Hi everyone! I’m just curious about what you might be curious about on the subject of creating magazines. Anything you really want to know? New proper column will appear over the weekend but in the meantime, Ask Me Anything. Lots of love from me. xxxx
I used be a chief sub-editor and even on my little mag we had advertisers throwing their weight around demanding certain positions etc. Is it the same in the glossies and how do you keep everyone happy? Or not!
Hi Jules. Oh yes, of course it's the same and can be quite intense. I've been hauled before many VIPs at various brands to be told off about not featuring enough of their products, threatened with having ad revenue pulled. But for balance I'd say two things. 1: If a magazine brand has pitched for business from an advertiser, the usual sales pitch is obviously that the mag's audience is exactly the kind of people who will really be interested in and want to buy that brand's product. So I think it's reasonable for said brand to expect to see themselves in editorial, if we have really banged on about that brand being perfect for the reader. 2. While everyone loves to be critical of and cynical about advertising/editorial relationships, it's not so commonly discussed that there are always plenty of brands in any publication who will NEVER advertise, no matter how often they see their products in there.
Sometimes it could get awkward but I think most brands understand this: That magazines absolutely need the trust of their readers, without which there will very quickly be no audience. If I ever felt a brand was being unreasonable, this is the north star I always clung to. It's not possible to always keep everyone happy. Often rival brands will insist you choose 'us or them'. It's a nightmare. And everyone always seems to want the same four pages in the front half. Delicate diplomacy always required! x
How much influence or ‘editing’ does an editor actually do? Are you looking at every word and phrase? Are you amending design? Is it a big picture or minute detail job?
It's both big picture and minute detail. In the magazines I've edited there would rarely be so much as a caption that I hadn't read and often written myself. But it's also the editor's job to guide the direction, to think ten steps ahead about what might be the next big project to work on, all the while nailed to your desk proof-reading everything, discussing how everything should look, spending ages with a team brainstorming headlines and intros to pieces. Everything. The only thing I don't really do that often is attend individual photo shoots, particularly for fashion and beauty. But before those shoots happen I'll have been in several meetings discussing the direction of the photos, approving clothing, photographers, models etc. It's a lot! But I'd never be able to do any of it without a brilliant team. I've always been very hands on as an editor - and others choose to do it differently - but always needing collaboration and to throw ideas around with others all the time. That's the fun of it for me. x
I'm a freelance writer based in Melbourne, AUS. I am wondering if it's likely that UK based editors would consider publishing my work? I want to pitch more to them as I feel my voice fits the UK market better than here, and I do hope to move back there someday (I did live in London on the rite-of-passage, two year working visa in my early 20s - loads of fun but didn't really get anywhere with my career at the time). Would really appreciate your specific insight. x Charlotte
Hi Charlotte, there’s no reason I can see why that would be a problem. All we want is good writers with good ideas. In both my previous jobs I regularly commissioned writers who lived all over the world, America, Australia, all over Europe. Just start pitching ideas! X
Do you have any advice for a newbie to pitch to editors? I feel like most editors already have their go to people who they commission too so it’s hard to get a foot in the door x
Yes, it's definitely not the easiest. The key is the ideas. It's important to demonstrate why this particular idea is right for this particular outlet. I have often had pitches from writer that are things like 'I'd like to write about *insert celebrity name*' or 'I'd like to write about divorce'. WHAT about that celebrity, or what interesting, previously not considered aspect of divorce. What is your angle on these broad subjects? If you haven't already, I'd really encourage you to seek out Farrah Storr's substack posts, she's really great at explaining magazine writing in her workshops. It's true that we tend to lean on the writers we know and trust, because deadlines and budgets are so tight. But it's also true that we always want new ideas, and we always want to support good writers so persist. xxxx
Thank you so much for the advice and hope! Already following Farrah Storr's substack and soaking in as much info as I can :) You just have to remember hardwork will always pay off xxx
I saw a documentary The September Issue years ago about the back cover of Vogue costing about $500k for a company to advertise in Vogue. Apparently its the most sought after spot in a fashion magazine. Is this true too for other magazines too or only fashion ones?
Interesting, I don't remember that part of The September Issue. But sounds right. To be honest I think that has changed a lot over the years. The inside front cover is generally considered the prime advertising spot, as is 'the front half'.
To write an article for a magazine, do you start by pitching an idea to the editor? Or do you send over examples of your work in the hope that they'll give you a topic to write about? Or something else? No idea where to start as a freelancer!
I think what's important is the idea and making it clear to a commissioning editor what makes this idea absolutely spot-on for their publication. If they like the idea, they may well ask to see examples of your work. I don't think a cold call pitch showing other published articles will work, in general. What editors are looking for is ideas. It's so hard to give one-size-fits-all advice when it comes to getting published. But it definitely starts with ideas and making sure they are honed to the specific publication. Make sure you can sell your idea in one or two sentences. Give thought to what you think is the hook/headline of the whole piece. What's the guts of what you're trying to say? I think in general, your ability to pitch good ideas is the first step. Once you're 'in' then they will probably start to think of you when they have ideas and are looking for the right writer. I hope that helps, but ask follow on questions if not. xx
It really depends on the feature. A trusted writer with a track record will be busy with several commissions so we try to allow at least a week to ten days where possible. But if it’s something time-sensitive we will beg them to pull it together in a day or so. Sometimes a piece requires weeks of research - like the investigation we did at You magazine into all the gummy bear style ‘vitamins’ suddenly flooding the market. But I’ve also had the experience if writing a piece with the printers screaming at me for it down the phone. Not fun! A celeb profile generally has a week turnaround, an opinion piece anything from one to three days. Generally. X
I used be a chief sub-editor and even on my little mag we had advertisers throwing their weight around demanding certain positions etc. Is it the same in the glossies and how do you keep everyone happy? Or not!
