Month: May 2023
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Work Experience With Busybird Publishing
May 30, 2023
To all of the wonderful people reading this, working with Busybird Publishing has been one of the most rewarding experiences I could have ever wished for.
After applying to a small publisher for work experience, I was unsure of how my journey would span out.
Once accepted, I was greatly appreciative, yet still uneasy. Was I on the right path? Would I be better off somewhere else? What if I get bored? What if this isn’t the right opportunity to get a glimpse of the writing industry?
Well, I can say I was wrong – at the very least.
Upon walking into the creative atmosphere, I was greeted by a warm, furry smile. Oscar – the beautiful golden Labrador that remained glued to my side throughout the course of my job here. His excitement filled the air, and immediately comforted me.
At least there’s a cute, cuddly dog here, I thought.
But there was so much more.
After meeting my fellow dog companion (that begged me with puppy-dog eyes for a treat), I was welcomed by Kev and Les. Although their smiles were friendly, I was nervous. Still maintaining my previous concerns, and now feeling worried that I would be too inexperienced in an environment like this, Kev and Les assured me that there was no pressure, and that I was welcome to ask any questions that came into my mind.
Usually, when surrounded by adults in a working atmosphere, teenagers such as myself can feel inferior – like they don’t have a say, or are very underestimated. Not once, did I feel this way. Regardless of whether this be because of the childish pranks and dad jokes, or because of the kind souls that this business has, it made the biggest difference.
Jokes and laughter soon filled the air. As I became more and more accustomed to my surroundings, I knew that I could be myself – whether this be with a sarcastic comment or an expression of my “nerd[y]” characteristics, I was free to express my every thought. This is something that has been very important to me throughout my entire life. I love to talk to people, and I love to be myself. In environments that make you suppress that, I’m less than satisfied. This, however, was never the case.
During my short time at Busybird Publishing, I was able to learn more than what I could have imagined. I learnt skills and tips that were required to become an editor and writer, and that your job could be a fun place where you can act freely. To be in constant fits of laughter from all of Kev’s and Les’ jokes was amazing. Witnessing Oscar’s fiendish behaviour was entertaining. Meeting the multiple interns, clients, and other workers who came into Busybird was a blessing. All of these people (including my furry friend) have given me the advice, conversations, and experiences of a lifetime – ones that I will cherish and utilise forever.
Thank you, Busybird. Where chocolates, fake spiders, and music trivia is thrown in your direction, you made me feel like I was working with family. All of my doubts disappeared after one minute. I knew, and felt, that my choice was right. This will be something that I am eternally grateful for. My time shared on every interesting and entertaining story, person or animal was time well-spent. I hope to have the privilege of working with you again in the future.
And by the way, Les, the song playing when I finished this piece was “Edge of Seventeen” by Stevie Nicks. There you go, I played the game.
Thank you,
Leilani
Work Experience
Part Two: The Wednesday Intern
May 25, 2023The following is a recollection of the Wednesday Intern’s experiences. Most of this it true … or at least as true as it needs to be.
Day Five
I created some graphics today. Les needed digital assets for Busybird authors. They’re little images to post on Facebook or Instagram, usually showcasing the book cover, maybe a quote and reviews. They’re an author’s peacock feathers, purely to attract potential readers. Done well, they can be a useful tool.
Anything visual is right up my alley. As much as I love writing a story and editing a story, designing the wrapper it comes in is just as exciting. I learnt all about design in school and know my way around Photoshop. It was fun to match colours and fonts, and play around with layout.
Honestly, I could talk about opacity levels and contrast all day. Point is, I put my all into the graphic I made. Really took my time with it. I was so excited to show the guys. After all my fumbling with signs and devon, I felt I finally found my groove.
“Sweet,” said Kev, nodding. “Where are the others?”
I forgot the most important rule of Design. Always make multiple. I needed three others. And with only an hour left, I did my best with what I had.
Day Six
I’ve suddenly become really good at guessing songs. It helps that Les is usually in his office and can’t see my computer screen.
“Who sings this, Carly?”
Pause. “Roxette.”
