As a young girl I coveted the glossy pages of women's mags, so when it came to my career, I just knew it would have to be played out within the walls of a publishing house. I'm a firm believer in positive thinking - picture it and it will one day be...So sitting in on the weekly editorial meeting for HB's December issue - as both travel editors were out of the office for two days - I was like a kid at Christmas, bubbling with excitement and jumping out of my chair (on the inside that is... my exterior was cool, calm and collected, I promise!).
Going through the issue was our managing editor. Basically the 'book' (not magazine) is broken into pages, and the pages into sections. Each section is managed by an editor who either writes the 'copy' (stories) him/herself, or commissions freelancers. When our ME got to Travel's pages all eyes were on me - and I loved it! I hurriedly took everyone through the 'pages,' referring to the scribbled notes I had taken down in the two-minute phone conversation I'd had with my editor that morning. Our ME smiled - I think she gathered my excitement from the cheesy grin on my face - and before I knew it we were on to the next section. What happened to 15-minutes of fame? I'm sure I only got in three...
While I have always known glossies were for me, I was never quite sure about the ins-and-outs of the editorial team. Having now interned five months in New York for Bridal Guide and three weeks here at Harper's I'm starting to feel quite at home with the different departments. The funny thing is that I had always thought I'd find my place in Features, but both internships have been in Travel, and actually, I'm starting to think myself quite lucky.
You see Travel is where it all happens. Sure in Beauty you get lots of freebies, but who really needs a dozen types of hand creams, shampoos and eye-liner pencils? And yes, the girls in Features do get to interview some famous faces, but how nervy would that get? It's far better to mingle with them at events when you're relaxed and have a champagne in hand. And don't get me started on the poor loves in Fashion - for them it's all about unpacking boxes and boxes of clothes that are way too small for the average woman to even think about wearing. But us Travel girls are the ones who are wined and dined and sent off to Tuscany for the weekend to sample a new five-star villa, or jetted Out of Africa to don a safari suit and sip evening cocktails on the edge of the Okavango River. Or at least the editors are...
Now it's just a matter of closing my eyes, taking a deep breath and imagining... the power of the mind is a great and wondrous thing.
1 comment:
LOL It sounds like you are having fun although I would disagree with you and state that features is where it is at.
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