Mentor Corner: Allyson Floridia
Senior Managing Editor at Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group
What was your first job in publishing?
My first job in publishing was as an assistant production editor for Yen Press, a light novel and manga publisher that began as an imprint of Hachette Book Group. I started in a temp position in 2017 and then got hired into a full-time position several months later. I dived into the deep end from the very beginning, haha. In the two years I was there, I was doing assistant, production editor, and managing editor work—that’s just how the cards fell. The schedules were challenging, but the job was fun and my colleagues were fantastic.
What was your career path like getting to your current role?
When I was completing my undergrad degree, I knew I wanted to go into publishing but had no idea what area I wanted to work in. I interned for a variety of publishers in different departments—newspaper editorial, educational publishing, independent publishing, trade editorial, and marketing. I wanted to learn about publishing as a whole, not only to find where I fit but also so that I could bring my experiences from all these areas of publishing together. After an informational interview with a managing editor during one of my internships, coincidentally with Hachette, I found a managing editorial position. This department really spoke to my love of language, grammar, and schedules. I started at an assistant level and slowly worked my way up, first at Yen Press, then at children’s PRH, and now at Macmillan.
What advice would you give to those who are either just starting out or are in their first few years in publishing?
Ask questions, talk to as many people as possible, and advocate for yourself. By asking questions and setting up informational interviews with folks across departments, you’re showing that you’re passionate and eager to learn. I’ve found that my own experiences across publishing have helped me get a better understanding of how a book comes together. I can better perform my job because I understand how the pieces all fit and what role I play in it. Then it’s just doing the work, going above and beyond however you can, and advocating for yourself.
What was the transition from production editor to managing editor like?
The transition was actually pretty smooth! There is a lot of crossover between production editorial and managing editorial, since both departments focus on scheduling, language, and grammar. They’re both project management positions, so the same skill sets work in either role. The shift to managing editorial simply broadened the scope, looking at an imprint’s list on a big-picture scale rather than a micro, individual book level. And I really love the collaboration involved in problem-solving scheduling concerns.
Every publisher organizes their production, editorial, and managing editorial departments differently. At Macmillan, the managing editors and production editors collaborate closely, and the managing editors do production editorial work on a few titles each season. It’s the best of both worlds—I get to PE a few individual books while also keeping an eye on the imprint’s seasonal deadlines.
What are your current favorite reads?
My favorite read so far is the Radiant Emperor duology (She Who Became the Sun and He Who Drowned the World) by Shelley Parker-Chan, which is a queer retelling of how the Ming Dynasty was formed. I had book one on my bookshelf for years before I actually opened it, and I’m kicking myself that I waited so long. They’re some of the best books I’ve read in a long time. The prose is beautiful, and the emotion really kicks you in the gut. Also, don’t worry—you don’t need to be familiar with Chinese history to read these books. I highly recommend.
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