Hi there folks! I’m sorry to report that I’ve moved on to various projects since graduating from the Columbia Publishing Course, and have been kept from spending enough time to put this blog completely together from my course journal. Someday (probably in a fit of nostalgia), I’ll go back to digging through my box of CPC memories and then finish things here. But not today!
In the mean time, please feel free to approach me at ray.wong (at) tmesismag.com with any questions you might have about the course. I’ll answer ‘em all, down to what we ate everyday for lunch 
(2/20/08)
-Ray
P.s. Yes, my blog banner is from an actual picture I took from my dorm room window; the campus is truly beautiful in the summer.
September 12, 2008 at 12:42 am
Hi,
you’re site is really great! I was wandering if you’d be able to give me some advice on what sort of thing to write on my application for CPC.
I’m from Australia and I have a feeling that there is a different culture in terms of applying for things. What sort of things did you say?
October 8, 2008 at 11:27 am
I feel all international students should be given a few words of advice before going to CPC. You will not be able to work in the US, unless you are already a US citizen. Chances are, the course will not be well regarded in your own country (this was my experience in the UK and Canada), as it is only a 6week course. The point in CPC is to ‘network’ with New York publishing people and have Lindy be your advocate to the industry.
October 20, 2008 at 2:07 pm
Hey Hazel, thanks for those words of advice; it’s a bit disheartening to hear about the US citizenship issue.
And yes, I guess CPC does stick out as only a six-week course when you have publishing students coming out of NY University Bachelor’s and Master’s programs too. These are all important points to consider – you really have to be on your game and possibly stick around for a while to get a job in New York if you don’t have prior publishing experience or schooling.
Having said that, being able to put CPC in your resume can’t hurt. I can only see it as a positive, especially considering the global connections you’ll make. They may not guarantee a job in your home country, but you’ll at least be opened to publishing possibilities outside the realm of Manhattan.
-Ray
February 3, 2009 at 1:18 pm
Hi there! I was wondering if you could tell me a little more about the fact that you didn’t find the course to be well-regarded in Canada. Did you do any research/job-hunting?
I’m a Canadian resident, and the US citizenship isn’t an issue (I’m a US citizen), but I do plan to work in Canada.
And is it really just about networking in New York? Are there connections to Canadian publishing houses that you know of? Or are there a lot of valuable things to learn? Is it not particularly well-regarded in the US because it is a short program?
Thanks.
February 4, 2009 at 3:39 pm
As I entered the program, I really didn’t have any knowledge of or experience with publishing (aside from a brief internship at an agency). The course gave me an invaluable understanding of the inner workings of the industry, and it threw me knee deep into a hectic work environment that gave me a taste of what it would be like, so I believe that it most definitely is more than just a place to network.
It may depend on where you’re coming from and how you look at the course
May 7, 2009 at 8:05 pm
First off, I love this site. I have been trying to gain as much insight into the course as possible, and other than talking with some boot camp survivors, this has been my secondary source of “inside information” regarding the course. Helpful and honest, this site has been safely bookmarked in my web browser
Now, to my question! I was wondering about time commitment as a CPC student. I hear it is a 9-5pm ordeal, but additional mandatory events have students working into wee hours of the night. As a rather unusual undergrad–early to bed, early to rise, finish-my-HW-in-time-for-dinner type student, if you will–sleep was and is an absolute MUST for me. I rarely stay up and do not work well under time pressure. I am more than willing to exert myself and step out of my comfort zone for this course–but, to prepare myself, I’d like to get an understanding of the work load and time commitment, considering the lecture and workshop hours take up most of the day. What are the ups and downs you’ve experienced with this? Did you find yourself burned-out much of the time during the course?
Thanks
May 8, 2009 at 2:29 pm
Thanks for the kind comments Naori
Not to scare you, but the typical lecture day is a 9-9pm ordeal (give or take an hour) with three or four lectures per day. But despite the seemingly long work day, you get ample free time during lunch and dinner breaks and there isn’t really too much work to do aside from taking personally beneficial notes during the talks and the occasional speaker-assigned mini project (most of which you will already have finished before the start of the course).
The real work begins with the workshops. During these weeks, the large lecture hall is converted into a work hall where mock publisher HQs are set up; at this point, you’ll be working to meet your daily deadlines.
If you’re pretty diligent, you can probably finish well before bedtime on most workshop days, but on some days, you’ll be relying on meetings with your overseers and materials from your teammates to complete your objectives. Things will inevitably become more hectic as the end of each workshop draws near. Also, keep in mind that you’ll be learning things as you go. At times, you may not know how to do the next part of your job until the next overseer meeting. They do this to keep you on edge, I’m sure of it :p
Burned-out is a harsh way of putting it – the experience has a lot to do with the way you look at your situation. The workshops are, without a doubt, stressful ordeals, but keeping calm, pacing yourself, and working through any mistakes you might make will have you coming away with real satisfaction. Being able to work well with your team helps a lot – I’m lucky to have worked with some great people
I never so much felt stressed-out as I did invigorated. I hope this answers your questions somewhat.
May 8, 2009 at 7:30 pm
Ray,
Thank you, that really does help a lot!
I am pumped for the workshops, and am really looking forward to working with people who share the same passion for great literature as I do. I appreciate the quick response, and I hope to have a unique and invigorating experience at CPC this summer, as I’m sure you have!
- Naori
January 18, 2011 at 1:29 am
Hi,
I am Divya from India. I chanced upon your blog when surfing the net for information on CPC. I am planning to apply for 2011 class. I have graduated with a degree in engineering but I always had an affinity toward publishing and ended up working as a copy editor. I read through the earlier posts and found that I cannot get a job since I am not a US citizen. I was wondering if you could maybe give an idea on the what Columbia exactly looks out for? Also is there any chance that I could stay back in New York after completing CPC and do freelancing until I get a break.If you could just elaborate…Nice blog btw!