Full name: Megan Huddleston

Where did you attend undergrad and what degree did you receive?

I went to the University of Oregon and graduated with a BA in English and Political Science and a minor in French.

When will you graduate from the Ooligan program at PSU?

I’ll graduate spring term 2020—next year!

What is/are your favorite genre(s)?

I love the mystery and horror genres—detective stories, spy thrillers, true crime, psychological thrillers, hard boiled and cozy, Gothic, and bizarre! They’re the books I get lost in, that I can read for hours at a time. My favorite mystery writer is Tana French, and my favorite book ever is Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein.

What is your least favorite genre?

This is a tough question because I enjoy reading all different kinds of books, from literary fiction and science fiction to memoirs and creative nonfiction, cookbooks, books on traveling, old books, new books. I think I really just love reading!

What drew you to the Ooligan program?

I live in Portland, so the location was ideal. I also love that there’s a student-run press where we gain real-life publishing experience.

If you could design your own course within the publishing program, what would it focus on?

I’m interested in the intersection of publishing and literary studies, so I would love to design a course that looks at the historical production of some of the “classics of literature.” Who were they published by? How were they originally marketed? What else did the publisher put out around the same time? And how have their cover designs evolved over time? It’d be like a focused history of publishing and would, of course, involve field trips to special collections to see the first editions!

What part of this internship are you most looking forward to?

I’m super excited to get some more experience copy editing.

What do you like most about editing?

I love language. It’s so fascinating to think about how certain symbols (e.g., the alphabet and punctuation marks) can be combined to create incredibly complex meaning. It’s rewarding to me to be a part of this process—to help the symbols tell a story.

What do you like least about editing?

Frequently in editing, you make and trust your own decisions. I’m very collaborative and love discussing ideas in order to hear as many solutions as possible. I wish I could discuss everything that comes up in an edit, but usually I have to make a decision based upon my own knowledge and experience. I hope this becomes easier as I gain more experience!

What is the one thing that always catches your eye while editing?

I’ve recently been studying the comma section of the Chicago Manual of Style (it’s great night-time reading!), so right now my eyes tend to focus on commas and determining what function they’re performing.

What is one interesting fact about you that has nothing to do with editing or publishing?

I love cooking and trying new foods. The two best ways to learn about our world and the people who inhabit it are through stories and food.