“Excellent!”
“Thanks,” I said, closing out of Google.
It was going great. I think I was becoming their number one intern for a moment there. Until Kev figured it out.
Day Seven
I’m illustrating a book now. For some reason, Kev and Les think I have it in me to produce ten high quality images worthy of being published.
Do I think I have it in me? That’s a hard question to answer.
As artists/writer/creators, we do what we do for fun. Otherwise we wouldn’t do it. No one in their right mind would stare at a blank page for hours on end if they didn’t find something rewarding in it. In that fun, you practice. You get better. You enjoy yourself for a while. Then you see someone else doing it better and suddenly your work becomes the epitome of suck.
And you can try to copy and be inspired by others, but ultimately it doesn’t feel as good, or look like your work anymore. You doubt yourself, your skills and your worth as a creator. Can I actually do this? Will it come out even a tenth as good as I wish it to be? What if I can never get the results I want?
It’s a rollercoaster. Right now, I’m in the big dip. Hopefully in this process, I’ll find that confidence in me that others seem to have. Until then, I’ll work even harder.
And because this got a tad bit sad, here’s a frog using a toadstool as an umbrella.
Day Eight
Oscar found a blue-tongue lizard today. We figured it lives under the porch. There’s a few holes where the stairs don’t fit against the earth, and you’d think Oscar would go and stick his nose in to sniff around. Instead, he became a big sook and stuck by me. But that may be because I’ve been feeding him again. Peanut butter on rice cakes yield better results than devon.
After work, we got ready for Open Mic Night. Kev did the sign this time.
Sitting back and watching everyone, something became clear rather quickly. The people presenting their work were just like me. They were nervous to share their material, but also excited. Maybe they didn’t have anywhere else to be a creator. Maybe this was the first community they ever felt like they belonged to. Maybe they, whilst others went out dancing and drinking, spent hours into the night writing. They spent days figuring out that one paragraph that would not flow. They used dish washing time to mull over plot points. They found company in fiction when reality was too harsh of a world to live in.
Introverted. Hardworking. Passionate.
These same people came up to me afterwards with praise, and we spoke about shared experiences as writers and artists. And about this time I realised I was at the halfway point of my internship. My stomach flipped. I’m running out of days.
In another 8 weeks, this is over. No more Oscar crop dusts, no more cringing to guess 80s songs, no more Busybird. If I wanted to stay, I’d probably have to room with the blue tongue.
I’m having a great time and I’m learning so much.
I don’t want it to end.
Carly Mitchell, Publishing Intern
Part One: The Wednesday Intern
May 23, 2023The following is a recollection of the Wednesday Intern’s experiences. Most of this it true … or at least as true as it needs to be.
Day One
A warning to any future interns of Busybird Publishing: a thorough knowledge of 80s music is a necessity. It’s more important than publishing, or editing, or anything you’d expect to be useful to this job. (You know, the thing that you signed up for.)
The managing director – this guy called Les – is absolutely obsessed with it. I think he secretly has a shrine to Bon Jovi hidden under his desk somewhere, with leather fringes and Eau de Mullet lining the shelves.
I’m probably going to be fired for writing that.
But seriously – half of the work is trying to guess who’s currently playing, and what year it was produced and if their blood type was O or AB. And it trips you up, especially if you’re in the middle of formatting. One minute you’re reading about a knight fighting a dragon, and the next the chapter you had highlighted is now missing.
Which so totally didn’t happen, Kev. I promise.
As another warning, save an untouched file of any manuscript before making any changes. You never know when you’ll need it.
Day Two
I learnt the hard way not to feed Oscar the Labrador.
Oscar is a sweetie. He’s the most handsome worker at Busybird Publishing, and deserves to know. And in doing so, I gave him a slice of devon. For those who don’t know, devon is a pink mystery meat made from off cuts of meat, animal intestines and probably hooves. Gross? A little. Delicious? Kind of. South Australians call it fritz. Calling it something like fritz helps you take your mind off what it’s made of.
