Welcome to our rebooted “Beacon Behind the Books” series! In these times when readers are responding to our books “more than ever,” when our authors—including Aubrey Gordon, Tanya Katerí Hernández, James Baldwin, Viktor Frankl, Atef Abu Saif, and Percival Everett—are appearing in the media, their ideas going viral on social media, their voices being heard on so many platforms, we thought it would be good to take a break to focus on some of the staff who work hard to find, shape, edit, produce, and promote those works. Our blog series introduces to you a staff member and gives you a behind-the-scenes look, department by department, at what goes on at our office. And not only our staff, but our interns, too.

This month, we introduce you to Sophie Yook, our sales intern! 

What drew you to publishing, Sophie? How did you find your way to Beacon?

Since elementary school, I always loved to read and write in my free time and always had my nose in a book. In fact, my mom would have to wrestle my book and flashlight out of my hands whenever she would catch me reading under the covers at night. As I grew older, books and stories continued to remain an important part of my life but fell to the backburner as other academic and co-curricular pursuits took my time.

When I entered college, I was convinced I would major in the social sciences. However, I took an Asian American literature course to fulfill a credit and immediately fell in love with the discussions and content we would engage with. It was during these seminars that the topic of publishing came up and how writers of color often contend with additional barriers pre- and post-publication. Thus, I became interested in further exploring the publishing landscape and learning how the industry can become more diverse, inclusive, and accessible for all writers and readers.

Before coming to Beacon, I interned at a literary agency and an editorial production company where I was introduced to the earlier stages of the publishing process. While I enjoyed my time in editorial work, I also wanted to take the time to navigate the consumer-facing roles of marketing and sales and learn more about the dynamic book market. I’m so grateful to Beacon for giving me the opportunity to do just that this summer!

What are some of the challenges you’ve encountered in your role? What do you find most rewarding?

One of the biggest obstacles I have personally stumbled across while working in sales and marketing was learning how to be succinct with my words. Going from writing ten-page papers throughout college to writing copy under 250 words was definitely a learning curve, and I was challenged by the process of thoroughly expressing the ideas of a book in a clear and concise manner. Hoping to improve this skill, I took on an independent project where I drafted updated copy for Beacon’s backlist titles, making it more relevant and engaging to current readers.

It's rewarding to be in a position where I can tangibly see a book coming to life. When I worked in editorial, it sometimes felt as if the story simply disappeared into thin air after I submitted an edited manuscript, knowing the book would go through a lengthy revision and production process. However, at the marketing and sales stage, I love being able to see the culmination of everyone’s hard work as the book prepares to enter and stand out in the literary landscape.

What is one book on our list that has influenced your thinking on a particular issue?

I recently started Women and Other Monsters: Building a New Mythology, where Jess Zimmerman re-examines and re-envisions female mythological monsters in the context of sexism and misogyny. The book reminded me of a class I took last semester, “Medieval Mythology”, during which we encountered similar themes regarding the (mis)representation of women figures, such as the Virgin Mary, across time. Though I haven’t gotten very far with the book, I admire Zimmerman’s incisive approach on how past and present cultures have continuously feared powerful, bold women, confining them to diminishing beauty and behavioral standards.

What do you wish someone had told you about publishing when you were entering the industry?

When I was first looking into publishing, I had really only let myself consider editorial work. As an English major, I assumed that it was inevitable for me to go into editorial and never gave other roles and departments a chance. However, with this internship, I was able to try my hand at sales and marketing and found that I really loved all that I had been able to work on during my time at Beacon. Whether it was writing copy or creating various social media assets, I found my English degree to be useful and relevant, with the added bonus of tapping into my creative side as well. And if I ever do go back to editorial, I now feel more knowledgeable and confident about the industry and the publishing process overall.

Favorite thing about Boston (or your remote home base)?

I attend college in Maine, so I frequently take the train down to Boston during the weekends. My favorite coffee shop ever is Ogawa Coffee, where they make the prettiest lattes!

Favorite food?

Noodles.

What are you reading right now?

Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng

What’s the next queued song on your music player?

“La La Lost You” by NIKI.

Dream vacation destination?

I really want to visit Korea, Japan, and Vietnam next!