Day in the Life (Remote): Flannery Wiest
Associate Editor, Disney Publishing Worldwide
Day: Wednesday, April 3, 2024
10:00 AM: I put on some music and sign in to my computer. The first thing I do every day is check my email. My inbox has filled up overnight, and I sort through the new messages, responding to quick questions about the projects I lead, completing quick tasks, updating my to-do list with more involved items that have arisen, and filing everything that’s been addressed.
11:00 AM: Our weekly Editorial team meeting! Usually this is on Thursdays when most of us are in the office, but this week it’s shifted and shortened. We share team wins (I celebrate a contract getting signed!), regroup on a meeting we had with Marketing yesterday, and look at some videos that the Learning team has developed. Our various pets make welcome cameos on-screen.
11:30 AM: I hop to a weekly meeting hosted by our Studio Relations team, where they update the Publishing group on things like upcoming film slates, asset availability, Company-wide events and marketing to plan against, and we discuss other questions that have arisen for which we need their help to connect with other parts of Disney.
12:00 PM: In advance of a monthly meeting with the Licensing team, I continue writing a proposal for a new title that I’ll be presenting. My favorite thing about working with our brands is getting to ideate new content! When I learn that the meeting has moved out, I shift gears and start compiling materials that the Digital team needs to begin creating audiobook versions of some of my titles.
12:30 PM: Lunchtime. Since I’m at home, I take the opportunity to cook extra portions that I’ll have on hand for later this week.
1:00 PM: I tune in to our weekly Acquisitions meeting. No one on my team is bringing any titles this week, but it’s still helpful to hear what kind of feedback the Sales team has for different formats, proposed quantities, etc. While I’m listening, I keep working on the audio forms.
2:30 PM: I log back on Zoom for an introductory meeting with a new writer. Since all of the work I personally do is work-for-hire, it’s great to find new authors to bring onto our list!
3:00 PM: I take a break and switch to a casual catch-up meeting with my team’s previous Editorial Intern, who has just been hired on another imprint.
3:30 PM: I get started on writing the jacket copy and cover art notes for a YA novel I’m editing. Throughout the day, I’ve kept my eye on my email and Slack in case anything comes in that I need to attend to, and I’ve made sure to quickly sort and file emails to keep my inbox clean beforehand because I appreciate the uninterrupted time to work at this time. Before I wrap up for the day, I review some submissions that have arrived from our global publishing partners and licensees for their publishing products that are tied to the franchises I work on.
6:00 PM: I sign off and hustle into town for my weekly community choir rehearsal.
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