YPA Testimonial Advice: Dress up like a Clown and Make a Fool of Yourself if Necessary

I dressed up as a clown for my first networking event, and I encourage you to do the same. Yes, it was Halloween, but networking events are already super intimidating, especially when you are trying to break into a new industry.

I used to be a kindergarten teacher, so making a fool of myself wasn’t necessarily the problem. What was scary was the uncertainty of being accepted into a new community, but through my clown costume, which really couldn’t have been more embarrassing, I felt much more relaxed. I was already making a fool of myself, so why not fully throw myself into the deep end? And perhaps it was that, or perhaps it was the warm and welcoming nature of the Young Publishers Association, that made me feel very secure about what I was looking for and not ashamed that I hadn’t made it into the industry. I was very curious about it and wanted to learn more.

So, take it from me, a career switcher who dressed up as a clown for her first networking event, not knowing what she was getting into. Yet every person I met shared their perspective on the industry and allowed me to understand their path and how they got to where they are. It made the industry feel more accessible and gave me the confidence to see a place for myself within it. It might feel intimidating at first, but talking to people about your ideas will help you navigate your fears and encourage you to push yourself into a new career.

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Isabel Cooper-Perales works at Publishers Weekly, where she brings her combined expertise in education, marketing, and communications to support meaningful stories that inspire and empower all readers. She has a multicultural background, having lived in Amsterdam, London, France, Qatar, Spain, New Hampshire, and New York, which has instilled in her a global perspective and adaptability. She was also a former early childhood teacher. She saw how books could ignite imagination, support emerging literacy, and reflect the diverse identities of the children she taught, which sparked her passion for children's publishing.