Name: Emily Wenstrom
Titles: Resident ink slinger, Motion Marketing & Media; Managing editor, Capital Area Women’s LifeStyle Magazine
Websites: www.m3group.biz, www.cawlm.com
Location: Lansing, MI
Tell us about your educational/professional background.
I graduated from Calvin College with double majors in English and mass media. I worked as a copy editor and later a section editor for the student newspaper there, and held an editorial internship where I wrote for two city magazines before I graduated. I actually got my first taste of marketing through an administrative assistant position – the company put my creativity and writing skills to work by putting me on projects for an internal newsletter, some promotional materials, event planning and Web site writing. I loved that, but the administrative part of my job was unfulfilling and I honestly wasn’t that good at it…so I moved on to full-time freelancing. Now I am Motion Marketing & Media’s (M3) resident ink slinger and managing editor of Capital Area Women’s LifeStyle Magazine (CAWLM).
Tell us about your current job.
As M3′s resident ink slinger, I do a lot of copywriting for a broad variety of materials, from proposals to newsletters to websites to press releases and more. I also pitch a lot of stories and interviews about our clients to newspapers, television, and radio. I’m the primary proofreader for all materials that come out of the M3 office and I also manage social media for various campaigns. I work with the rest of the team on branding, communications plans, and events.
As managing editor of CAWLM, I coordinate the many pieces that must come together to bring the magazine to fruition each month. This includes conceptualizing story ideas, managing freelance writers and photographers, writing articles, editing articles, and working with the rest of our in-house team to keep tabs on ad revenues and layout design. I also oversee our reader outreach, including radio ads, the website, and the Facebook Fan page.
I wear a lot of different hats. It helps me stay creative and on top of my game. I love it.
What does a typical day look like for you?
The first thing I do in the morning is get my coffee and catch up on my e-mail. After that, my priorities are primarily deadline-driven. Every Monday we have a team meeting to keep us all up to date on each and every M3 account, and every Thursday we have a brainstorming meeting. Most of my time is spent writing and editing.
The closer we get to CAWLM‘s deadline, the more time I devote to proofing and layout review — the few days prior to deadline I generally take the entire magazine home with me to review before I get in again the next morning. After deadline, we hit a lull where magazine work is lighter and I catch up on client work.
What kinds of documents do you produce?
I write magazine articles for CAWLM, of course. For M3, I write press releases, talking points, website copy, blog entries, newsletters, proposals, brochures, media kits…a little bit of everything really. Check out my latest blog entry on National Punctuation Day.
What communication skills are needed for your job?
Strong, flexible writing skills are critical, as well as a solid knowledge of the AP Stylebook. But verbal and interpersonal communication skills are extremely important, too. I have to be able to convey a relevant, attention-grabbing story pitch in 30 seconds or less to a reporter over the phone, for example. It’s also important to foster relationships with clients and the rest of the M3 team I work with each day. Since we don’t pay our writers, being able to motivate and foster relationships with CAWLM freelancers is crucial for getting quality articles from them consistently and on deadline.
How did you prepare for your job?
The things that I have found to help me the most at every stage of my career so far have been maximizing the flexibility of my writing skills and not being afraid to ask questions to help me learn new things. I never turn an opportunity down. I believe I’ve been successful because of the diversity of the kinds of writing I’ve taken on.
List three of your favorite professional resources/references/tools and tell us why they’re your favorite.
AP Stylebook: This is the Bible for anyone working at a publication or pitching to them.
Copyblogger: This blog is updated constantly by a handful of blog and copywriting experts. They have great tips for staying on top of your game.
Thesaurus: For those days when your brain just doesn’t crank out the right words. And for learning new ways to say what you want. We have Merriam Webster’s in the office, but I also use online thesauri and other sources.
How do you stay up to date in your field?
I stay current by staying connected through expert blogs, Twitter, professional publications, and keeping the conversation going with other creative minds. I also keep tabs on the news, since I need to be on top of hot topics and trends, and read as much as I can — books, blogs, magazines — and try to expose myself to writing I admire to improve my own style and vocabulary.
How would you define professional writing?
There are so many facets to professional writing, but I would define it broadly as writing with the intent of promoting a business. But this definition leaves out so much of what a job in professional writing entails — the diversity and creativity involved.
Do you have any tips to share with other professional writers/editors/designers?
Read everything. Know your grammar and style guides. Be adventurous — new experiences strengthen your writing and creativity by broadening your horizons.
Tags: In the Workplace, magazine, social media
Great interview!