it sounds like a lot of fun.
Bibliomemoir. Interesting word. Odd. But, okay. I was a little standoff-ish first hearing it, but now I am coming on to the idea. You should totally write a bibliomemoir. I’d read it!
Wow — congratulations, and good luck. Editing is hard work. But very rewarding.
ohhh. knowing what i know of you makes me think you’d be just perfect for an editor!