My wonderful first day at more! magazine was filled with... well, nothing really!! But it was fun. And nice to see everything in motion, even if not many people really talk to you! But thankfully there is another girl, L, who started her work experience with more! too this morning... I was sooo glad when I realised they took on two per week.
We started the morning by mailing out the copies to PR agencies, news agencies... and Alan Carr. Upside - we had read the magazine more than 24 hours before it hit the shelves. Downside - lots of shoving a magazine in an envelope and sticking! After that we sorted the mail - the amount that some of the editors get is amazing!
Oo and I forgot to mention, Heat, Grazia and Closer are all in the same building, and we had to go over to grab new copies of their magazines. All of the offices are the same... quite small, not too spacious, and full head to toe, wall to wall with magazines and covers alike!
So after the mail we got researching for Man Quotes and yummy men for Man Talk. This took us up until about lunchtime, and L and I grabbed a baguette from across the road. It's located on Shaftesbury Avenue, literally a 5 minute walk from Covent Garden so hopefully the weather stays up and we can have a few nice lunches in the square.
After lunch I picked a few competition winners (5 winners out of 2500 entries........) and helped get some ideas together for the Inbox page, including the Pub Dilemmas. I had to quickly nip out to the shop (with one of the editor's debit cards) to buy a couple of magazines... felt very Devil Wears Prada-ish, before coming back and preparing some answers to reader's letters for tomorrow morning.
I got back all in one piece on the tube and am now completely completely shattered! But looking forward to doing it all again tomorrow morning.
Monday 17 August 2009
Sunday 9 August 2009
More magazine : argh!
One week today until I arrive in London for my fortnight at more! magazine!!
Scary scary scary!!!
Scary scary scary!!!
Wednesday 5 August 2009
Insight magazine: Day 6 & 7
The magazine came out today!!!!! With all of my work in it, it was a proud moment. I'd written so much more than I realised, and completely love all of it. Another good thing is that the work I've done this week goes into the new mag next week, so there's two magazines to put my name to, which will look really good for my portfolio.
Had a few more generals and edits to write yesterday and today, but not really that much to do, so in-between time was filled with eating bad food, gossiping a little and waiting for phone calls!
I have enjoyed my time here SO MUCH and I'd really love to go back, very very very soon!
Had a few more generals and edits to write yesterday and today, but not really that much to do, so in-between time was filled with eating bad food, gossiping a little and waiting for phone calls!
I have enjoyed my time here SO MUCH and I'd really love to go back, very very very soon!
Sunday 2 August 2009
Insight magazine: Day 4 & 5
Today, my editor said: "If I had a vacancy, you would have had a job by now" ahhhhh!!!
I both love it and hate it; it's great to hear her say something like that and actually mean it, but on the other hand, there are only two journalists and they love their jobs so much that they're never going to leave!!!!!!
For the final two days of the week at Insight magazine, we were constantly rushed, making phone calls, writing generals, writing editorials, sending editorial proofs, sending design proofs, and generally making sure the magazine was in top notch to send off to print. It was pretty manic and there was a lot of writing and checking and interviewing to do, but I loved it!!
That 750-word piece on the Candy Spa that I sent over to proof was loved so much that, added with a good pitch from our sales execs, the owner bought 4 pages of space for next week's edition! Contributing towards selling £3k worth of space was a proud moment!
I've really loved this week at Insight, it's given me a great insight (ha ha!) into the workings of a magazine, and I'm grateful that I was given all of the tasks that I was. They got me working hard! And the best bit was, I didn't have to say goodbye, because I'm back there on Tuesday and Wednesday next week! Yay!
I both love it and hate it; it's great to hear her say something like that and actually mean it, but on the other hand, there are only two journalists and they love their jobs so much that they're never going to leave!!!!!!
For the final two days of the week at Insight magazine, we were constantly rushed, making phone calls, writing generals, writing editorials, sending editorial proofs, sending design proofs, and generally making sure the magazine was in top notch to send off to print. It was pretty manic and there was a lot of writing and checking and interviewing to do, but I loved it!!
That 750-word piece on the Candy Spa that I sent over to proof was loved so much that, added with a good pitch from our sales execs, the owner bought 4 pages of space for next week's edition! Contributing towards selling £3k worth of space was a proud moment!
