This month’s episode features an interview with Vanessa Gomez, a recent graduate from Simon Fraser University’s Master of Publishing program, about how she’s breaking into the industry, and The Publishing Guide, an online platform she created where new professionals can find relevant information about the industry.

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Transcript

Nataly Alarcón: Hello, everyone. And welcome to the BookNet Canada podcast. I am Nataly Alarcón, your host for this episode. This month, I had the pleasure of interviewing Vanessa Gomez, a recent graduate from Simon Fraser University's Master of Publishing program. We talked about her experience breaking into the industry and the platform she created for young professionals to find relevant information about the industry. Let's hear the interview.

Hi, Vanessa. How are you doing?

Vanessa Gomez: Hi, Nataly. I'm good. How are you?

Nataly: Good. Thank you. Very excited to have this conversation with you. It's the first time that I'm interviewing a fellow Colombian. So, I am...

Vanessa: I know. Exciting.

Nataly: Cannot wait to get into all these questions that we have prepared for you. So, let's start with, tell us a little bit about yourself and your journey so far in the industry.

Vanessa: All right. Yeah. My journey in the industry, I guess it's a bit crazy how I got into the industry. I actually wanted to get into this industry since I was, like, probably 15, 14 years old. Like, I was an avid reader when I was a teenager. Well, you're Colombian. So, you know. So, my parents used to take so ... to, like, the international fair that we have there. So, the FILBo, they used to take me there every single year. I would buy everything that I could. So, I always wanted to get into the industry, really, from that age. However, I knew that, back home, kind of, like, the opportunities were kind of limited to get into the industry itself. So, at the end, I decided I wanted to study journalism, which was kind of the closest thing to English lit back home.

And when I started applying to journalism, I was lucky enough to get into Humber College, which is located in Toronto. And that's where I did my BA. And I really liked journalism at that time, but when I went out into kind of, like, the journalism industry, I think it's kind of the same as the publishing industry. There are not many jobs. There's not a lot of money. So, I decided to pivot a little bit. Thankfully, I had kind of, like, a marketing class in one of my last semesters. I'm super thankful about that. And I got a marketing internship, and I started doing marketing that way. I got a corporate marketing job after the pandemic. And during the pandemic, I did content writing, which is also part of marketing. But my aim was always to go back to the industry.

So, while I was doing my corporate marketing job, I started what we're going to get into today, which is The Publishing Guide, which is my website. And that was kind of, like, a website that I created just as an excuse to talk to everyone in the industry. So, to just be like, hey, I have this website, I want to talk to you about what it's like to work in the industry. And I got to talk to a couple of designers, I got to talk to a couple of editors. And throughout the whole process, I found a Master of Publishing at Simon Fraser. And I went through a program, I loved it. And then while I was doing my thesis, which is also part of what we're going to discuss today, I found kind of, like, an internship at one of the big houses, which is Simon & Schuster, but in Canada. And that's kind of, like, my start. I'm still starting in the industry, but that's how I got in.

Nataly: Well, I welcome you to the industry with open arms. I think we need more Colombians in the industry. So, yay. Yay. Well, you talk about The Publishing Guide. So, let's discuss that. So, can you tell us what it is and who it is for?

Vanessa: All right. So, The Publishing Guide, as I said, at the beginning when I created it years ago, then it was more for me to kind of get to know people in the industry. And the website was also an excuse because I started to, like, well, I was talking to friends or people in my family about like, hey, I want to work in this crazy industry. They were like, what do you do? You know, what are the jobs? What is it really that you do?

So, I started noticing that people outside of the industry really don't know what the industry is about. Like, they know about books, but they don't know anything else. So, it was also kind of an excuse to kind of educate whoever would land on my website about what the industry was about, what it takes care of, and how important it is. And then I kind of started developing the website like that, just doing interviews and doing articles that way. But then most recently, when I was kind of at the end of my master's program, and I was trying to do a thesis, I really didn't know what to do it about. I kind of went back to the website that I started. I was like, you know what? I want to develop this more, and I want to develop it into a medium that people my age are reaching out to when it comes to career advice or when it comes to anything else new.