Anyway, I fed it to Oscar, and thought nothing of it. An hour later, I’m scanning some illustrations for a biography in Les’s office and Oscar came to sit at my feet. Not too long after, the air around me became flammable.
I side-eyed Les at first. Surely not? Then over the next two hours, any time Oscar brushed past me the same eye-watering stench reappeared. Kev and Les swore up and down that they couldn’t smell a thing – which means Oscar was doing it on purpose.
But I figured out a way to deal with it.
Quickly before I sign off, I finally knew an 80s song that played! I heard the opening bars of Bryan Adams’ Summer of ’69. I was so excited. I shouted it to Les, who replied in his usual upbeat, positive fashion.
“I don’t care.”
Day Three
Publishing isn’t always glamorous. Case in point – non fiction books. More specifically, encyclopedias. Long, long, medical encyclopedias. (No offense to encyclopedia afficionados.)
For the entire day, my job was to make tables and copy and paste information into them. Make table, copypastecopypastecopypastecopypaste. Six hours straight.
I want to make it clear that I’m not complaining. As an intern, it’s my job to do the busywork, the stuff that makes things easier for the actual workers. But it’s important to paint an entire picture. Publishing isn’t just getting paid to read books, pick bestsellers and rub shoulders with authors. A lot of the time you’re mashing your head on a keyboard because the formatting JUST. WON’T. WORK.
Just ask Kev and Les, and the indents in their foreheads.
Day Four
I have a theory that Les and Kev are trying to eliminate their interns. (Allegedly – but why else would they have a literal skeleton in their basement?) First it was by Oscar’s gassing. Then it was the day of formatting. Today, it was by threat of falling and cracking my head open on the cement.
For Open Mic Night, the blackboard sign outside needed to be decorated. I put my hand up to do that – failing to remember the steep, rocky ledge that has absolutely no way of getting up besides climbing it. And I was wearing skinny jeans. But I got it done! I was quite proud of the result too.
Then at 6:30 it rained. All the chalk washed off before anyone showed up.
Typical.
Carly Mitchell, Publishing Intern
Profile: Greensborough Historical Society
May 16, 2023Tell us a bit about yourself …
We are a local historical society with around ninety members.
The Society’s aim is to collect, catalogue, preserve and share the history and heritage of the local area.
Although called ‘Greensborough Historical Society’, we also collect information on the surrounding areas: Watsonia, Macleod, Montmorency, Briar Hill, St Helena, Lower Plenty and Bundoora.
What draws you to writing and curating?
Over the past decade, we have identified gaps in the recorded history of the area, and have produced four books on the local area.
So, tell us about your books?
Our first two books – As I Recall and Do You Recall? – are personal stories of people who lived in the area in the mid-twentieth century.
Our third book, Early Days, is a history of Greensborough and St Helena.
Our latest book, Memories of the Shire of Diamond Valley (1964 – 1994), is another collection of personal stories by people involved in the local government area of the Shire of Diamond Valley, including councillors, council staff and community members.
Each of our books has been compiled or edited by a different Society member, but it’s a collaborative effort.
Where did the idea come from?
Our ideas for books come from individual interests in aspects of the local area.
What’s the story you’re trying to tell?
Our stories all have the same basis – preserving and sharing the history of the area.
And what do you hope your readers will draw from your writing?
We hope they draw an interest in the local area.
What’s your writing process?
Often we will begin by interviewing for our oral histories, or encouraging the subjects to write their own memoirs. Once we have enough for a book, the editing process begins.
Tell us one thing about your book, or your writing process, that nobody else knows.
As a group, we don’t always agree on the direction the book should take.
What are you working on next?
We are presently working on a small, two-part volume of self-guided walks around Lower Plenty, pointing out sites of historical interest.
When readers talk about you as a group, what do you hope they’re saying?
That our books are interesting and fill a gap in what has previously been published.
Any advice for other writers?
Have a good idea about where you want your story to go. Don’t be thrown off track by others.
Finally, where can people get your books?
All of our books are available from Greensborough Historical Society via our website.
