A Media Manifesto

(As seen at http://nesbik.blogspot.com/)

Today I subscribed to the Sunday New York Times. (I am hoping this earns me a special place in the afterlife--somewhere with strong coffee and bistro tables--you know?)

But as I completed my subscription via the President's Day Special (ha!) and with total free digital access, I laughed a little at my evolution of media consumption. Working in publishing, you come to take the "death-of-print-media" to be a broken record. Will Netflix become its own channel? Can iPads really save the industry? How will our children read newspapers? Did you see the latest episode if GIRLS?

Yeah, I've heard it all and frankly, I stopped paying attention. Get, read, watch what you want how you want. So despite my cavalier "let's wait until we hit the iceberg" attitude toward the topic, I realized that I've become a bizarre anomaly in my argument.

Cable
In 2012 I took the plunge to get rid of cable television and my beloved HBO (to some this is like selling your car for a bus pass). It was an easy decision to make with a new television already equipped with Netflix, Hulu and Amazon. Goodbye hefty cable bill of plus $125 a month and hello $7.99 a month Netflix streaming (and hours of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia).

I will spare you the hilarity that ensued while trying to explain to my cable provider that I wanted "only high speed internet" and tell you I am saving lots of dollar bills now. (Actually the one-time $10 fee to plug a real cable into my NASA-grade television was pretty funny. This is mostly "mom-surance" for pending tornadoes as the Weather Channel comes up not once, but twice in my new line up of analog-like channels). #luvumom

Newspaper
In 2013 I decided to discontinue my local daily newspaper. I found I was reading the content online and living locally, the news was valuable, but not important enough to read in print. On Sunday's I typically opted for a larger metro paper for yes ... the coupons.

So today when I clicked "SUBMIT" at NYT.com I laughed (but not out loud--I have colleagues). This time it wasn't about the coupons and local fluff, but about complete access to NYT.com on all of my devices, weekly NYT magazine and the coveted T Style Mag.

(I sort of hate going to the grocery store anyways.)

Magazine
Magazinephiles are purists, which is partly why the industry is still thriving. The experience of holding a magazine is one I will cherish until the day I die--it's why I get paid to make them.
Nevertheless, thanks to a generous family, I am now a proud owner of an iPad (and yes I find it ironic that when examining industry standards, most journalists can't afford tablets).

So with the Bon Appetite print subscription my mother gave me this holiday, I tapped into the digital subscription for the iPad and realized what glorious opportunity I have uncovered--foreign publications. That's right, I can finally consume all the independents I have drooled over for years via the tablet. While I would tell you what I have given iTunes for these, I'd be far too embarrassed.

So go ahead Poynter., tell me where we are going from here, because I didn't see any of this coming a year ago. 

The Travel Writer

Travel writing. Is it easy or hard? I've recently discovered it's a bit tougher than many writers might realize. 

In an effort to pitch a recent travel story I was humbled by one Travel Editor, who felt my work wasn't up to par. I bit tough to swallow considering I provide editorial direction to many writers, I asked her how she would describe a travel writer (I valued her response).

"I am looking for writers who excel at evocative narrative storytelling. Writers who take themselves out of the copy and use rich sensory details to reveal the story about each destination. Writers who avoid cliches, who understand basic spelling and grammar and who know the audience I’m serving."

Are you a travel writer? What do you find to be key wisdom in covering a destination? 

Spotify Playlist

After seeing Garden and Gun magazine post a Spotify Playlist, I knew I had the perfect story to try this with. So here goes the test.

Finding freelance work

#MagChat is back as we discuss how magazine freelancers find and keep work for regional and national publications.

If you are a freelancer and want to join in the panel, send an email to: magazinechat@gmail.com. Otherwise, join in the conversation on Thursday, February 23 at 3 p.m. CST.

A word for freelancers

One of my writers recently asked me for some tips to share with a college magazine class on freelancing. I enjoyed putting them together and thought I would share them here as well.

What do you look for in freelancers? 

In freelancers I look for clean copy, well-developed stories, unique angels and experience. Now those freelancers are sometimes hard to find. So I also look for writers who have a passion for magazines, confidence in their work and clean copy. (Always must have clean copy.) Even if freelancers haven't written for a magazine, but they have the enthusiasm, they can catch on with some direction from the editor (at least for smaller publications and in my case city/regionals). 

What are red flags?

Poor copy, poor correspondence, picky over assignments (these writers are hard to please, so sometimes easiest to let them go.)

What makes you want to keep a writer in your stable?

Writers I tend to work a lot with are those who seek out stories specifically for the publication. I manage four magazines and keeping a strong list of story ideas can sometimes be a challenge. Writers who find, research, and pitch ideas are always on my top shelf. Of course, these kinds of writers are also well organized and communicative, again, making my job easier.

How can freelancers break into a market? 

-Keep a running list of ideas with new angles--you have to see stories everywhere you go. 

-Meet other writers who will lead you to editors. Networking is invaluable in the world of freelance.

-Read a lot. If there is a particular magazine you want to pitch, do your research, find out their submission guidelines and study their past issues. Editors hate pitches of stories that have already appeared in the magazine, often keeping them from opening your future queries.

-It’s 2011! Don’t be afraid to include a digital or social media angle to your pitches.  

How can writer make an editor's job easier?

The first time I work with a writer I will show them the ropes, style, tone, etc. After that, I've given them the power to make decisions and get the story done. Be confident to make executive decisions on your stories if it helps more the process along. 

What about the writing process?

Successful freelancers should be open to editorial reviews and you must have a thick skin. Editor's WILL make you a better writer, but they will also be honest and upfront. I find that writers who don't put the time in can't handle the review process as well (you'd think it's be the opposite). 

How can freelancers care for and feed a good writer/editor working relationship?

Get to know your editor. I have some writers who prefer not to mingle too much or make jokes, or I have some that will often send me an article they think I'd like and make comments on my Facebook. Either way, I try to keep in touch with my writers because I respect what they are doing, and those that respond, begin to develop a comfort level that in time will strengthen our relationship—and their writing. 

Bonus tip!

Don’t be afraid if your editor uses profanity. Cursing like a sailor only means they are passionate (really passionate). Each issue is an investment and if we loose a shot, interview, home, etc., then it’s back to the drawing board. 

Magazines + Kickstarter

Nearly 250 magazines are in the works on Kickstarter, the funding platform for creative projects. I began to wonder how many magazines, large and small (mostly small) were using Kickstarter to find investors for their independent magazines--more curious to know--is this the future?

43 magazine, Trunk and FASHIZBLACK magazine, are among those who've raised anywhere from $15,000 to $45,000 in pledges, two of them reaching their funding goals. For photographer Allen Ying, creator of 43 magazine, this was the culmination of shooting thousands of skateboarders (see video below), for FASHIZBLACK it's the opportunity to take an online project to print (yes, really).

Is this the future of independent publishing? What standard must a project have for you to fund?

#MagChat rescheduled

#MagChat will now convene the LAST THURSDAY of every month at 3 p.m. CST (4 p.m. EST). Next chat: September 29. Think of it as the back-of-the-book department to your month.

Unfortunately the weekly chat just wasn't seeing enough traffic. I hope that encouraging magazine pros and enthusiasts to reserve time once a month will result in some popular chats on valuable discussions on the industry, trends and innovations.

If you have a topic you'd like to discuss, let me know: magazinechat@gmail.com. To see some previous chats, visit #MagChat on Storify.