Finally, a serious one, for Pax-C, TM, and anyone else who may know?

So, and I'm being serious here, genuinely curious, would living in New York make it easier being a writer (the beginning stages, I assume the later ones are definately easier) or is it basically the same send query, recieve SASE back type of process it is down here? Do you just randomly bump into agents or editors up there?





If I went to New York with a certificate for teaching secondary education from Texas would I have to re-cert or would it be accepted?





Could I make any good contacts taking an internship with a publisher, or does this get tried alot and is more or less futile? I guess you'd meet alot of would-be editors there too, so that could be helpful, but you know any stories about it?





Thanks for the answers.

Finally, a serious one, for Pax-C, TM, and anyone else who may know?
I have answers for you!





1) Being in NY gets you closer to the literary scene. If you're interested in simply writing a novel, you can do that anywhere. If you want to work for a publishing house, NY is the place to be. It's the same query, though. You could, possibly, bump into agents, but how would you know someone is an agent? They're normal people.





2) You would need to be re-certified. You would more than likely have to pass a test to do this. Each state is different, when it comes to teaching certifications.





3) Internship with a publisher is a great idea. They're very competitive, but a great start for anyone wishing to jump into the field. Remember, there are a lot of people in NY trying to do the same thing.





Good luck!
Reply:Meh. I can only answer two of your questions.





(1) The hub of publishing in the United States is in New York City. If you're only interested in writing your novel, here may not necessarily be the best place to be. Your creativeness and ability to write is not dependent on your location. If you're interested in actually working in publishing, then I'd strongly suggest you try New York. And I agree: You can't tell what an agent looks like just by looking at one. I mean, I'm sure there are plenty of agents and authors and editors around, roaming the streets, but it's not like they wear a sign.





(3) And yes, an internship does help. You can check online with publishing houses, but internships and associates programs are available at many houses. However, these positions are available only to college students. Taking on an internship or associates position with a publishing house will not only give you insight into how the industry works, it will give you connections to editors, who can guide you in your work and perhaps even connect you an agent and/or other editors. And you don't necessarily have to BE in editorial to build up your connections. I'm in managing editorial, and all of my contacts I have are from just working on books with my editors.





Good luck!