I promised to tell you about my new job, and now that I’m a week into it, I will.
Firstly, I suppose I should get some housekeeping out of the way. I am now employed by Oxford University Press, and involved with their blog, but all opinions given here are solely mine, and not OUP’s. There, that’s out the way – transparency always a good idea! But I’m not going to pretend to keep blog and job completely secret, because I think there are things on OxfordWords which you’ll really enjoy. Indeed, I linked to it before I ever worked there. It would be silly to keep these things to myself.
So, yes, I am Content, Communications, and Engagement Manager for OUP online dictionaries (for four months, as part of someone’s maternity cover). And – I love it! I have really, really enjoyed my first week – to the point where I’m already a little sad that it’s probably only going to last four months, in this position. Everyone’s very friendly, and the job is both challenging and fun, so far.
What do I actually do? My lovely line manager is still easing me in, and at the moment most of my role revolves around the OxfordWords blog – commissioning, editing, proof-reading, and (occasionally!) writing blog posts about language.
Although I won’t be writing hugely often, I have written my first post – which is a competition, so I didn’t actually have to write very much, but I did come up with this Dickens-related question. Enter to win a Kindle Fire HD! (Yes, yes, you know my stubbornly paper-books-only-please position, but if you’re Kindle-inclined – Kinclined? – then it’s a fantastic competition. And obviously I can’t enter anyway. Incidentally, the only downside to this job is that I can’t receive OUP review copies anymore!)
We language-lovers also, of course, love puns. If they’re puns mixed with pedantry, what more could we ask for? I don’t know where I stand with copyright, so I’m not going to copy the picture across, but I crafted something in Paint which will stand for time immemorial as Great Art… no? (If that Twitter link doesn’t work, try this one on Facebook.)
All in all, I’m so happy that I applied for it – and, more than that, that they offered me the job! It’s even more ideal for me than I’d imagined, and the people friendlier than I could have hoped. It already feels to me like I’ve been part of the team for ages.
I’ll keep mentioning OxfordWords content here, if I feel it’s appropriate for SiaB readers – and hopefully will also be posting regularly here. As a teaser, one of (seven!) books I’m reading at the moment is a fantastically good and observant chronicle of the Second World War… and it isn’t by Nella Last… guesses?
that's awesome congrats with your new job and good luck
That sounds like a perfect fit–best of luck!
What a perfect job for you, Simon! It is wonderful that you are enjoying it so much and it sounds like you'll be doing lots of interesting things. Lucky you!
And, given those clues and my knowledge of what you recently picked up at the library, I'm guessing the book you're reading comes in the form of letters and the author's intials are MPD.
I am half way through that particular book at this very moment. It's brilliant, but that is no surprise. I also recently obtained MPD's first novel, published when she was 16.
I will guess (but I know it will be wrong) The Berlin Diaries by Marie Vassiltchikov. Sounds like your job is going swimmingly!
So happy you're loving it, and what a fab opportunity so well deserved even if it likely 4 months only. No doubt OUP will be finding you a huge asset. And extra thanks for heads up on Kindle competition. Donna
To War with Whitaker?
Congratulations on your new job! Is your book Antony Beevor's Stalingrad? Probably not since that's too specialised to fit your description but I do commend it to you for a later date.
Sounds heavenly Simon – enjoy the job while you are there – who knows, maybe it will lead to other things? (My Middle Child temped at Leicester University and ended getting a job in the same office!)
Fingers crossed that it transmutes into something permanent there, if that's what you want. Sounds brilliant so far.
Congratulations Simon! This sounds like a perfect opportunity for you. And who knows where it will lead?
Congratulations, Simon, they're lucky to have you! I'm going to second Claire's guess but don't keep us in suspense too long. All the best!
Congratulations on the new job and thanks for introducing me to that blog, I didn't know that one, yet. Looks very interesting.
Nice to read this. And I will not be surprised to read, in a few months, that they have offered you something else at OUP.
sounds like a great job ,all the best stu
How exciting…I am so happy for you.
For the guess: Few Eggs and No Oranges or maybe Henrietta's War?? I gave away my copy of both books as a birthday present to someone whose birthday I had forgotten. They were in my TBR pile and I wrapped them up thinking I'll buy another copy for myself later. Then I looked on Amazon and realized it cost $30.00 to get another copy of Few Eggs and No Oranges (with shipping to the US). The present was a bit nicer than I intended. @:-)
Anyway, enough about me…I look forward to your review on whatever book it is and… I know you have a great future ahead of you!!
So pleased you are enjoying the job – good luck, and you never know, it may lead to something else.
Sounds like a great fit for you – I'm going to guess Panter-Downes for your current author, but I see I'm in good company with my guess. Do tell us the author (and the other 6). :)
Wow, that sounds perfect! Good luck!
Congrats Simon! That is one awesome sounding job you have landed yourself!
I'm very happy you have a job blogging and editing at OUP. That's perfect: you've been doing it for years, and they couldn't have chosen a more experienced person. I've been reading your charming blog since the inception, and it makes sense to me that this would lead to a career in publishing.
I've bookmarked the Oxford blog, too.
I'm happy for you, Simon. Sounds like both you and OUP are lucky.
My guess is Among You Taking Notes, by Naomi Mitchison (also a Mass Observation diary like Nella Last's). Though I think perhaps you did mention MPD last week.
"We language-lovers also, of course, love puns."
Word. (SEE WHAT I DID THERE?! Ahaha hah…)
Congratulations! What a perfect job for you!
Congrats! Sounds like a great job. I very nearly applied to work at OUP dictionaries but then we moved cities instead. I will try not to be too jealous :-)
Well done Simon – Ask Oxford was one of my favourite sites. I see it's turned into Oxford Words. Good luck! Who knows where it might lead? Like the stationery pun too..
Jane
I am so late to congratulate you but it's meant all the same, sounds like a great job to explore. :)