She bangs.

Jessica Au

The Whole Shebang is only for the hardcore. A 6-hour seminar clocking up seventeen writing and publishing experts who just want to help, it’s one of MWF’s flagship events.

I slipped in just as Meanjin‘s Jessica Au was discussing publishing internships and how they can assist you with writing. Jessica started out as an intern at Sleepers Publishing, then moved on to an internship at Meanjin, where she is now employed as an editorial assistant. Her tips? The task of going through the slush pile, also known as the unsoliciteds, can help you find out what publishers are looking for. She also found internships good for building up a basic industry knowledge. Networking? Check. They’re a good way of getting a foot in the door, and help open up opportunities organically: Jessica found out about the Meanjin internship through contacts she made at Sleepers. But above all, she urged, make sure you still have time for writing.

The audience was curious to know what else she had learned, particularly in regard to submissions. More wisdom: cover letters shouldn’t just be like a blurb. Don’t feel like you have to sell your writing too hard; publishers love reading good stuff. Put as much care into the cover letter as you do into the story itself.