Friday, September 23, 2011

THE BIO

WHO: Gwen Smith, editor and co-owner, Allergic Living 

WENT TO SCHOOL FOR: Journalism, Ryerson University

FIRST MAGAZINE JOB: City Desk copy editor, The Globe and Mail. “I interned and grew up at The Globe.”

SUBSCRIBES TO: Maclean's, Esquire, Vanity Fair, Azure, Toronto Life, Whole Living, Marie Claire, More, Donna Hay. “Plus, lots from the newsstand, depending on the articles.”

WHAT ELSE SHOULD WE KNOW ABOUT YOU, GWEN?
Previous positions include editor-in-chief of Elm Street, assisstant managing editor at Maclean’s, deputy managing editor of The Globe and Mail.

“We launched our U.S. edition of Allergic Living magazine this spring. Exciting times for a small team of Canadian magazine people.”


SO GWEN, TELL US...

WHAT MAKES A GOOD EDITOR? 
It does not start with opening a writer’s first draft. To me, being a good editor begins with a talent for finding great stories. Now throw in a visceral dislike of the predictable, and you’re starting to cook.

A good editor is always on the lookout for articles that surprise, break new ground and make readers want to debate at the dinner table. That editor knows which writer can develop that seed of an idea into a great story. Pair the idea and the talent, and everything is possible.

A good editor also
  • Respects and collaborates with writers. When considering a first draft, the editor provides a fix note that encourages, suggests, questions or cajoles to get the best second draft possible. He does not simply critique from a high perch, since putting your writer on the defensive isn’t an effective strategy. And it’s rude.
  • Never settles for “I guess it’s OK.” If you’re a good editor, you just have to fix it or you’ll grow an ulcer. 
  • Works on structure editing and develops a feel for effortless flow and storytelling. It’s a continuing and gratifying process.
  • Is a packager. The beauty of magazines is the integration of pictures and text and the ability to present stories in creative and appealing ways. A good editor uses the medium, and probably devises the online packaging approach, too. 

FAVOURITE PART OF BEING AN EDITOR?
There are two: working with a writer on a great story, and packaging.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO EDITORS JUST STARTING THEIR CAREERS?
Show initiative and don’t be shy about bringing ideas forward. Just make sure they’re developed enough to present in a story meeting.

Whether online or on the subway, develop an eye for trends and issues and keep running notes on possible stories. A big part of story development is just paying attention.

A third point would be that once you get to the level of assigning, look for good pitches but don’t feel beholden. If an article doesn’t suit your magazine or your lineup but you think the writer is talented, try that person on a different assignment. Magazine real estate is too valuable to give over to stories that are “not bad.”

MOST MEMORABLE EDITING MOMENT?
There are quite a few, especially because I worked in newspapers for the first chunk of my career, so some “moments” are tied to major news events.

At Maclean’s, I vividly recall being the senior editor in charge on the weekend that JFK Junior’s plane went missing. Then-EIC Bob Lewis came and said to me: “Well, do we crash the cover?” I said yes, absolutely, and we did. We wouldn’t learn until the late afternoon that Kennedy and his new wife had, as suspected, died in a crash. But even if they’d turned out to be missing, that was still one helluva story. We remade a weekly in a few hours. It was a strong magazine and an outstanding team effort.

With Allergic Living, I got to have the thrill of holding the first copy of the first magazine; there’s nothing like a fresh magazine and when you’re the co-owner, it’s incredibly special. This year, I got to have that feeling all over again, with the launch of Allergic Living’s U.S. edition. Only in some ways this was even better – since we now know what we’re doing.

WHAT MAGAZINE DO YOU THINK IS DOING AN OUTSTANDING JOB RIGHT NOW?
Has any magazine addict just picked one? I’m still hooked on Vanity Fair and Esquire; The New Yorker (for the columnists). I adore food photography and am a fan of the new Bon Appétit, along with Donna Hay and Delicious. In the women’s arena, I think Lisa Tant (Flare) and Linda Lewis (More) are impressively strong editors.


WHERE TO FIND GWEN ONLINE:
Allergic Living website: Allergicliving.com. “Our website is quite active, especially our forum.”
Allergic Living on Twitter: @allergicliving 
Gwen on Twitter: @GwenSmithTO “Sure willing to talk mags when there’s time.”
Facebook: Allergic Living
LInkedIn: Gwen Smith
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
There is no greater boost to a newbie editor's confidence than an encouraging word from a more experienced magaziner. On several occasions, Charles Oberdorf – editor, writer and teacher, who sadly died this past Friday – had provided me with just such a boost.

Charles Oberdorf
Charles Oberdorf


I am one of the many students who have taken Charles' Magazine Editing class at Ryerson Univerity's Chang School of Continuing Education. It was a great class and I learned a lot, but Charles' friendship was by far the best thing I got out of it.

Twice, Charles wrote me reference letters that I have since gone back to read each time I apply to a new job or retool my resumé. At one time he told me he was "a fan" of mine. To know that I had a brilliant editor in my corner rooting for me, made me believe in my abilities as an editor when I was just starting out. I stopped second-guessing myself and learned that I could go to bat with the pros – that I am a pro.

There are others in this industry who knew Charles much better than I, but judging by the comments on D.B. Scott's Canadian Magazines blog, my experience is common – Charles often took the time to mentor new editors. I will always be thankful that I was one of the ones fortunate enough to receive some of that encouragement and support.