I've really loved this week at Insight, it's given me a great insight (ha ha!) into the workings of a magazine, and I'm grateful that I was given all of the tasks that I was. They got me working hard! And the best bit was, I didn't have to say goodbye, because I'm back there on Tuesday and Wednesday next week! Yay!
Wednesday 29 July 2009
Insight magazine: Day 3
Today was a day completely full of ringing people and them not answering their phone!!!! It has been a nightmare - especially as the people I tried to ring were companies regarding smallholdings (hmmm) and portable sewing machine tables (hmmmmm) both which needed 750 words (arggggh).
Then, the fun part came! An edit came through from sales about Candy Spa, an online boutique selling yummy scrummmy delicious bath treats that looked, smelt, and sometimes were made of, real treats and chocolate!!!! I had to ring the lady a few times to get through, but she was the loveliest lady ever and we had a great coversation about her business. She's actually a one-woman-company, making all of these gorgeous soaps and treats by herself, as well as running a shop and website and all of the promo.
Check it out here at www.candy-spa.co.uk it's fab.
Other than that, I did a general 500 on boot camp, which was quite fun. The writer who is away this week is also away on Tues and Weds next week, so I offered to come in to help out, so we shall see whether they want me to or not tomorrow!
Then, the fun part came! An edit came through from sales about Candy Spa, an online boutique selling yummy scrummmy delicious bath treats that looked, smelt, and sometimes were made of, real treats and chocolate!!!! I had to ring the lady a few times to get through, but she was the loveliest lady ever and we had a great coversation about her business. She's actually a one-woman-company, making all of these gorgeous soaps and treats by herself, as well as running a shop and website and all of the promo.
Check it out here at www.candy-spa.co.uk it's fab.
Other than that, I did a general 500 on boot camp, which was quite fun. The writer who is away this week is also away on Tues and Weds next week, so I offered to come in to help out, so we shall see whether they want me to or not tomorrow!
Tuesday 28 July 2009
Insight magazine: Day 2
I had to do my first editorial today!!!! I rang the director of a cosmetics company for a chat about his business, and turned it into a 500-word editorial, emailed it back to him with a deadline and he didn't get back to me, so I'm guessing he was happy with it!!
After lunch I had a 250-word golf general to write, which completely threw me off and took me forever just to write 86 words before I gave up and decided to continue with it tomorrow. I then had a 500 word 'give your home a facelift' article, which was quite fun to write, before ringing the owner of a smallholding company to ask whether he would like anything adding to this weeks editorial from his last one, and finding that he wanted a complete new article. PANIC! But he didn't have time to chat luckily, so I have to ring him tomorrow.
Another fun day eating chocolates, talking weightwatchers and having a good gossip. The girls are lovely and the time goes soooo fast, and I can't wait until tomorrow.
After lunch I had a 250-word golf general to write, which completely threw me off and took me forever just to write 86 words before I gave up and decided to continue with it tomorrow. I then had a 500 word 'give your home a facelift' article, which was quite fun to write, before ringing the owner of a smallholding company to ask whether he would like anything adding to this weeks editorial from his last one, and finding that he wanted a complete new article. PANIC! But he didn't have time to chat luckily, so I have to ring him tomorrow.
Another fun day eating chocolates, talking weightwatchers and having a good gossip. The girls are lovely and the time goes soooo fast, and I can't wait until tomorrow.
Monday 27 July 2009
Insight magazine: Day 1
First things first: I love it!!!
I walked in this morning with completely no idea of what I was going to be in for. But I was greeted by a small office, smiling faces and my own desk. Insight magazine distributes 5,000 copies of their weekly free mag, and has a readership of 15,000. And all of this is created by one editor, two creative writers, one designer and a handful of sales.
I was introduced to the magazine and then set my first task. Because it's a free magazine, the most important thing is to sell the space. The editorials we write are to promote the space, and you have 'generals' - a general article where businesses aren't mentioned, set on a page to accompany adverts of the same subject, and 'editorials' - articles promoting the business, which can range from 250-500-700-2000, depending on how many pages the business has bought. This editorial is then sent back to the company to proofread and check to see if they are happy with it, before we make any neccessary changes and it goes off to design.
