My Life as a (Rookie) Editor: The Joy of Being Published

Have I talked about how awesome seeing your name on a published piece of work is? If not, then let me explain the joy…

People instantly have more respect for you. I am not kidding. Tell them you’re a published writer/editor/artist/whatever, then somehow you get street cred. Even aspiring writers and artists admire people with actually published work. It’s a big accomplishment. And when you think about it, it really is, getting ANYTHING published takes a lot of time and money from somewhere. People admire scientists and other non-writerly types with major published studies in some related journal they’ve probably never heard of. YOU have something to show for yourself. You’re not so hackjob that no one’s heard of because obviously someone published YOUR thing.

I won’t lie, it’s a huge ego boost. It’s hard to avoid getting a big head.  After all, having people read stuff with MY name on it is what got me into journalism in high school, made me decide to be a journalism major and eventually led me to going into the manga industry. Sure, there were a lot of other reasons like hating my high school Spanish teacher and really really loving manga, but seeing my name on a published book keeps me there no matter what. I could compare it to ecstasy, but that would be overdoing it. It just makes you feel like you’ve got something to really really brag about AND it’s your job.

Seriously, though, even my MOM wants to read manga now. And show it off to her friends. If you asked me 10 years ago if hell would freeze over before my mother cracked open a manga, I would have said “YES” with no hesitation and maximum emphasis.

Not quite enough yet for a new banner, but it feels so awesome.

Making the joy of being published even greater this week, Fruits Basket Fanbook Banquet got onto the New York Times Bestseller’s List.

I also found my name in Aria vol. 5. Ironically, my first name was spelled with only one ‘l’ (which is more common in Latin American countries where Daniela is a popular name, but it’s not the way my mom named me, you know.)  Before you ask me why I didn’t copy edit the credits page, let me tell you that I’m fairly certain that it was misspelled after I finished my internship and therefore I wasn’t there to catch it.

Oh, and I got to work on Hetalia volume 1! (I loved it.)

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5 Responses to My Life as a (Rookie) Editor: The Joy of Being Published

  1. mikeydpirate says:

    Congrats once again on getting published. You are not a big time editor. Hitting the big leagues now especially now that you made the NY Best Sellers List. I hope that one day I will own something that has your name on it so I can say, “Hey! I know this person! She is so much more smarter then me! And knows how to use English better then me!”

    If anything I get Hetalia since I think I would like to own at least one of those. haha If it has your name on it then I most likely get that one.

    Good luck and keep us posted on what else you get your name on it.

    • Thanks Mikey! I’m not really a big time editor, I just happen to be open about what I work on. It’s not like I’ve worked on anything that great.

      Also, I think you are probably smarter than me in many other ways. That’s just how individuals are.

      I hope you get and enjoy something with my name in it. That would make me very happy.

  2. lys says:

    Hey, your name was in VB Rose 8 too (one of my favourite series)! I feel like I’m always reporting on new places I’ve discovered your name. But it’s exciting! Being published is awesome!! Hooray for dreams come true! (Getting an uninterested parent to consider reading manga is quite an accomplishment too :D)

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