And I discovered that, actually, although a lot of people do still like reading, people like more listening to podcasts right now. It's the thing. Everyone listens to podcasts. I don't judge because I produce a podcast now, and I used to listen to a lot of podcasts. So, I get it. I totally get it. So, I was like, you know what? I'm hearing what the public wants. I'm not going to do articles anymore. I'm going to restructure The Publishing Guide to support a podcast, which is going to have the same aim that it started, is going to be a podcast where people can come with zero knowledge about the industry. You don't have to know anything about it. And I'm going to try to explain as much as I can for you, and I'm going to do it hand in hand with people that have been in the industry for years.

So, the aim always was kind of, like, restructuring the site. And then the podcast of The Publishing Guide is Printed. And through Printed, what we do is I kind of reach out to industry professionals, and then I can just interview them, like, explain to me the basics of being an editor, being a designer, being a marketer. What do you do? How do you get this job? How can people get this job? And I think those are the basics that people want that, you know, not a lot of people in the industry provide because we do provide a lot of knowledge for people that are already inside of the industry. But when it comes to new people, sometimes it can feel overwhelming, and my aim is that it doesn't. My aim is that after, you know, an hour or, like, 30 minutes or 45 minutes that podcast episode is you can feel like the knowledge is easy to digest. And then after that, you can be like, okay, I know which step I need to take to get into the industry.

Nataly: I love that. Yeah. It sounds like you want to empower people with information just so they don't feel as lost as they were probably before listening to your podcast. And I've seen the people you've interviewed, some really wonderful folks. And it is so true. It is so true. Especially, you know, like, new graduates or people who are changing careers, it can feel like a lot. So, we talked about how you've just finished a program at SFU. Do you feel that that process and experience as a new grad has influenced this direction that you were talking about that The Publishing Guide has taken?

Vanessa: I think it did. I think that even though I had had the website for a while, I have truly never considered a podcast. And then I kind of went through the program. And honestly, it's a wonderful program. I learned so much. And I don't know, really.... A weird fact about the people in my cohort is that we are all girls, and they are all so wonderful. And I got to spend eight months seeing those girls every single day and talking to them and everything. And one thing that really stuck with me is that without the program, I wouldn't have had the experience to network with so many people.

And even just... We're just finishing up our programs, and we're just graduating right now, all of us. And knowing that those people are already outside on the industry. So, you're also kind of building a network. And I think that I also got a lot of knowledge from them. They are all so brilliant, and they contribute so much to who I am today. And that's exactly why when I started thinking about my thesis, it was like, I kind of want to give back somehow. Somehow, I kind of want to build something that it's going to feel exactly like that if you're going to listen to a podcast. It's not going to feel like you're super intimidated about those people that you're listening to. I don't want that. I want it to feel as close to you as you can if we were in the same room, if we were friends and I was just telling you about the industry.

So, I think it did, having the experience of being with them for those eight months and then thinking about what I wanted to do. I wanted to do something that it was going to have that kind of feeling. And I think, with The Publishing Guide and then with Printed, I hope that I am achieving that for whoever is listening, that they do feel like the knowledge is easy, but they also feel closer and not intimidated about the industry.

Nataly: That's so cool. What about your experience searching for a job? Did that influence The Publishing Guide in any way, shape, or form?

Vanessa: When I was in my summer semester, I was struggling because you've been through two semesters of classes, you've been through...with all these amazing people, and then they're like, you know, we're now throwing you into the industry. Go find an internship or go find a job. And during my summer semester, while I was still kind of developing the idea for what I wanted to do with my thesis and I still didn't know exactly what I wanted to do, and I was starting to apply to jobs to the industry, I was really struggling because I think, as many people know, this is a very competitive industry. A lot of people want to work in the industry.

So, I think that that was the point where after a couple of applications, after a couple of rejections, I was starting to learn how to do things. So, I was starting to learn like, oh, I should write this in my cover letter and not this. I should focus on this experience that I had and not this one. And after I've been through a couple of interviews, you kind of start gaining the confidence. But I always wished that I had kind of, like, a resource that would have helped me be like, oh, I should include this in my portfolio from the very beginning. Maybe I would have had that job.