My first task was to write a 500 word general on child's toys and gifts, which was really fun. By the time I knew it, it was lunch time and I was off to subway. In the afternoon, I spent 2 and a half hours reading out TV listings to L on design, which was completely boring but fun at the same time.
I was wearing black trousers and my new flowery top with a black cardigan, which had only taken me about two hours to decide on the night before, and I was relieved to find that the dress code is pretty casual and everyone dresses smart yet comfortable.
Can't wait to go back tomorrow!
I walked in this morning with completely no idea of what I was going to be in for. But I was greeted by a small office, smiling faces and my own desk. Insight magazine distributes 5,000 copies of their weekly free mag, and has a readership of 15,000. And all of this is created by one editor, two creative writers, one designer and a handful of sales.
I was introduced to the magazine and then set my first task. Because it's a free magazine, the most important thing is to sell the space. The editorials we write are to promote the space, and you have 'generals' - a general article where businesses aren't mentioned, set on a page to accompany adverts of the same subject, and 'editorials' - articles promoting the business, which can range from 250-500-700-2000, depending on how many pages the business has bought. This editorial is then sent back to the company to proofread and check to see if they are happy with it, before we make any neccessary changes and it goes off to design.
My first task was to write a 500 word general on child's toys and gifts, which was really fun. By the time I knew it, it was lunch time and I was off to subway. In the afternoon, I spent 2 and a half hours reading out TV listings to L on design, which was completely boring but fun at the same time.
I was wearing black trousers and my new flowery top with a black cardigan, which had only taken me about two hours to decide on the night before, and I was relieved to find that the dress code is pretty casual and everyone dresses smart yet comfortable.
Can't wait to go back tomorrow!
Sunday 26 July 2009
Insight magazine: Prep
It is my first day at Insight magazine tomorrow! I'm quite nervous, but really looking forward to it. I don't really know what to expect, but I was talking to DC's friend at a bbq last night and she said they're owned by quite a big company. And as it's a free magazine, it is quite advertisement-based. But one of the two creative writers are on holiday for this week, and they seemed really keen for me to make the most of my experience; apparently I'm working in production and will be a part of the design and editorial sections of the mag, so it sounds like fun.
Dad took me to Wigston on Friday and we found where the place was, and I have to be there for 8.45 tomorrow morning. I've been worrying about what to wear - they said smart/casual with no trainers and jeans, but where's the mark on leggings? So I'm going to go in quite smart tomorrow and see how things go.
And I will be blogging about it every day this week, so wish me good luck and watch this space...!
Dad took me to Wigston on Friday and we found where the place was, and I have to be there for 8.45 tomorrow morning. I've been worrying about what to wear - they said smart/casual with no trainers and jeans, but where's the mark on leggings? So I'm going to go in quite smart tomorrow and see how things go.
And I will be blogging about it every day this week, so wish me good luck and watch this space...!
Replies: 3
I received this response from Look magazine yesterday:
'Thank you for your email D-,
Unfortunately, all work placements have been allocated but I shall pass on your details to the team in the event of any additional positions arising.
Thank you for your interest in LOOK magazine
Kindest regards
HF
Office Manager'
'Thank you for your email D-,
Unfortunately, all work placements have been allocated but I shall pass on your details to the team in the event of any additional positions arising.
Thank you for your interest in LOOK magazine
Kindest regards
HF
Office Manager'
Friday 24 July 2009
Replies: 2
To receive two very nice email replies the morning after slogging for hours sending a zillion emails is quite inspiring. And it completely put to bed my expectations of not receiving any replies at all!
Reveal magazine emailed back from my follow-up email, asking if I was free Tuesday for a phone interview. They don't seem very keen to make it happen and get me on board; and I am only free in my lunch break or after 4.45pm on Tues due to work experience, so even though I reaaaaaaally want it, I'm not holding out too much for this one.
And I also received this response from Red magazine:
'Dear D,
Thank you for your email requesting work experience at Red.
