WHAT IFS & SEUSS: LETTER #1
This past summer I had the incredible opportunity to meet Dr. Seuss’ wife. Not only that, but the chance to see his house and sit in his studio. I got to see the ink stains and where the magic happened! It is an experience I will never ever forget! While I was there I learned about the existence of Seuss Enterprises, created while Seuss was alive, it has been kept running by his wife. They are not a publishing company but they work with licensing and marketing Seuss' books. If a movie is being made? You talk to Seuss Enterprises. Want to have a 20th anniversary edition of a Seuss classic? You talk to Seuss Enterprises. They are keen on upholding the ideals and standards of Seuss as well as carrying on his success.
So, I have decided that I would like an internship with Seuss Enterprises. Although they are not a publishing company, it gets my foot in the door on what goes into the process of publishing. Along with my passion for all things Seuss it would be an unrivaled opportunity for me; not to mention I have heard that the offices are like their very own Seuss land- please say no more.
The thing is, Seuss Enterprises does not offer ANY internships.
There are no applications or open positions for such a thing. Even so, two weeks ago I wrote a letter to Susan Brandt, the marketing director of Seuss Enterprises. She is the one that can give me an internship or refuse. (However, I am not much for a closed door.) As you will see in this first letter I have written that is posted below, Seuss was rejected 27 times but the 28th made all the difference. The 28th made the Seuss we all know and love today, the one that has inspired generations! If I hope to work with the ideals of Seuss, it seems only fitting to follow in his footsteps. I have given Susan Brandt two weeks to respond to my first letter… (And by response, we all know I mean, YES!) I warned the marketing director that if I did not receive a response, I would not give up just yet. So the time has come, starting Monday I will send out the first of a series of 27 letters. I want each one to show why I am a qualified and unique candidate for this position.
What if she says no? What if she never even reads the letters? What if I hope and write for months just to be rejected? What if?
What I have found, is that if you are willing to entertain those two words, you must also be willing to entertain two sides of the story.
What if she says no? What if she says yes?
What if she never even reads the letters? What if she reads them all? Or even just one, and that was all that was needed?
What if I am rejected? Oh, but what if I am accepted?
What if it doesn’t matter anyways?
What if it does?
I like that side of the story better.
Welcome- to this journey of What If’s and 27 letters!
I am not interested in simply listing qualifications or impressing the marketing director, I am interested in seeing what persistence will do.
What if it does nothing? What if it does something?
LETTER #1
"To Susan Brandt, whom it may concern;
As the President of Seuss Enterprises along with an esteemed position held at Twentieth Century Fox, and other jobs of years past, one thing is clear. You are an experienced individual who understands and has a well-rounded knowledge of their area of work. Schooling and degrees can be attributed to this, however in reality a degree alone will not earn you these positions. It takes hard work, persistence, and a willingness to learn. These are all characteristics you must have or else you would not be where you are today. These characteristics are a requirement along with that moment when intention meets opportunity. You had to begin somewhere, despite the best intentions there had to be a point to begin- an opportunity given or a chance taken on the potential of who you could be. Clearly wherever you began, whoever it was who first gave you an opportunity, it was well worth it.
I am writing you today for an opportunity, for a chance. I am Alison Stephen, not only has Seuss taught me countless things but I too am an author and illustrator. I have aspirations to work in publishing alongside Random House. I know Seuss Enterprises is not a publishing company nor will it be a route for me to submit a manuscript to Random House. Seuss Enterprises deals with licensing and marketing. Learning what that looks like in regards to books would be a beginning for me in the publishing world. A beginning to understanding the process, it would be an invaluable education for me. The opportunity I ask for is that of an internship, whatever it may look like. Answering the phone, filing, computer work, drafting contracts etc. As an intern my priority would be to fit into the clockwork to assist in the efficiency and success of the company.
Why me? Why now? When Seuss took his manuscript to 27 publishers, he didn’t have an answer to these questions. He did not have a degree related to publishing and he was not known for his storytelling; but he was persistent. He was a hard worker and he never gave up. These are the things that made him successful. They are the ingredients for success in almost any environment. It is because of these three characteristics that I too hold, that cause me to believe that I would be a wonderful asset to Seuss Enterprise as an intern. It would be an opportunity I would not refuse, should it be offered for the summer, fall, or winter.
As mentioned earlier- Seuss was rejected 27 times, but with his persistence that 28th made all the difference. If I hope to work with the same ideals as Seuss, it seems only fitting that I should follow his footsteps in this manner should I not receive a response to this first letter of endeavor. I hope I will not need to send 27 more letters in addition to this one."
Sincerely,
Alison Stephen