So, when I went through that whole process during summer, which didn't end up panning to anything, but I ended up having an idea for my thesis. So, it was actually good. It was like, I do want to create a resource for people where they can just go and be like, you know, from the very beginning, I have everything that I need to be successful in an application. And I know that throughout the process, you still learn, but at least you have the basics, which is what I was missing at the moment. So, I guess, yeah, that experience did influence a lot of what I ended up doing.

Nataly: I love that. So, in your guide, you mentioned talking about publishing trends. What sort of resources do you find that you default to when you gather that information to share with your audience?

Vanessa: I think that I always default to ... and now that we're talking more ... The Publishing Guide is more now kind of supporting the podcast itself. So, where I go to kind of just go through the basics of the podcast and what I'm going to share with my audience is honestly just through industry people. So, whatever I talk with them about, that's what I'm going to share with you. That's what I put out on the podcast because these are people that, one, have been working in the industry for many, many years. So, they have lots of experience, but mostly, if not all of them, they're still working in the industry. So, they know what's going on right now.

I know that my first interviews that I had was with an amazing designer from a press in Toronto, Dundurn Press. And then she was mentioning how, you know, in this time we're seeing kind of these cover illustrations that are just everywhere. You know, you see them in romance books, everything's illustrated now. You see it in fiction books, everything's illustrated now. And actually the industry is starting to push back against that, you know, against that...kind of that form, not because it's wrong, but because we've seen so much of it that we kind of want to see something different.

So, that's something that I personally didn't know because design is not kind of my niche or what I want to end up. But she did. So, throughout that conversation, one, I learned about it and, two, I kind of helped my audience learn about it. So, if you're into design and you listen to that podcast episode, you'll be able to be like, okay, these are the trends that we're seeing in the industry, and this is how it's changing. So, it is good if you're in kind of that niche. And that's kind of what I'm trying to do, going through every single department and be like, okay, what is it that we're seeing right now, and what's your experience? Which right now, talking about it, kind of seems overwhelming, but that's what my aim is to, like, no, I'm going to break everything down for you so you don't have to feel like it's overwhelming, like you're not understanding what I'm talking about. It's definitely not going to feel like that.

Nataly: I have so much appreciation for all that work because it does sound overwhelming. But you know, you have the knowledge, you are now in the industry. So, I feel that you're holding the hand of the people who are walking behind you, following in your steps. And I'm so excited for that. Okay. So, let's switch gears just a little. Did you find the process of building this resource helped you in your own job search? And what resources did you find in addition to your very own that you relied on to help you in this process?

Vanessa: It did. It did a lot just because building this resource, I talked with a lot of people in the industry. I interviewed a lot of people that had podcasts, that had platforms that kind of people in the industry will go to for information. So, talking with them helped me a lot to understand the state of the publishing industry today, but also to my own knowledge of what the industry was kind of looking for.

And I've learned a lot about, you know, every single person that applies to this industry, they're amazing. They're incredible. They usually do have a lot of experience in their resumes, in their cover letters. What really makes a difference is making yourself unique somehow. And I know that sounds so vague, but it is the truth. I stuck to that. When somebody mentioned it to me, I do not remember who, it's just like, try to make yourself unique, however way you can. And that can be a lot of things. You know, that can be something as simple as starting your own books around, for instance, for marketing and showing your passion that way. So, for me, that was kind of building this resource and starting the podcast itself.

But I think, additional resources is just like, I know it's not kind of the best resource for some people, but going to Reddit forums is going to teach you a lot about the industry. So many Reddit forums. I cannot tell you how many times I applied to an internship and they will be like, yes. They will start a Reddit forum, all of the people that apply to so and so for summer of 2026, have you received any reply? Let me know. I just applied. And there are so many Reddit forums that have information there or are like, yeah, I was the cohort of last year, and this is what you can expect. And this is kind of what I wrote in my cover letter.

So, people are already helping themselves that way. And that also kind of gave me the taste of, you know what, people are already looking for this information. So, why not give it to them in an easier platform? Because, obviously, it's Reddit. Although it's great, you have to kind of search through the information, through all the forums that there is. So, why don't give it to them in an easier format?