Unfortunately we do not have any spare placements available for the next few months. However, we will keep your CV on file and get in touch should we have any cancellations. Please do also contact us again later in the summer when we will be booking people in for November/December placements.
Apologies but good luck with your search.
Kind Regards
AW
Red Magazine'
Which, even though it isn't a 'Yes come and work at our magazine we would love to have you there', it's very nice and encouraging and I'll definitely be emailing back after my work experience at more to try and book myself a winter placement.
Reveal magazine emailed back from my follow-up email, asking if I was free Tuesday for a phone interview. They don't seem very keen to make it happen and get me on board; and I am only free in my lunch break or after 4.45pm on Tues due to work experience, so even though I reaaaaaaally want it, I'm not holding out too much for this one.
And I also received this response from Red magazine:
'Dear D,
Thank you for your email requesting work experience at Red.
Unfortunately we do not have any spare placements available for the next few months. However, we will keep your CV on file and get in touch should we have any cancellations. Please do also contact us again later in the summer when we will be booking people in for November/December placements.
Apologies but good luck with your search.
Kind Regards
AW
Red Magazine'
Which, even though it isn't a 'Yes come and work at our magazine we would love to have you there', it's very nice and encouraging and I'll definitely be emailing back after my work experience at more to try and book myself a winter placement.
Thursday 23 July 2009
Backtrack.
Okay, I told a lie!!! There IS news this week: I applied for a job. There is a Junior Writer vacancy at Women's Fitness magazine in London, and I applied for it with crossed fingers, toes and everything else. Post-graduation seems to be the busiest time for graduates to apply for jobs, and I probably won't get any kind of response, but I thought it was worth a try.
Working together to make it..
My lovely university friend R last month managed to grab a week's work experience with Men's Health magazine... and has now just bagged herself another week, in London, at Christmas, at... Zoo magazine!! How fab. I'm so happy for her.
On my own front, there's not much news, and certainly no reply back from Reveal magazine. I may send another follow up email, but I am starting to suspect that any email with the title 'Work Experience' automatically gets diverted into a 1000-email-strong pit full of aspiring journalists just like me.
However, R has just sent me a huge list of the work experience co-ordinators for a lot of Emap's magazines, and I'm starting to make my way through the pile and apply for work experience there.
As all of these posts seem to end lately... fingers crossed!
On my own front, there's not much news, and certainly no reply back from Reveal magazine. I may send another follow up email, but I am starting to suspect that any email with the title 'Work Experience' automatically gets diverted into a 1000-email-strong pit full of aspiring journalists just like me.
However, R has just sent me a huge list of the work experience co-ordinators for a lot of Emap's magazines, and I'm starting to make my way through the pile and apply for work experience there.
As all of these posts seem to end lately... fingers crossed!
Saturday 27 June 2009
Crossing fingers, toes, and everything else.....
I read this email an hour ago after returning from London:
"Hi D-,
Sorry for the delay in response, as you can imagine we are inundated with work experience applications.
We are currently booked up until November, but if you are free to take on a four week placement in winter please let me know and we can call you for a phone interview.
J-
Editorial Assistant
Reveal
www.revealblog.co.uk"
I am so excited.! But so nervous for this phone interview too. What kinds of things are they going to ask me? I haven't had any experience at all on magazines but hopefully by November that all will have changed.
This would be the best opportunity ever.
"Hi D-,
Sorry for the delay in response, as you can imagine we are inundated with work experience applications.
We are currently booked up until November, but if you are free to take on a four week placement in winter please let me know and we can call you for a phone interview.
J-
Editorial Assistant
Reveal
www.revealblog.co.uk"
I am so excited.! But so nervous for this phone interview too. What kinds of things are they going to ask me? I haven't had any experience at all on magazines but hopefully by November that all will have changed.
This would be the best opportunity ever.
Tuesday 23 June 2009
Even more good news......
My local regional paper, the Leicester Mercury, has a policy where they let students undertake work experience only once, and for only one week, during their time at university to ensure that everyone gets an equal chance to succeed in their application.
