8 Things I've Learned Working at Word Alive Press for 8 Years
by Marina Reis
Do you remember November 2017? My personal recollection is of early snowfalls and feeling dispirited from my indented spot on my mother’s couch. My tablet was a trusted escape for watching endless YouTube videos about make-up and mental health and, also, job-searching.
On November 13, 2025, I will be marking eight years working as a project manager for Word Alive Press. In honour of this milestone, I have compiled here eight lessons that I have learned through the thick of it all.
1. It's all serendipitous
The second half of 2017 was a liminal stage of life for me, where I was getting my bearings back after returning to Winnipeg from a life-changing year living in London, England. My autumn days were spent healing and sleeping until noon, observing the Canada geese honking their way towards southern migration, and baking biscotti. Now, with the benefit of hindsight, I see what was happening to me for what it really was: without realizing it, I had transitioned from being a girl into being a woman. So, this was my state of mind as I scrolled through what Workopolis had to offer a prosaic English major, when I found the job listing for an opening position at a local publishing company I had never heard of before. Accustomed to disappointment, I wasn’t surprised that I missed the application deadline by one single day. I had nothing left to lose, however, and uploaded my updated resume, not expecting a call back. The rest is history.
2. They call it "work-life balance"; I call it authenticity
Life is not binary. "Work-life balance" seems like nothing more than a way of establishing control of when you can be you and when you need to shut off all your human mess and contribute to the global economy. Not interested. I find that if I bring my moods, my thoughts, my passions, and my true sense of self to work, I enjoy my day better. Authenticity helps me connect much better with my colleagues and the authors that I work with. What better compliment is there than knowing that someone is sharing their true essence, their soul with you? Bring your true self to work.
3. Keep an open mind
How my mind has expanded and evolved working with so many diverse authors! It is so important working in any publishing industry, never mind a Christian one, to keep an open mind and respect the experiences and beliefs of those around us. It is a simple lesson we were probably all taught back in kindergarten, but the way of the world can sometimes make us feel like we must keep our beliefs and our faith to ourselves for fear of judgement or mockery. I have some of the best working relationships with authors from completely different denominations from what I grew up with. This exposure to different Christians has given me a greater appreciation of how we are all connected to one another in this great big world God gave us all to share.
4. Get a nice wall calendar
It sounds silly, but hear me out. In the vein of being your authentic self at work, a wall calendar is a great way to express yourself or even give yourself something to aspire to. In 2024, I spent an entire year with a calendar featuring photographs of beautiful old forests, coupled with a verse from Shakespeare's MacBeth for every month. These verses offered witticisms and wisdom that would boost my mood throughout the workday. In 2023, I got to look at a wall calendar of prints by the artist, Maud Lewis, a brave and free-spirited woman who lived her life on her own terms. This year, I am greeted by images of Iceland's otherworldly landscapes, a place that reminds me of visiting the small Viking town of Gimli, MB in the summertime.
5. Find ways to relate to your colleagues
I have been fortunate enough to work with some incredibly kind, intelligent, and hard-working people who will probably leave an everlasting mark on my heart. Perhaps if we crossed paths walking down the street, we would never stop to chat with one another, and that would be a real pity, because I have learned so much from them! The great thing about colleagues is that they take you out of your small circle of reference. Our friends are often direct reflections of who we are, more or less: the opinions we hold, the books we read, the hobbies we enjoy, but co-workers are pulled from all walks of life, so you can learn so much and can be challenged to grow from them.
6. Growth is important
It is important not to be afraid to learn a new skill or to take up a new challenge, no matter how long you have been at your job. This attitude will prevent you from feeling like you've plateaued at a job where there is always something new to learn. I find it important to humble yourself and pick up something new from your greener colleagues, who may have more updated knowledge on something, whether that be an update to industry standards or new software being incorporated into the office culture. Just like older generations have a lot to learn from younger generations, old colleagues can learn a lot from our new ones.
7. Time flies
Paper prices fluctuate. Global pandemics hit. Another season of The Braun Book Awards comes and goes, so you'd best try to enjoy it before it's gone! Before you know it, another year has passed. I recently came across this old C.S. Lewis quote: “Isn't it funny how day by day nothing changes, but when you look back, everything is different.” The humdrum of coming into work every morning and locking up every evening can make me feel like everything remains stagnant. But when I look back, I realize how much my own life (never mind the world at large!) has changed since November 2017. Life moves at lightning speed, so let's try to slow down. Enjoy your cup of afternoon coffee at your desk, ask your colleague what her plans are for the weekend, and bring snacks to work to brighten everyone's day. Time might fly, but it's really all we have, so try to enjoy the moment.
8. It is important to share our stories
The first book I ever managed at Word Alive Press was an eight-week daily devotional for women suffering from depression. It was an incredibly vulnerable insight into one woman's lifelong struggle with a persistent and insidious illness that I believe helped, and continues to help, anyone who picks up Be Held even to this day. This first book that I helped move through cover design, editing, formatting, all the way to the final stage of going to press, taught me that the first step to understanding the great mystery of God's world is to share our stories with one another. Sharing our stories is nothing short of a healing ritual. Let's all be brave enough to share our stories and have the grace to give room for others to share theirs.
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Did you enjoy this post? Read more by Marina Reis, here.
About this Contributor:
Marina Reis is a Senior Project Manager who joined Word Alive Press in 2017. She graduated from the University of Winnipeg in 2015 with a Bachelor of Arts in English.