Publishing Internships & NY

Hi Gord! Before I really start, I wanted to say that I was in Connecticut at a part where I was literally 21 miles away from Long Island. So close! Cool, right?

But anyways, my post is basically about if you think living/visiting New York would be worth it to explore publishing internships or agency internships in the area. I’m not asking you as an author–though that’d be cool–but instead asking you as someone who lives in New York. Do you think it’d be worth it to check out, at least for that reason? 

Something awesome about living in GA is that a flight from ATL to NY is literally just under $100. Ignoring school, I could go on a little trip up their with my mom at any point, and I could totally check out the schools and publishing houses, even just for fun! It’s so nice to know a cool vacation is only $100 bucks away (round trip!)

So, yeah. That’s all. How’s NY as someone who’s lived there for a while? Specifically Long Island, while we’re at it! What’s it like for an author? Just a little insight would be really awesome, if you wouldn’t mind giving any.

Thanks a ton.

(Now, time for the yapping…)

I’m mainly asking because I got this advice recently. Over the weekend, I’ve been doing a lot of research on what colleges I’d like to apply to, where I want to go, et cetera because I’m working on being an author, right? Now I’m fully aware that I don’t need a BA in Creative Writing to become an author, but I just genuinely like writing theory (in specifically speculative or genre fiction) that I would quite enjoy going through a program, I imagine. 

I know that CW isn’t a very employable major. I thought it’d be cool if I could double major in Creative Writing and something highly employable, like maybe cyber security, IT, or water treatment. Or doing something that can get me a job at a government agency or something. Normal job, so I have time to write!

After doing a ton of research, because I really don’t want an English degree, I’ve found that my list is somewhat like SFSU, UIowa, UGA, and some others. SFSU is my number one. 

You know, this was supposed to be related to the original topic, but I forgot. But! I did email the directors and heads of the Creative Writing departments at SFSU, UCR, and uiowa! So that’ll be cool if I can hear back from them.

But, yeah.

Also, totally unrelated, do you watch Lindsey Puckett’s videos on the writing industry? I freaking love them! They’re just so nice to watch and sit back with popcorn or something. These! (Click me!)

Yup, that’s all for real now. I’ve been working on my book and I’m in the outlining stage. It’s pretty fun. I’ve ended up doing the method where I outline everything before I start, but that reminds me, I have two questions.

1. Do you outline or write in scenes? If so, any tips for how?
2. How do you write a good scene?

3. How do you get so good at writing present-tense first person?

Thanks!