Today we’d like to introduce you to Brittany Griffiths.
Hi Brittany, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My path to publishing has been a little irregular. I came in through the back door, an experience I think rings true for many folks in publishing, especially those who don’t live on the East Coast. New York has long been the hub of publishing in the States, and most companies still expect you to live and work in the city. When you don’t, you have to find a nontraditional way in.
I first became interested in the production process by making books for myself and friends. In 2014, I launched an indie publishing company called Spontaneous Afflatus, where I published three poetry collections and an online cultural arts magazine over the course of six years. Ultimately, I operated in the red, as publishing requires significant capital and offers a slow return on investment.
From there, I applied for a job at Mavs Open Press, the library press at the University of Texas at Arlington. My experience managing acquisitions, design, and production served me well as the Publishing Assistant. I designed and typeset all of our academic journals and worked with the OER team to produce open textbooks using Pressbooks.
After three years at UTA, I started looking for a way to move into trade publishing and landed at Brown Books Publishing Group. BBPG is a hybrid publishing company, meaning it operates on an author-subsidized business model that combines the professional standards of traditional publishing with a structure in which authors invest in the process. I started there as a Publishing Assistant, and over the past four years, I’ve worked my way up to Senior Manager of Operations.
For the last two and a half years, I’ve also been attending DePaul University online to complete my bachelor’s degree in Writing, Rhetoric, and Discourse.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
There have certainly been struggles along the way, and there will be countless more to come, no doubt. Life is full of them—both personal and professional. I think I suffered from imposter syndrome for a long time, but I’ve come to realize that many, many people experience it too, which has ultimately helped me overcome it. I’ve also had to face doubt often and work hard to figure out what I really want, not just in my career, but in life.
There have been plenty of times when I’ve taken on too much because I didn’t want to waste opportunities, but that has sometimes driven me mad or, at worst, caused me to fall short of what I committed to. Overcommitting myself was a tough habit to correct, and honestly, I still fail at it sometimes! This summer was a perfect example: I took on an extensive grant research project while working full-time, taking four classes, preparing to present at an out-of-state conference, moving with my family into a new house, and serving as a bridesmaid in my sister’s wedding. Sometimes we regress, and I’ve had to learn to have grace for myself in those moments.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Before I worked in publishing, I held a lot of different jobs—from UPS clerk to medical courier, from Kellogg’s warehouse worker to pizza delivery driver, and even as operations manager at a flower shop. But there was a throughline across all of those roles: logistics. My strengths lie in managing multiple disparate pieces and pulling them together to deliver a finished product, service, or event.
In publishing, this makes me a valuable vendor manager. I also have a strong technology background, which makes me adept at platform and metadata management. I love researching new platforms, improving production workflows, and building relationships with people along the way.
My career in publishing spans ten years now—from library to trade—and I believe that my experience and the connections I’ve made over the years set me apart. I’m particularly proud of my work in art direction at Brown Books, as well as the OER and accessibility projects I contributed to at UTA.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
I mentioned before how much I love R&D, and this past summer I had the chance to really stretch my legs in research when I was awarded DePaul’s Summer Undergraduate Research Grant to pursue a study titled The Rhetoric of Hybrid Publishing: Negotiating Legitimacy and Stigma in the Modern Publishing Landscape. This project presents a rhetorical analysis of how hybrid publishing is framed across public and institutional discourse. Using digital ethnography, a literature review, and qualitative interviews with authors, editors, and publishing professionals, it explores how legitimacy in hybrid publishing is constructed, contested, and redefined.
The study’s findings reveal the rhetorical strategies authors and publishers use to navigate credibility, the ethical implications embedded in different publishing models, and the broader cultural power dynamics shaping the industry. Ultimately, this research contributes to a deeper understanding of access, equity, and creative agency within a rapidly evolving publishing ecosystem.
I had the opportunity to present a report on this research at George Washington University’s 15th Annual Ethics in Publishing Conference in October, and I’ll be presenting my paper again next summer at the Information, Medium, & Society Conference in Lisbon. My academic and professional interests also extend to how technology continues to transform publishing, particularly through metadata and data-driven strategies that help connect books with the right readers. I’m fascinated by how digital tools are making the publishing process more accessible, efficient, and impactful for both authors and audiences.
Outside of research and publishing, I’m also a writer. My debut poetry collection, Ebb & Flow, was first published in 2017, with a second edition now available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. My writing has appeared in Mad Swirl and Wavelength Magazine, and I publish From the Stack on Substack, a personal space where I explore culture, travel, publishing, and whatever else I’m curious about.
At the core of everything I do is a deep love of learning, fueled by curiosity and connection. When I’m not working or writing, you’ll probably find me reading on the porch (or the beach, if I’m lucky), traveling, or stargazing with my telescope in the backyard.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.brittanygriffiths.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brittygriffy/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittany-griffiths/
- Other: https://bgriffiths.substack.com/