See items for sale: www.greensboroughhistorical.org.au/ForSale
Links
Greensborough Historical Society on Facebook www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100077405451688
Profile: Allan Sicard
May 9, 2023Tell us a bit about yourself.
I am a husband to Kerrie, father to Kirk and Madeleine, and grandfather to Liam, Sylvia, Noah and Luca.
Since retiring, I spend my time enjoying life with family – including all the joy that being a grandparent brings. I have also taken up beekeeping, using the flow hive system, and am reputed in unbiased reviews to have the best-tasting honey ever.
I am the producer of the podcast The Courage to Lead Interview Series, where I interview a suite of leaders who epitomise the skills and attributes to empower others to create supportive and inclusive workplaces, environments and communities.
I am the Executive Director of 3R Consulting – the three Rs representing Resilience, Relationships and Reputation.
I am a speaker and a specialist in leadership, specifically in empowering others to lead and create supportive and inclusive workplaces, environments, and communities, so that everyone can do their absolute best.
I live in Sydney. The Courage to Lead is my first book.
I worked in the NSW Police Force for 40 years, from 1980 to 2020, with the last 15 years of that career as a police commander. In this time, I successfully led several planned and unplanned major events in the Sydney Metropolitan Region. These events and incidents included the Mosman Collar Bomb in 2011, and the Lindt Cafe Siege in 2014 (as a forward police commander during the first two hours).
Between 2013 and 2020, I led, coordinated, and facilitated a multi-agency response to homelessness by housing hundreds of people across the central and Northern Districts of Sydney.
What draws you to writing?
Not everyone is going to be a CEO, a Commissioner, or a Prime Minister. Most of us make up the leaders who fill the roles needed to help a smaller organisation.
My experiences as a Police Officer over a 40 year career have relevance to any leader who focuses on failing, self reflection, building strong connections, and empowering others to create supportive and inclusive workplaces where we can all thrive. Doesn’t everyone want to work in a place like that: where you’re valued?
So, tell us about your book?
In a world full of leaders who put their egos first, crave power and desire the spotlight, here is a story about someone who did exactly the opposite in the autocratic arena of policing.
This is a story about someone who empowered others to lead.
This is a story about a different kind of leadership – leadership where mistakes are made and learnt from.
Over a period of time, I created a workplace and a community where people do their best, because they know they are trusted; included; supported; and cared for.
Where did the idea come from?
My leadership style worked, but it took a few years to learn what was required to make that happen. Essentially, I needed to empower others to do their best and support them. My wish is that others don’t take as long as I did, and learn from my story that there are many more possibilities available when you truly empower others to lead in a supportive and inclusive way.
What’s your writing process?
It took three years. My first two drafts were completed totally on my own, without any structure or plan – just an idea. After that, I went to Kelly Irving Expert Author Academy and learnt the structure, the ‘why’, and the ‘who’ the book is for.
The benefit of this was that I got to know other authors at various stages of their writing journey, and the community that was created allowed us all to learn from and support each other through the ups and downs of writing.
I wrote and edited best if I just aimed for 2-3 hour stints, 4 days a week. I always ensured that writing was enjoyable, and never a chore.
What are you working on next?
It may be a case study book based on my podcast The Courage to Lead Interview Series, where I summarise some of the best interviews.
When readers talk about you as an author, what do you hope they’re saying?
Quotes about Allan Sicard supplied to Busybird:
‘Allan Sicard invites us into a deeply personal journey of growth, as he navigates his way from Police Cadet to Commander. He shares his setbacks and challenges, showing us how these forged the caring, committed and courageous leader he became. Allan reflects that when we feel supported we can make it through almost any challenge, and has delivered a candid memoir that will foster courageous leadership for years to come.’
‘Allan’s role as a leader and as a mentor to those around him is an example to all, not just the challenges but the professional rewards of having the courage to lead.’
‘A fascinating and insightful read that peels back the curtain on a lifetime in uniform protecting the community.’
Any advice for other writers?
Having support of other writers was a godsend, and having a structure to work with made the difference.
Links:
Website: allansicard.com/the-book
LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/allan-sicard-6a5740142
Instagram: allan_sicard