Its Not About What You Know, Its About Who You Know

Life, at least in the business realm, is all about networking. When you network you increase your chances at job offers, knowing about a program before others and other such things. I am coming to realize just how important that is. Ryan and I ran into a teacher I had a few years ago who before he had turned to teaching was an editor for the Ensign, he offered to give me a job recommendation when I needed it, or even a recommendation for Grad school. Even though I am not exactly planning on going the Religious route, it was pretty flattering. And any recommendation is better than none.

My job at the U is not without its benefits, I am networking every day, if I was going into Engineering or Architecture, my position would be priceless, I however am not. Although, I know a lot of people on campus and that has made all the difference between a college failure and a college success. I really have enjoyed working on campus, its been neat to be apart (even if a small part) of all of the buildings that go up and all the improvements going on. Recently we did a tour of the still under Construction Marriott Library, its going to be beautiful when it opens up late fall. I was really impressed with all of the new fixtures.

We got to tour where they restore really old books; which to me was art, I am really partial to old books, they are so magical. The lengths at which they were restored was incredible, the Librarian in the area showed us a Hebrew Bible that he guessed was made in the 1500’s. That a book can last that long is so encouraging to anyone who has ever dreamt of being published.

Someone told me I should write books, not edit them. The only kinds of books I would be able to write at the present would probably be Young Adult, and probably pretty closely paralleled to my own growing up experiences. But if I were to write I would feel pretty responsible to try to publish something unique and different, to be one of 100’s of others of the same type is devastating. I never lived under oppressive circumstances. And it would surprise a good deal of people to realize just how much power the editor has in the direction of the novel and in the actual writing itself. The author comes up with the idea and writes a lot to go with that idea, but the editor controls the chopping block as it cuts up story after story to appeal to different audiences and maximize the commercial potential of the story.

If I was an editor it would increase my reputation and thus my ability to be published. Ah yes you’ve found me out, now I must change my plan so you are surprised when I do achieve my dream!

I was teasing Ryan the other day, I told him I would write a storyline for a movie for him, if he would do all of the graphics. Seems like a match made in heaven, right? Well then we got into a long debate about the differences in writing a movie script and writing books, the end conclusion was we would stay in our different fields and leave it at that. Well and perhaps if Ryan becomes successful before me(which is rather likely) maybe he will put in a good word for me.