Latinx in Publishing (LxP): What do you do?
Brigid Martin (BM): Hi everyone, I’m Brigid, the current mass-market sales associate manager at Scholastic, a magical and wonderful place filled with nostalgia and good people. I know that sales isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when you think of publishing, but it is such a great department to be in. Being in sales gives you the opportunity to see the entire journey of a book from the moment it gets to acquisitions to when you are selling it into an account. The thing I enjoy most about my job is that I get the exciting privilege to talk about, promote and amplify upcoming titles to a select list of buyers that I call upon. My accounts as of right now include BJs, airport chains, military bases, and B2C accounts. Developing relationships with these buyers is such a key part of this experience and it’s honestly the best part. My job essentially feels like I’m in a nonstop book club where I am describing all of the cool plot lines to people, except with more excel grids and reporting.
LxP: How did you get started?
BM: I originally went to college in the hopes of becoming a music teacher one day, but wound up having an existential crisis at 20 when I realized I didn’t exactly have the personality to make a good teacher. Those kids would have eaten me alive! I confided in a friend who was older than me who happened to be working in publishing at the time and went to her with the question “what should I be doing with my life?”. She recommended I switch to a publishing path since I loved books and I could still be in the field of education, but just in a different way! I took her advice, switched my major to English and never looked back. After my senior year, I applied to a ton of unpaid internships (boo!), got a bunch of rejections because I had no idea how to interview. After many many rejections, I eventually got a sales internship at Perseus Books because I was fortunate enough to be interviewed there by some lovely folks that were accepting of my social awkwardness. After the internship, I got hired full-time a few months later. I probably would have stayed there forever if the company didn’t get sold.
LxP: What do you wish you knew before getting into the industry?
BM: I really wish I knew the importance of having mentors before entering into the workforce. If it weren’t for the mentors I’ve acquired along the way since starting my career, I would not be where I am right now. Finding a mentor that can help guide you and give you advice on your weaknesses is key to becoming a better you! Publishing can be a rocky industry and you may end up getting knocked down a few times (I know I certainly have!), but if you have the right mentors, they can help you stay on course. For me, my biggest struggle was getting hired. I would go on dozens of interviews and get rejected by every single one. I was genuinely terrible at interviewing. I used to ask all the wrong questions and say all the wrong things because I didn’t know how to own my successes. It took a mentor to tell me that the only person who can advocate for you is you. That really stuck with me because I always struggled with celebrating my “wins” and never took credit for my accomplishments. Once I started adjusting the way I framed information, I was able to land more opportunities.
LxP: What book are you currently working on or reading?
BM: Right now I’m reading A Wizards Guide to Defensive Baking by T. Kingfisher. It’s a hilarious book about a young wizard whose magic only works on bread and it’s been bringing me a ton of joy. Prior to that, I actually just finished reading an advanced copy of Witchlings by Claribel Ortega (pubbing Feb 2022), which I highly highly recommend. It’s an action-packed magical adventure filled with quirky friendships, well-named toads, and overcoming challenges. I’m really hoping it becomes the next big thing in kids lit and I promise I’m not just saying that because I work at Scholastic.
Brigid Martin is a New York-based writer and publishing professional with a deep love of ghosts and all things spooky. It has been a goal and passion of hers to work in an industry that promotes educational and diverse content for children and can happily say that working at Scholastic has proven to deliver just that--and more! As a member of Scholastic's Trade DEIB Advisory Committee, Latinx in Publishing, SCBWI and the Children’s Media Association, Brigid is always eager to learn and grow in the hopes of making positive change in children's publishing. Outside of work, Brigid considers herself to be a serial hobbyist. When she isn't using industrial machinery at her local maker space or reading an excessive amount of books, you can find her crocheting her way out of a giant pile of yarn on Long Island. Brigid holds a B.A. in English and Music from Stony Brook University as well as an M.S. in Strategic Marketing Communications from Fordham University.
