My internship at the Porcupine’s Quill has been an overwhelming, terrifying and challenging journey.

And I am so glad I did it!

A blog can’t express how grateful I am to the Inksters for allowing me to learn from them for the past year and a half — and also for introducing me to Holtom’s Bakery, of course. I’ve learned more here than most people do in an undergraduate degree, and not only about publishing but about hard work, dedication and the value of a good coffee break. The Porcupine’s Quill is one of the smallest, and certainly one of the greatest, publishers in Canada, and every English-language reader in this country (and elsewhere) should be grateful for the professionalism, skill and passion that Tim and Elke pour into their work (and their cats). Working with them — the Inksters, not the cats — has been a truly enriching experience for me.

For my last blog, I thought I’d take the time to organize a roundup of every past Letter from the Porcupette. Organized by theme, posts may be found under more than one category as I often covered more than one topic each week. Hopefully you’ll find it useful while untangling the archives of my internship!

As for me, I have a month left in my teaching contract in France, and soon after that I return to Canada to pursue an MA in English literature at the University of Victoria (with the optimistic intention of returning to publishing afterwards, obviously). If you want to keep in touch with me, I have a personal blog and I’m also always available on Twitter as @caleighminshall. (Feel free to send me job offers! Or, failing that, lots of luck. Or questions about publishing, if you prefer.)

Good luck with your writing, editing, marketing and interning! Without further ado: The Big Prickly Roundup of Letters from the Porcupette.

All about PQ authors:

• 29/01/2011 – A guide to PQ authors on the web
• 14/11/2010 – Writing grants for the Canada Council (George Walker)
• 03/11/2010 – A mish-mash of news (Frank Newfeld)
• 16/10/2010 – Saskatchewan Book Award shortlist announcements (David Carpenter)
• 08/09/2010 – Squirrels on the Web: Digital marketing using free online content (Jon Evans)
• 03/06/2010 – Fairs, interns & cats (P K Page)
• 15/05/2010 – IPPY awards & more (>1 authors)
• 29/12/2009 – Interview with Kildare Dobbs on the upcoming Casanova in Venice
• 28/12/2009 – Interview with George A. Walker on the upcoming Book of Hours

Digital marketing, social media & website gymnastics:

• 16/03/2011 – Digital marketing for the Devil’s Artisan
• 24/02/2011 – Top ten things I’ve learned while interning
• 29/01/2011 – A guide to to PQ authors on the web
• 16/01/2011 – What I learned from the Overview of Canada Book Fund recipients’ websites
• 17/12/2010 – Happy holidays from the Quill!
• 03/11/2010 – A mish-mash of news
• 02/10/2010 – Google Alerts & the new porcupette office
• 21/09/2010 – First blog from France! – Google AdWords & Alerts (Part Two)
• 14/09/2010 – Last blog from Canada! – Google AdWords & Alerts (Part One)
• 08/09/2010 – Squirrels on the Web: Digital marketing using free online content
• 10/08/2010 – More victories! More dances!
• 25/08/2010 – Gorgeous new blog set-up; steely resolve
• 24/01/2010 – A day at the shop

Grants, applications & related things:

• 16/01/2011 – What I learned from the Overview of Canada Book Fund recipients’ websites
• 06/12/2010 – Evaluation framework: progress so far
• 14/11/2010 – Writing grants for the Canada Council
• 10/08/2010 – More victories! More dances!

Metadata & Onix:

• 24/02/2011 – Top ten things I’ve learned while interning
• 03/11/2010 – A mish-mash of news
• 08/10/2010 – A blog request from the Big Cheese
• 02/10/2010 – Google Alerts & the new porcupette office

Miscellaneous:

• 07/06/2010 – The Big Count (inventory)

Out and about with the Quill:

• 26/07/2010 – Report from SFU Publishing Immersion, pt. 2 (I’m home!)
• 18/07/2010 – Report from SFU Publishing Immersion, pt. 1 (I’m alive!)
• 08/07/2010 – SFU-flavoured ice cream
• 07/06/2010 – The Big Count
• 03/06/2010 – Fairs, interns & cats
• 13/12/2009 – PQL at the Toronto Small Press Book Fair

Personal with the Porcupette:

• 24/02/2011 – Top ten things I’ve learned while interning
• 07/01/2011 – 2011 already?
• 06/12/2010 – Evaluation framework: progress so far
• 14/11/2010 – Writing grants for the Canada Council (scroll to the bottom!)
• 03/11/2010 – A mish-mash of news (again, scroll to the bottom!)
• 02/10/2010 – Google Alerts & the new porcupette office
• 25/08/2010 – Gorgeous new blog set-up; steely resolve
• 04/08/2010 – Victory dances (scrolllll to the bottom)
• 30/06/2010 – Puzzles
• 15/05/2010 – IPPY awards & more
• 02/12/2009 – An introduction to PQL’s newest intern

Production:

• 20/05/2010 – The hunkeler
• 03/05/2010 – And so it begins

Reading guides:

• 21/11/2010 – Reading guides

Time management & hours spent on the job:

• 24/02/2011 – Top ten things I’ve learned while interning
• 07/02/2011 – Virtual internship breakdown
• 07/01/2011 – 2011 already?
• 06/12/2010 – Evaluation framework: progress so far
• 24/10/2010 – Time management for interns
• 31/08/2010 – Summer internship breakdown
• 15/05/2010 – IPPY awards & more

Tip sheets:

• 26/01/2011 – Fall 2011 tip sheets
• 19/08/2010 – Typing and tip sheets
• 04/01/2010 – What authors should know about interviews

Tips for writers and interns:

• 6/03/2011 – Blogs for publishing interns (and other people interested in the business)
• 24/02/2011 – Top ten things I’ve learned while interning
• 26/11/2010 – Advice & blogs for writers
• 24/01/2010 – A day at the shop
• 04/01/2010 – What authors should know about interviews
• 30/12/2009 – 8 tips for interviewing authors

Typesetting (& typing):

• 19/08/2010 – Typing and tip sheets
• 04/08/2010 – Victory dances
• 30/07/2010 – Home, sweet home
• 08/07/2010 – SFU-flavoured ice cream
• 30/06/2010 – Puzzles
• 30/05/2010 – Many mistakes

WorldCat/email sales campaigns:

• 16/03/2011 – Digital marketing for the Devil’s Artisan
• 16/10/2010 – Saskatchewan Book Award shortlist announcements
• 15/05/2010 – IPPY awards & more

Thanks again for your faithful reading! It’s been a blast.

Porcupette out.

P.S. A friend rightly remarked that, despite over a year’s worth of blogging, I never managed to cover how to get an internship of your own. Well, Rachel Stark at Trac Changes has a good series about how to get started. I recommend you read up!