So, yeah. Honestly, my resource is go to Reddit. There's people that have applied through jobs that will give you advice on there. And then kind of if you just want to do your own research, I always used to go to Publishers Weekly, The Bookseller, which is, like, big ones. But also if you want more accessible ones that are more...I will say kind of like a modern, more easier to digest type of language, Book Riot, even BookNet Canada, for me, it's just an easier to digest resource because it's just, like, you don't have that industry jargon that you won't understand. So, yeah. I would say, just go to traditional ones if you want, but if you want information from people like you, Reddit is the way to go.

Nataly: I love Reddit so much. It's been so helpful. I'm trying to think. For my career, I don't know. But when I was a newcomer, it was so helpful, you know, finding out things like, how do I do this? How do I do that? Or even financial tips. Anyway, sorry. I don't want to lose track of our conversation.

Vanessa: No. But, yeah. You're so right. Yeah.

Nataly: And I think that what you said on how people, you know...if they are on Reddit and if they are talking about it, there's an appetite for knowledge, and for connection, and for feeling that, you know, there's a community, even though, you know, in Reddit you're anonymous. So, that may not be necessarily true right away. But I feel like that it's very, very needed, especially for new folks in the industry.

Vanessa: Yeah. Yeah.

Nataly: I was not expecting that answer, to be honest. And thank you for the shout out for BookNet. We do try to make things as digestible as possible. I love that. Thank you.

Vanessa: And it does. Yeah. No, of course.

Nataly: Okay. Back on track. Back on track. What did you feel was the biggest challenge you faced when you were looking for work in publishing?

Vanessa: Honestly, from the very beginning, I didn't know where to look. I knew because my Master's taught me how. But if I didn't, I would have had no idea. When you start getting into the industry is when you discover that you can only find jobs through either going to the company itself — so, in their website, they will post the job positions that they need at that moment — or through industry job boards. I had no idea what that was before joining the industry. But actually just building this resource for The Publishing Guide. And if you go to the website, you'll see there's a part for job opportunities there. You can just find the links to the job boards, which is something that took me some time to learn. So, that's what I provided it for my audience. You can just go to these links that are going to have the majority of positions. But honestly, it does take time to go to each company's website and look for the positions that you want.

Unfortunately, that's how the industry works. Hopefully, that's going to change at some point. But, yeah, that's something that I was not used to because I worked in corporate marketing, and I just kind of found my position through Indeed, LinkedIn, which is what everyone does except publishing. So, it was so weird when I started just applying to jobs, and my friends will be like, just look on Indeed and LinkedIn. And I was like, you don't know how this works. This doesn't work like that. But, yeah, I kind of ... just knowing which jobs to apply. So, I would say, just go to job boards and the companies.

And then the second biggest one, I will be like, nailing that cover letter. That was one of the biggest obstacles for me. I can't tell you ... I think I still have — the only positions that I apply for during summer and fall, I still have everything on my files. And my cover letter at the beginning of summer looks nothing like my cover letter right now. You kind of just have to go through stuff. And honestly, that's where also Reddit came in, where people were like, you know what, don't talk about this, but actually mention how your experience works with what they are asking you to do.

And I started using that formula and mentioning keywords in the cover letter, and things like that, which honestly, it doesn't seem as important when you're applying. But it is important for the people that are going to read your cover letter. So, when I learned those, that's when I started landing more interviews. That's how I landed my current internship. So, I will say, those were the biggest, honestly.

Nataly: Thank you. Thank you for sharing that. Yeah. It is very true because sometimes you can fall into the trap of I'm just going to have a template, and I'm going to reuse it, and they won't even read it. And it's like ...

Vanessa: Don't do it.

Nataly: ... people love to read. Especially in the industry, they are going to read that cover letter. So, you better put some effort. Again, back on track. So, you, as you've mentioned, started working at Simon & Schuster. So, congrats.

Vanessa: Thank you.

Nataly: I love that for you. And before publishing, as you've also mentioned, you worked in marketing for different industries. How have you felt the job search experience for publishing jobs has compared to the other industries you've worked in? Is there anything that has stood out to you, aside from the things that you've mentioned, anything you wish that were different?

