Help Jessie Attend Yale Book Course
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Hello everyone!
A few months ago I applied to attend Yale University's summer publishing program. Given my background, I wasn't sure I'd be accepted. I knew past attendees to the Yale Publishing Course came from large publishing houses like Crown, HarperCollins, MacMillan and Scribner so I was pretty sure I wasn't what they were looking for.
I didn't attend college and my resume is littered with the names of small presses and independent magazines. When we launched Pioneers Press four years ago I had a toddler at home and was pregnant with my second child. Unable to afford child care, I've often attended tabling events and conferences with one baby on my hip and a toddler under our display table. I'm proud of the work we've been able to do at Pioneers Press - garnering attention from mainstream media and making best-sellers lists - but it's still a constant struggle keeping our young publishing house afloat. Being accepted into Yale's program felt like a longshot.
But as many of you now know, I was accepted and I was also selected as Yale's Book Publishing "Innovative Leader" scholarship recipient .
"The judges and I were extremely impressed with the excellence of your work, the passion and commitment you bring to the profession, and the glowing recommendation you received." - Tina C. Weiner, Director, Yale Publishing Course
It means so much to me to have my work acknowledged in this way and I'm beyond excited about attending the course. But I need your help to make this happen.
The YPC Innovative Leader Scholarship covers the $5,450 tuition cost for the Yale Publishing Course, but doesn't cover travel/transportation, room and board. As I added up the expenses associated with the trip and my stay in New Haven, it quickly became clear that even with the generous scholarship, there's no way I can cover these costs on my own.
As uncomfortable as I am with doing a fund-raising campaign, I know I won't be able to take advantage of this incredible opportunity without your help.
Here's a little info on the course and what makes it so special:
*The program is taught by Yale faculty and publishing industry experts including top executives from Penguin Random House, Bantam Dell, Hachette, Perseus, and the Harvard Business Review.
*YPC is supported by many organizations in the publishing industry including the Association of American Publishers, the Association of American University Presses, the Independent Book Publishers Association and Publishers Weekly.
*The program is attended by mid to senior level publishing professionals from publishing houses all over the world.
* The size of the class is limited to a maximum of 70 students in order to allow students to engage in direct interactions with expert faculty and build relationships.
*The program is described as "a unique immersive educational experience, providing you with the tools and knowledge to enhance your leadership skills and develop successful revenue strategies" and past attendees have described it as inspirational, transformative and life changing.
An associate editor from Simon & Schuster called it "the best professional development experience I have had in my two decade career."
Here's what I hope to gain by attending the course:
*Discover ways that Pioneers Press (and other indie publishers) can flourish outside of traditional publishing and distribution models by participating in conversations about the issues facing mainstream publishers and what is working for them.
*Gain a better understanding of how small presses can help their authors reach mainstream audiences.
*Find more effective ways to continue my work of advancing marginalized ideas, art, and authors.
*Make connections with more experienced publishers who might be willing to help me work through issues in the future.
"This course will help both Jessie and Pioneers Press discover new ways to thrive in their critical literary niche, and continue to introduce new audiences to the wonders of independent publishing, " says Julia Cole, who directs the organization that awarded me a grant several years ago through the Andy Warhol Foundation regranting program. "The Innovative Leader scholarship will make the opportunity possible for a dynamic young woman who is doing so much to empower small press and underground publishing in America, and it is hard to imagine a more worthy recipient of this honor."
While I know this will be a wonderful experience for me personally, what I'm most excited about is the opportunity to learn how we can better support the wonderful authors we work with at Pioneers Press and strengthen the independent publishing community.
I would so appreciate your help in getting me to Yale.
Thank you for your ongoing support and encouragement!
Jessie Duke
Owner, Pioneers Press
A few months ago I applied to attend Yale University's summer publishing program. Given my background, I wasn't sure I'd be accepted. I knew past attendees to the Yale Publishing Course came from large publishing houses like Crown, HarperCollins, MacMillan and Scribner so I was pretty sure I wasn't what they were looking for.
I didn't attend college and my resume is littered with the names of small presses and independent magazines. When we launched Pioneers Press four years ago I had a toddler at home and was pregnant with my second child. Unable to afford child care, I've often attended tabling events and conferences with one baby on my hip and a toddler under our display table. I'm proud of the work we've been able to do at Pioneers Press - garnering attention from mainstream media and making best-sellers lists - but it's still a constant struggle keeping our young publishing house afloat. Being accepted into Yale's program felt like a longshot.
But as many of you now know, I was accepted and I was also selected as Yale's Book Publishing "Innovative Leader" scholarship recipient .
"The judges and I were extremely impressed with the excellence of your work, the passion and commitment you bring to the profession, and the glowing recommendation you received." - Tina C. Weiner, Director, Yale Publishing Course
It means so much to me to have my work acknowledged in this way and I'm beyond excited about attending the course. But I need your help to make this happen.
The YPC Innovative Leader Scholarship covers the $5,450 tuition cost for the Yale Publishing Course, but doesn't cover travel/transportation, room and board. As I added up the expenses associated with the trip and my stay in New Haven, it quickly became clear that even with the generous scholarship, there's no way I can cover these costs on my own.
As uncomfortable as I am with doing a fund-raising campaign, I know I won't be able to take advantage of this incredible opportunity without your help.
Here's a little info on the course and what makes it so special:
*The program is taught by Yale faculty and publishing industry experts including top executives from Penguin Random House, Bantam Dell, Hachette, Perseus, and the Harvard Business Review.
*YPC is supported by many organizations in the publishing industry including the Association of American Publishers, the Association of American University Presses, the Independent Book Publishers Association and Publishers Weekly.
*The program is attended by mid to senior level publishing professionals from publishing houses all over the world.
* The size of the class is limited to a maximum of 70 students in order to allow students to engage in direct interactions with expert faculty and build relationships.
*The program is described as "a unique immersive educational experience, providing you with the tools and knowledge to enhance your leadership skills and develop successful revenue strategies" and past attendees have described it as inspirational, transformative and life changing.
An associate editor from Simon & Schuster called it "the best professional development experience I have had in my two decade career."
Here's what I hope to gain by attending the course:
*Discover ways that Pioneers Press (and other indie publishers) can flourish outside of traditional publishing and distribution models by participating in conversations about the issues facing mainstream publishers and what is working for them.
*Gain a better understanding of how small presses can help their authors reach mainstream audiences.
*Find more effective ways to continue my work of advancing marginalized ideas, art, and authors.
*Make connections with more experienced publishers who might be willing to help me work through issues in the future.
"This course will help both Jessie and Pioneers Press discover new ways to thrive in their critical literary niche, and continue to introduce new audiences to the wonders of independent publishing, " says Julia Cole, who directs the organization that awarded me a grant several years ago through the Andy Warhol Foundation regranting program. "The Innovative Leader scholarship will make the opportunity possible for a dynamic young woman who is doing so much to empower small press and underground publishing in America, and it is hard to imagine a more worthy recipient of this honor."
While I know this will be a wonderful experience for me personally, what I'm most excited about is the opportunity to learn how we can better support the wonderful authors we work with at Pioneers Press and strengthen the independent publishing community.
I would so appreciate your help in getting me to Yale.
Thank you for your ongoing support and encouragement!
Jessie Duke
Owner, Pioneers Press
Organizer
Jessie Duke
Organizer
Ann Arbor, MI