Charles, you will be missed.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
 A weekly roundup of job-hunting tips, career advice and interesting articles relevant to the magazine industry and being an editor.

• "5 Questions to Ask the Hiring Manager" by Lindsay Olson on  U.S. News. When you're being interviewed, it's a good idea to ask questions. Here are five decent ones that will help you decide if the job you're applying to is the right one for you.

• "Is Journalism as We Know it Becoming Obsolete?" by Mathew Ingram on GigaOM. Media and publishing institutions may be suffering, but journalism isn't dead.

• "Teaching Magazine Journalism Beyond the Magazine" by Susan Currie Sivek on Media Shift. How a few journalism teachers stay relevant as the magazine industry changes.

• "Anatomy of a Zine: When Magazines Go Indie" by Meredith Melnick on Time.

• "How The New York Times is taking Twitter reporting faster and deeper with @NYTLive" by Jeff Sonderman on Poynter. If your publication has just a single Twitter account, maybe you need to add another. The New York Times is finding that multiple accounts allows it to speak to different segments of its audience.
Thursday, September 08, 2011


THE BIO


WHO: Anicka Quin, editor-in-chief, Western Living


WENT TO SCHOOL AT: The University of Guelph, where she got her Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science; and Simon Fraser University, where she got her Master of Publishing

FIST MAGAZINE JOB: Circulation manager, id Magazine in Guelph, Ont.

SUBSCRIBES TO: Bon Appétit, The New York Times Magazine, Bloomberg Businessweek, Toronto Life, Fashion, Chatelaine 

INDUSTRY INVOLVEMENT: Past president of the BC Association of Magazine Publishers (now Magazine Association of BC); sits on the professional development committees of both MagsBC and Magazines Canada; regional board member for the Canadian Society of Magazine Editors; on the publishing advisory committee for Langara College. 


WHAT ELSE SHOULD WE KNOW ABOUT YOU, ANICKA?
I’m actually a closet scientist. I’d always planned to be an outdoor education instructor, so I did my undergrad in environmental science. But I was also a big music buff and started volunteering at the student newspaper so that I could meet the bands I was obsessive about, and got hooked in the process. I finished my degree, but took a left turn into publishing immediately afterward. (I also credit my background with my eagle eye for “greenwashing” – products that claim to be “good for the earth” but nothing more than PR spin.)

SO ANICKA, TELL US...

WHAT MAKES A GOOD EDITOR?
One of the best pieces of advice I was ever given is to sit on your hands the first time you read a piece – there’s a temptation to edit as you go, to save time and mark up a text. But you don’t always see where a writer is going when you start out, and I like to work with writers in a way that preserves their voice, not to create some uniform language for the magazine. A good editor understands how to bring out the best piece from the writer – it’s a supportive relationship.

FAVOURITE PART OF BEING AN EDITOR?
Working with creative people. I’m forever grateful to be inspired by the people around me – and for my job at Western Living, that means both my team of editors and art directors, as well as the designers whose homes we profile. It’s one of those rare fields where everyone actually loves what they do, and that’s a pretty great place to work.


WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO EDITORS JUST STARTING THEIR CAREERS?
Every experience is a beneficial one when you’re starting out. I’ve been a circulation manager, a production intern, I even sold classifieds when I first got into the business. It all gave me a big-picture understanding of how the business works, and I learned all kinds of skills I wouldn’t have gathered otherwise: layout and design, budgeting, even working with difficult clients (which, when you’re interviewing someone as a journalist, is only a good thing). And most importantly, it got my foot in the door; I eventually became the editor of the magazine where I held the circulation job.

MOST MEMORABLE EDITING MOMENT?
When I worked at id Magazine, a now-defunct weekly out of Guelph, Ont., we frequently pulled all-nighters to get the magazine out every week (we’d spell each other off, napping on the floor while waiting for our ancient printer to spit out proofs). The staff quickly became an extended family – we even took summer weekends away together. There’s something about the “in the trenches” mentality of small staffs, long hours and tiny budgets that really brings people together in a wonderful way. I’m still in touch with most of them, though it’s been a good 14 years since we worked together.

WHAT MAGAZINE DO YOU THINK IS DOING AN OUTSTANDING JOB RIGHT NOW?
I’m a little obsessed with Bon Appétit magazine, particularly since Adam Rapoport has come on board. He’s made it even smarter, with great reads alongside gorgeous photography and recipes I want to make as soon as it’s in my hands. I sit down with a pad of Post-its and mark the magazine up as soon as it comes in the door.

I also really love The New York Times Magazine’s redesign (though I miss Randy Cohen as The Ethicist). They’re so clever at mixing lighter fare with serious journalism – and the art direction has really stepped up in the last year. It's one of those magazines where I literally read every article.


WHERE TO FIND ANICKA ONLINE:
Western Living website: Westernliving.ca
Blog (personal): Cardamom Pod
Twitter: @AnickaQuin

About Me
Corinna vanGerwen

 

Corinna vanGerwen is a freelance editor and writer. She has worked as senior editor at Style at Home, senior design editor at Cottage Life and is the former Canadian Director of Ed2010. She has also held the position of operations manager at a boutique PR agency, where she handled strategic planning and daily operations.

 
Most Recent Blog Comment
Corinna says:
Thank you, Alicia!...
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