Vanessa: I think, if I wish something were different, it's that the job postings were easier to find, honestly. I know that, of course, the industry has certain things that it has done for a while, you know. The industry specific job boards have been there for years. So, that's something that it's difficult to change, but honestly... And I know the biggest companies do it, like posting the job postings on LinkedIn or Indeed. I know that the biggest ones do it. But honestly, if the small presses also did it, it would be easier for candidates to find the job postings. So, that's one thing that I wish it changed. Just because if you're super new to the industry, you won't know about the job boards until you're maybe third Google search or fourth Google search or until your third application. So, it is kind of like a barrier that the industry has.

And I guess kind of the main difference that I've seen is that ... before, I was working corporate marketing. And honestly, if you're working in marketing, there's a lot of jobs. I will go on Indeed or LinkedIn, it's like corporate marketing has a lot. And then for me, the process was— Even through LinkedIn, there were companies that would not ask me for a cover letter. They'll be like, you know what, just apply through Easy LinkedIn Apply. And honestly, I think that's how I got my last job in marketing, where I lasted three years. I just submitted my resume, and through my experiences that they hired me.

But publishing is very different. Just as you mentioned, that cover letter really matters to people because— And you know what, it totally makes sense. I don't want that to end just because we are in an industry that's honestly based on that. You need to know how to write, and you need to how to learn to read critically, especially if you're going to be in an editor or in a literary agent position. But it is very different. If you come from a corporate job, you're going to have to learn how to kind of transfer those skills in your cover letter, and then also talk about your passion for books, which is very important.

Nataly: Okay. And we've actually reached the end, but before I let you go, do you have any plans or hopes for the guide to reach anyone other than newer professionals? It seems it will continue to be a great resource for those just starting out in the industry as well.

Vanessa: Yeah, I think so. I think, yes, of course, my aim is primarily those people that are just new to the industry and joining. But I think, at some point, you mentioned also people changing careers. So, honestly, that was kind of my case. I started, really, my professional career through marketing. I have five years of experience in marketing. And then I kind of changed to the publishing industry. So, my aim is also those people, you know, people that start their careers in other sectors, in other industries, and want to start their career in publishing. It is also a resource for them. Even if you have professional experience, as I did, something that people need to know is that the publishing industry, as any industry, is very different.

So, you kind of also have to gain that initial knowledge about what the industry is like, what positions it offers, what kind of salaries it offers, if that's also important to you. Kind of have your expectations set in reality. And I have to talk with many professionals about this. It's like, what you see in Hollywood movies is not the jobs that you're going to get to work on in the industry. Yes, the editor does read manuscripts. Yes, all of that happens, but it's not as romanticized as it is in movies. Usually, editors read manuscripts actually on their free time, you know. It's not during the work hours. During the work hours, you're doing administrative stuff. You're kind of getting back to someone, sending emails. If you're a sub-publisher, you're going to look through the financial books.

So, it's not as romanticised as you might feel like it. You do go to luncheons with authors and all of that. But also that happens when you're the senior editor in a team. It's not going to happen if you're just starting. So, kind of getting to know probably the position that you're going to start is going to be different. It doesn't mean that you're not going to get to touch that, but it's going to be in a different way. So, I think that Hollywood has represented our industry in a way that is not totally accurate, but it's an industry that even though that was the representation that Hollywood had, it's an industry that now working on it, I still love. Even like, you know, going through the administrative stuff and things like that, I still love it.

But I had also worked in corporate marketing. So, I knew that marketing was not only, you know, going to the events or going to the conference. I knew that majority of my day was going to be answering emails, getting through the mail, things that doesn't seem important, but they are, at the end of the day. So, kind of just get to know the industry a little better. And I think it's a great resource, whether you're starting, whether you're switching gears. It's great to just get a little bit of knowledge.

Nataly: I completely agree. Yeah. And even within my team, when we were talking about this, doing this podcast with you, one thing that one of my colleagues actually mentioned is that sometimes even for people who have been working in the industry for many years, and because for some companies, we tend to work in silos, you don't even realise what your colleagues are doing. So, you know, I think that there is a huge benefit to take the time to listen to a podcast and hear like, oh, okay, so, the people from that other department, that's what they do? Oh, okay. You know? So, this is how it comes together? Oh, nice. You know? It doesn't hurt. It doesn't hurt.

Vanessa: No. Yeah, you're totally right. Even if you're working in publishing, it doesn't hurt to know what your colleagues are doing, because it might also help your interaction with them when you're working on a project. So, yeah.

