Name: Lauren C. Fox
Title: Assistant Editor
Location: Chicago, IL
Tell us about your educational/professional background.
I studied in the professional writing major, editing and publishing track, for four years at MSU. I also worked as a copy editor for The State News for a year before being promoted to copy chief, which I loved doing for a year and a half, and was recognized as Copy Editor of the Year in May 2007. I moved to Chicago to intern at Venus, Chicago Agent and Miami Agent magazines before being hired as News Editor for the magazines.
Tell us about your current job.
In July 2007, I was hired at Associated Publications Inc., where I continue to work as one of two assistant editors of three national magazines: Complete Woman, Sophisticate’s Black Hair and Sophisticate’s Hairstyle Guide. I mostly write content for the magazines, but also do a great deal of editing and securing material via PR and salon contact. I have interviewed various celebrities and their stylists, such as Amanda Bynes (actress) and Cassie Ventura (singer/actress). Some of my favorite pieces are about fitness/diet/exercise, such as how to get bikini-ready in 30 days and an in-depth look at organic food.
What does a typical day look like for you?
Work starts at 8:30 a.m. every day. I typically get into the office and read/respond to emails for about a half hour. After that, it’s nearly impossible to set a schedule. Since I have three different editors, one for each magazine, they likely will call me at least 10 times throughout the day to ask for celebrity photos, updates from PR agencies on different stars and status/progress on my story assignments.
Between that, I generally work on researching and writing stories. I share an office with the other assistant editor and the associate editor, so the three of us work hard but also are friends, so we take time out to talk during breaks. This is the time when we get ideas for stories, as we discuss our weekends, love lives, sex, etc. Anything goes, and everyone shares. I break for lunch around noon, come back and get back to writing. Some days I have five interviews, while some days I have none. Some days I have to write five stories, while some days I’m so bored I organize my files and alphabetize transcripts. It varies greatly from day to day. The office closes at 6 p.m., and the work day is done. We keep such long hours because we have to be in contact with both New York and Los Angeles for PR firms, celebrities and stylists.
What kinds of documents do you produce?
We produce three glossy print magazines, and I am responsible for updating the Sophisticate’s Black Hair web site each month. In addition, we also produce manuscripts that go through our routing circle (each editor reads and edits each piece). After design gets the manuscript, they create the page, which comes back to me for dummy read (copy editing and proofreading). We chart each story to ensure it has been read and finalized, which also is a daily document I produce.
What communication skills are needed for your job?
First and foremost, I had to get over my hate of phones. I am on the phone for at least four hours every day with different PR agencies, record labels, movie companies, celebrities, stylists and even my bosses. It’s so important to be professional but friendly, yet still know when you need to be firm. There’s a very fine line, and I walk it multiple times each day.
My office also is big on memos. If there is a problem or something everyone needs to know about, we are issued written and sometimes email memos. There isn’t a lot of verbal communication except casual chat, which often turns into or inspires stories. Lastly, it’s so important to know your audience. The people reading Sophisticate’s Black Hair are not the same as those reading Sophisticate’s Hairstyle Guide. Even though both are essentially about hair and beauty, they are drastically different, vocabulary choices are varied and the subject has to be approached in a different style.
How did you prepare for your job?
I studied nutrition/food sciences and psychology, as well as writing/editing, at MSU. My work at The State News gave me experience in editing and writing, which helped me create my portfolio. Being at Chicago Agent/Miami Agent/Venus was more practical work practice. Once at Associated Publications, I also had to study Black hair trends and how they’re done. I came in without any knowledge, but now I’m considered an expert, which is what people want when the read the magazine. I also had to overcome my “stage fright,” so to speak. I can be shy and quiet around new people, especially over the phone, but that habit was broken fast. I have to be comfortable and knowledgeable on the phone every day, whether it be with an actress, singer, PR agent or my bosses.
List three of your favorite professional resources/references/tools and tell us why they’re your favorite.
(1) Every major TV station, movie company and record label has a press site. They are incredibly important and full of valuable information. It’s important to keep things secret from the public, but the press needs to know things like release dates, cast line-ups and themes to generate publicity. Having access to these press sites and contact information is a HUGE resource.
(2) Imdb.com: This is such a valuable research method to see what actors/actresses are doing and when. If used to its full extent, it also can tell you when movies will be released that aren’t even being advertised yet, bios for stars, birthdays so we can use celebrities in our horoscope pages, etc.
(3) M-W.com: It’s a simple resource I’ve been using for years. Having a reliable dictionary/thesaurus is crucial. Redundancy is much more likely in a magazine than a short story or news piece, so it’s important to alter word choice and sentence structure to keep people reading the entire magazine issue.
How do you stay up-to-date in your field?
Our company has a subscription to every entertainment, music, women’s interest and tabloid magazine out there. We rotate them around the office so everyone gets a chance to read. We also will check out different celebrity web sites like perezhilton.com and people.com. It’s just important to see who is changing their image and who is popular. Those are the people we need to get in our magazines.
How would you define professional writing?
Professional writing is the combination and use of all aspects of writing, editing and reading in a career.
Do you have any tips to share with other professional writers/editors/designers?
Don’t pigeonhole yourself by saying you’ll only write about or edit XYZ. You have to be open to different subjects and mediums at first. I never expected myself to be working at two hairstyle magazines during my first year out of college, but these are the people who took a chance on me.
At the same time, don’t lose sight of the dream. If you leave college wanting to write about politics but start off writing blurbs on a cereal box, make the most of it. Network, learn the trade and work your hardest where you are. Eventually you’ll work your way up to CNN or wherever you want to be. I started at real estate magazines, worked on Venus for a bit and then moved on to other women’s magazines. This is the genre, but not the location I want to work in long-term. I’m making the most of it, though, and eventually will pursue bigger women’s magazines and a more health/nutrition-based career.
Don’t be afraid to take a risk. I moved to Chicago without knowing anyone and accepted an unpaid internship. Within three months, I was being paid for the professional writing and editing I was doing. Wherever you go, work hard and make the most out of it. Everything in life is a learning experience, and each thing you do will bring you one step closer to where you want to be.
Tags: Editing, In the Workplace, magazines, Writing