Every Chapter of My Career Led to This One.

More than 20 years ago, a neighbor arrived on my front porch holding a large manilla envelope. Mr. Worthing was an old-school gentleman. That day — like all others — he was dressed in a suit and tie.

“Mrs. Miller, you’re an editor, aren’t you?” he asked.

“Well…yes…,” I hesitated, unaware that Mr. Worthing knew anything about my professional background in editing, publishing, and communications.

He shared that he had been writing poetry for three decades and wanted help transforming his collection into a professionally designed, coffee–table–quality legacy book.

I acknowledged my experience in managing publications, developing content, and media relations, though I explained I had no formal experience in bookmaking or custom book design at the time.

Mr. Worthing insisted that I learn the skills necessary to design his personalized legacy book — and paid me to do so.

Earnings from the basic, spiral-bound Down River, Up River funded my first quarter in graduate school, and the hands-on experience I gained through creating this custom poetry book and storytelling project qualified me for my next professional role in marketing and communications.