Meet an Employee Owner: Scott
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Ask any of our more than 11,000 authors: it's the people who make publishing with FriesenPress so special. Why? As employee owners, we are directly invested in you and your story, bringing a rare level of care to the book projects we’re entrusted with.
In our (brand new!) Meet an Employee Owner series, we’re getting to know some of the amazing individuals who help our authors publish their incredible books.
A Publishing Consultant since spring 2019, Scott Donovan is among the first people that many aspiring authors speak to about partnering with FriesenPress — making him the perfect first employee owner for us to spotlight!
What drew you toward applying to join the FriesenPress team?
I had been working in furniture sales, but retail wasn’t floating my boat. I’d been a lifelong reader and writer, but really didn’t understand the publishing industry. In researching FriesenPress, I found a company that paired my modest experience in the newspaper business with my sales background — completely underpinned by my love of great books. Luckily, they swiped right!
What do you find most rewarding about your role?
I’m here to help. I love a great story, memoir, or nonfiction title, but I especially love inspiring authors about the business side of the industry. Let’s brainstorm how to promote your book!
Tell us a bit about your life outside of the virtual office – what are some activities and/or interests that fill your cup?
I’m currently a third year Bachelor of Social Work student at the University of Victoria, and I’m passionate about social issues and social justice. Beyond work and school, you can usually find me hiking in the woods with my dogs and partner between Victoria and Nanaimo!
What are some of your favourite books or authors?
I grew up reading Stephen King and really find many of his books to be profound stories about life itself — with a dash of supernatural thrown in. Check out Duma Key, and the ubiquitous IT.
I’m also a fan of Irvine Welsh and his Trainspotting universe. He writes phonetically in the Scottish dialect and the immersion is really something. These tales of debauchery are a valuable glimpse into 1980s UK. I recommend Glue, a tale of four men growing up. Be warned: it’s not for the faint of heart.
What does being an employee owner of Friesens and FriesenPress mean to you?
I really appreciate the collectivism we enjoy here at FriesenPress, and as part of Friesens. We share in the responsibilities, and we share in the results. I think back to how we decided to continue working from home during COVID, or how we decided to have biweekly flex days to enjoy long weekends more often. Flexibility and work-life balance counts to us!
Looking back across all the conversations you’ve had and books you’ve worked on, are there any projects that jump out as being particularly noteworthy to you?
Two come to mind:
A Happy Has-Been by Bill Welychka
Having grown up mostly in the 90s with MuchMusic and VJs like Bill Welychka, Rick the Temp, and Sook-Yin Lee, I was thrilled and a bit starstruck when I met Bill through video chat for our first call. Surrounded by Tragically Hip paraphernalia, he told me how he wanted to release his memoir to coincide with the release of the MuchMusic documentary, 299 Queen Street West by Sean Menard, in 2023. This fun read includes interviews with everyone from Ozzy to Madonna, and really made my envy show in bright shades of green!
Bound by Theresa Redmond
Not only was Theresa very fun to work with, but her book had complex themes set in 1700s-era colonial Canada that didn't shy away from the realities of the time. This award-winning book speaks truth to history in a way textbooks can’t accomplish.
What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned in your role helping authors at FriesenPress?
Expertise counts. For example, I’m not a book editor and I’m not a book designer. I often see where projects start, and I’m always impressed when the book hits the bookstore. Being a large enough company to have many people with one or two specializations – instead of a few people that do everything – really makes the difference for our authors.
What’s a piece of writing and/or publishing advice that you wish more writers knew?
If I could really zero in on one thing, it would be to come to the pen seriously. Become a student of the craft. This can mean reading books like Stephen King’s On Writing, but it can also mean creating rough drafts without fear of making mistakes and then learning from those mistakes later. I see perfectionism stop a lot of projects in the rough draft phase, and the truth is that writing is a process over many drafts. Live in the craft!
Great advice — thanks, Scott!