Nataly: Absolutely. Absolutely. Well, my dear Vanessa, we've reached the end. Is there anything else that you wanted to share with our listeners, either about the guide, about tips for newly grads, anything?

Vanessa: I guess, I'll just say, you know, if you want to visit the website, I try to create it as a resource, honestly, for people — there's no subscription or anything. You can get all that information for free, because that's my aim. You can find the website, PublishingGuide.com. You can find the podcast Printed in Apple Podcasts, in YouTube. You can also find it in Spotify. So, we have all the platforms there.

I also wanted to share that, as you mentioned, something that is very important in publishing is kind of establishing that community. And I was so lucky that, through my Master's, I got to establish kind of that initial network of people. And then now being in the industry and having that opportunity as well. But I did notice that having a network of people, it's such a barrier in the industry when you're new. If you haven't been to a certificate program, or if you haven't been to a Master's as it is, the one that I went through.

So, I also wanted to let people know that the larger aim or the biggest objective that I have with Printed and with The Publishing Guide is also helping you establish that community of people. We don't have that right now. But that's one of the goals that I want to reach within the next year is kind of like, where ... it's starting a Patreon or an association, anything where you can get together with people that want to be in the same industry as you. Even if you both don't have jobs in the industry right now, feeling like you have people that are going through the same journey as you, it's so important. So, that's the aim. That's the objective. And hopefully, I can give that to people soon, because I know that there's an appetite for it.

I know that, you know, differently to the United Kingdom, different to the USA — both of those territories do have associations for new publishing professionals, which means that people in those territories get to subscribe to the association, be members of the association, and get to go to networking events through pubs in a Friday or, you know...or get to go to conferences together. And you don't have to have a job in the industry.

So, I think that's something that we're missing in Canada. And my aim is that through this, we'll start to build a community that hopefully it can turn into that, and hopefully, probably, you know, in a couple of years, the next generation is going to say, you know what? I was a member of the association, and it was so much easier for me to get into the industry. What you're saying right now, it's not what is happening right now. It's so much easier. And I do have the resources, and I do have the network of people. That is my biggest aim. And hopefully, you know, I'm going to do everything in my power to get there because I know that people need it right now.

Nataly: Thank you. Thank you, Vanessa. That was beautifully put. We are also so grateful, honestly, for taking the time, especially as you are just starting this new phase. You probably had a lot of meetings, which you told me at the beginning. And it's Friday, so, you know. But thank you. Thank you for sharing also so candidly, so openly. I wish you the best of luck with this project.

Vanessa: Thank you. Honestly, this has been an amazing conversation. I think I shared more than I planned to share, which I think is great for people listening. And I'm so happy that the first podcast where I get to be on the other side, I'm being interviewed by another Colombian. Like, wow. So, no, I'm honestly so, so happy.

Nataly: Before I go, I would like to take a moment to acknowledge that BookNet Canada's operations are remote and our colleagues contribute their work from the traditional territories of the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishinaabe, the Haudenosaunee, the Wyandot, the Mi’kmaq, the Ojibwa of Fort William First Nation, the Three Fires Confederacy of First Nations (which includes the Ojibwa, the Odawa, and the Potawatomie), the Métis, as well as the unceded and ancestral territory of the Musqueam, Squamish, or Tsleil-Waututh peoples, the original nations and peoples of the lands we now call Beeton, Guelph, Halifax, Thunder Bay, Toronto, Vancouver, Vaughan, and Windsor.

We encourage you to visit the native-land.ca website to learn more about the peoples whose lands you are listening from today. Moreover, BookNet Canada endorses the Calls to Action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada and supports an ongoing shift from gatekeeping to spacemaking in the book industry. The book industry has long been an industry of gatekeeping. Anyone who works at any stage of the book supply chain carries a responsibility to serve readers by publishing, promoting, and supplying works that represent the wide extent of human experiences and identities in all that complicated intersectionality. We at BookNet are committed to working with our partners in the industry as we move towards a framework that supports spacemaking, which ensures that marginalised creators and professionals all have the opportunity to contribute, work, and lead.

We would also like to acknowledge the Government of Canada for their financial support through the Canada Book Fund, and of course, thanks to you for listening.