US Weekly and Time Recap

Lindsay Moore, VP of Communications for Ed at Indiana, recapped last week’s Us Weekly and Time meeting. 

For Ed’s third Skype Hype this semester we were lucky enough to speak with two writers for weekly magazines. They gave us an inside look on how to land an interview, impress editors and be a standout intern.

We spoke with Us Weekly beauty writer, Rose Walano, about the differences between web and print and how to excel in both. Walano has worked at Elle.com, Glamour.com and Teenvogue.com and basically every other dream publication you can think of.

Cover Letters:

1. Cover letters need to be tailored to the organization you’re applying for. Walano recommends being very familiar with the publication’s style and attitude so that you can mimic it in your cover letter.
2. She also recommended adding some of your own personality. Cover letters are your first impression with editors—so make it sound like you!
3. Absolutely no grammar or spelling mistakes! This sounds like a no brainer but submitting sloppy work puts you first on the chopping block.

Your work isn’t over once you land the internship. Walano gave us insider tips on what she did to stand out as an intern and what she notices about her own interns.

Top 3 Writing Platforms for young journalists

Sierra Vandervort, contributing writer for Ed at Indiana, gives you a list of online writing platforms that you can write for.

As aspiring editors, we know how important experience is in this industry. People will fight tooth and nail for a good internship, and our resumes are constantly stacked with our latest pieces. But what we might not know is the sheer amount of different resume boosters right within your grasp.

Besides the IDS and INSIDE magazine, there are tons of online publications available for you to get your hands on. Send a resume and a quick hello to any (or all) of these top three platforms and you could be well on your way to a goldmine of experience.

1) Elite Daily:

As one of the top writing platforms for our generation, Elite Daily has been growing exponentially in popularity. With over 1.2 million followers, Elite Daily offers young journalists an audience bigger than our wildest dreams. They also make it super easy to work around a college kid’s schedule. As a contributing writer, you’re free to pitch and write articles at your convenience. Have a week full of exams? No problem, so you don’t publish for a couple weeks. Major dead week? Even better. You can submit three articles in a day. They’re not all guaranteed to get published, but if they do you can be sure your work will be seen by a lot of eyes, which is great for getting your name out there.

2) The Huffington Post:

Surprise! The Huffington Post has a blog. They invite young and experienced bloggers alike to join their team of esteemed wordsmiths. As one of the biggest names in publishing, working with HuffPo is a great way to further your career and get you noticed. Plus, you never who could be reading your work.

3) Thought Catalog:  

They’re the source of 50% of the articles you see on your Facebook feed, and they want writers like you. Thought Catalog is different in the sense that they don’t necessarily hire “contributing writers.” They take submissions from young writers and decide to publish based on content, opinion and relativity. That being said, many young writers have contributed dozens of articles in an attempt to get their name in ink. It’s a great first start if you’re more into feature ideas.

The bottom line is, don’t be afraid to put yourself out there. We’re at the point in our lives where, arguably, no press is bad press. Get your name on a byline. It doesn’t matter if it’s at TeenVogue.com or Auto Universe. You’re a writer – so write.

 

Embracing the Voice and Personality of a Magazine

Kennedy Coopwood, contributing writer for Ed at Indiana, gives you tips for how to find the voice and personality of a magazine. 

With so many magazines out there in the world, how do you fit right with just one? What can you do to set you in good standings with that particular magazine and brand? How will you stand out among others who have the same drive and who may even write or edit better than you do? The answer: Target your writing to a specific magazine.                                                                                                  Your cover letters, your sample writings for the magazine, even the way you present yourself should reflect that you are perfect for the job. Embrace the magazine as yours. Here’s how you can do that…

• Do your research.

Find out what the magazine stands for. Figure out why the magazine was created and why people read it. The voice of the magazine is what keeps people reading. Study the style. Look at how articles are developed and printed. Sit down, take some time out of your day, and read.