Hi Jules. Oh yes, of course it's the same and can be quite intense. I've been hauled before many VIPs at various brands to be told off about not featuring enough of their products, threatened with having ad revenue pulled. But for balance I'd say two things. 1: If a magazine brand has pitched for business from an advertiser, the usual sales pitch is obviously that the mag's audience is exactly the kind of people who will really be interested in and want to buy that brand's product. So I think it's reasonable for said brand to expect to see themselves in editorial, if we have really banged on about that brand being perfect for the reader. 2. While everyone loves to be critical of and cynical about advertising/editorial relationships, it's not so commonly discussed that there are always plenty of brands in any publication who will NEVER advertise, no matter how often they see their products in there.
Sometimes it could get awkward but I think most brands understand this: That magazines absolutely need the trust of their readers, without which there will very quickly be no audience. If I ever felt a brand was being unreasonable, this is the north star I always clung to. It's not possible to always keep everyone happy. Often rival brands will insist you choose 'us or them'. It's a nightmare. And everyone always seems to want the same four pages in the front half. Delicate diplomacy always required! x
How much influence or ‘editing’ does an editor actually do? Are you looking at every word and phrase? Are you amending design? Is it a big picture or minute detail job?
It's both big picture and minute detail. In the magazines I've edited there would rarely be so much as a caption that I hadn't read and often written myself. But it's also the editor's job to guide the direction, to think ten steps ahead about what might be the next big project to work on, all the while nailed to your desk proof-reading everything, discussing how everything should look, spending ages with a team brainstorming headlines and intros to pieces. Everything. The only thing I don't really do that often is attend individual photo shoots, particularly for fashion and beauty. But before those shoots happen I'll have been in several meetings discussing the direction of the photos, approving clothing, photographers, models etc. It's a lot! But I'd never be able to do any of it without a brilliant team. I've always been very hands on as an editor - and others choose to do it differently - but always needing collaboration and to throw ideas around with others all the time. That's the fun of it for me. x
I'm a freelance writer based in Melbourne, AUS. I am wondering if it's likely that UK based editors would consider publishing my work? I want to pitch more to them as I feel my voice fits the UK market better than here, and I do hope to move back there someday (I did live in London on the rite-of-passage, two year working visa in my early 20s - loads of fun but didn't really get anywhere with my career at the time). Would really appreciate your specific insight. x Charlotte
Hi Charlotte, there’s no reason I can see why that would be a problem. All we want is good writers with good ideas. In both my previous jobs I regularly commissioned writers who lived all over the world, America, Australia, all over Europe. Just start pitching ideas! X
Thanks so much, Jo. I feel you've given me a permission slip! x
Do you have any advice for a newbie to pitch to editors? I feel like most editors already have their go to people who they commission too so it’s hard to get a foot in the door x
Yes, it's definitely not the easiest. The key is the ideas. It's important to demonstrate why this particular idea is right for this particular outlet. I have often had pitches from writer that are things like 'I'd like to write about *insert celebrity name*' or 'I'd like to write about divorce'. WHAT about that celebrity, or what interesting, previously not considered aspect of divorce. What is your angle on these broad subjects? If you haven't already, I'd really encourage you to seek out Farrah Storr's substack posts, she's really great at explaining magazine writing in her workshops. It's true that we tend to lean on the writers we know and trust, because deadlines and budgets are so tight. But it's also true that we always want new ideas, and we always want to support good writers so persist. xxxx
Thank you so much for the advice and hope! Already following Farrah Storr's substack and soaking in as much info as I can :) You just have to remember hardwork will always pay off xxx
I saw a documentary The September Issue years ago about the back cover of Vogue costing about $500k for a company to advertise in Vogue. Apparently its the most sought after spot in a fashion magazine. Is this true too for other magazines too or only fashion ones?
Interesting, I don't remember that part of The September Issue. But sounds right. To be honest I think that has changed a lot over the years. The inside front cover is generally considered the prime advertising spot, as is 'the front half'.
To write an article for a magazine, do you start by pitching an idea to the editor? Or do you send over examples of your work in the hope that they'll give you a topic to write about? Or something else? No idea where to start as a freelancer!
I think what's important is the idea and making it clear to a commissioning editor what makes this idea absolutely spot-on for their publication. If they like the idea, they may well ask to see examples of your work. I don't think a cold call pitch showing other published articles will work, in general. What editors are looking for is ideas. It's so hard to give one-size-fits-all advice when it comes to getting published. But it definitely starts with ideas and making sure they are honed to the specific publication. Make sure you can sell your idea in one or two sentences. Give thought to what you think is the hook/headline of the whole piece. What's the guts of what you're trying to say? I think in general, your ability to pitch good ideas is the first step. Once you're 'in' then they will probably start to think of you when they have ideas and are looking for the right writer. I hope that helps, but ask follow on questions if not. xx
What is a common amount of time that a writer has to complete a feature ?
It really depends on the feature. A trusted writer with a track record will be busy with several commissions so we try to allow at least a week to ten days where possible. But if it’s something time-sensitive we will beg them to pull it together in a day or so. Sometimes a piece requires weeks of research - like the investigation we did at You magazine into all the gummy bear style ‘vitamins’ suddenly flooding the market. But I’ve also had the experience if writing a piece with the printers screaming at me for it down the phone. Not fun! A celeb profile generally has a week turnaround, an opinion piece anything from one to three days. Generally. X
Thanks!