However, even though I completed work experience with them exactly two years ago, I thought it would be harmless to send this email to the work experience co-ordinator on Monday:
Hi A-,
I met you and carried out work experience with the Leicester Mercury
exactly two years ago, just after finishing my first year of my
Journalism degree at DMU. I understand that you receive many
applications for work experience at your newspaper, and usually limit it
to one visit per student, however I feel now after completing my degree
that my journalistic skills have improved greatly and I would like to
again apply for work experience at the Leicester Mercury.
I really enjoyed my work experience the first time around, although I
believe that I will be able work more to my full potential and make more
use of my skills and qualities now that I am about to graduate.
Attached is my CV. I look forward to hearing from you.
D-.
And today I received this response:
"Dear D-,
I write to confirm your work experience with Newsdesk on Monday 28th September to Friday 2nd October 2009.
I would be grateful if you could report to our reception on -St at 10.30 am on the Monday morning and ask for me and I will take you up to the department.
You will be meeting the public and working in an office environment, so
dress is smart/formal clothing.
Over the course of the week, news staff will be available to offer advice on your work. However, you should bear in mind that periodically, it is likely that you will be left to work on your own for some time, whilst the news staff work towards the newspaper's deadlines.
If circumstances suddenly change and you are unable to attend, please let me know at the earliest opportunity on (0116) 2-.
Yours Sincerely,
Mr A-
Work Experience Co-ordinator
Leicester Mercury Newspaper"
I am so pleased!!!!
However, even though I completed work experience with them exactly two years ago, I thought it would be harmless to send this email to the work experience co-ordinator on Monday:
Hi A-,
I met you and carried out work experience with the Leicester Mercury
exactly two years ago, just after finishing my first year of my
Journalism degree at DMU. I understand that you receive many
applications for work experience at your newspaper, and usually limit it
to one visit per student, however I feel now after completing my degree
that my journalistic skills have improved greatly and I would like to
again apply for work experience at the Leicester Mercury.
I really enjoyed my work experience the first time around, although I
believe that I will be able work more to my full potential and make more
use of my skills and qualities now that I am about to graduate.
Attached is my CV. I look forward to hearing from you.
D-.
And today I received this response:
"Dear D-,
I write to confirm your work experience with Newsdesk on Monday 28th September to Friday 2nd October 2009.
I would be grateful if you could report to our reception on -St at 10.30 am on the Monday morning and ask for me and I will take you up to the department.
You will be meeting the public and working in an office environment, so
dress is smart/formal clothing.
Over the course of the week, news staff will be available to offer advice on your work. However, you should bear in mind that periodically, it is likely that you will be left to work on your own for some time, whilst the news staff work towards the newspaper's deadlines.
If circumstances suddenly change and you are unable to attend, please let me know at the earliest opportunity on (0116) 2-.
Yours Sincerely,
Mr A-
Work Experience Co-ordinator
Leicester Mercury Newspaper"
I am so pleased!!!!
Saturday 20 June 2009
More good news..!!!
"Hi D-
Apologies for the delay in getting back to you.
Thank you for contacting Insight with a request for work experience. I would be pleased to offer you a placement for a week from Monday 27th July if you are available. You will be working within the production department and will be able to experience both design and editorials. Please have a look on the Insight webstite www.insight-magazine.co.uk to see what we’re all about.
I look forward to hearing your response and any questions please don’t hesitate to ask.
Kind Regards
G-
Creative Writer"
Apologies for the delay in getting back to you.
Thank you for contacting Insight with a request for work experience. I would be pleased to offer you a placement for a week from Monday 27th July if you are available. You will be working within the production department and will be able to experience both design and editorials. Please have a look on the Insight webstite www.insight-magazine.co.uk to see what we’re all about.
I look forward to hearing your response and any questions please don’t hesitate to ask.
Kind Regards
G-
Creative Writer"
Wednesday 10 June 2009
Finally... some good news
"Hi D-,
Thanks for getting in touch, we really like your writing style and wouldlove for you to write features for us. At the moment we are looking for people to write for the features section http://www.whispermag.co.uk/features/.
I like both of your summer features ideas. We find that a list formatworks really well for this section. If you can keep the word count down toaround 800/900 words. Style wise light, informative and funny is what we go for. We also like to make sure there are a few pictures that go with it, if you find any on google images or other photo sharing sites that wecould use please send them over with your article.
The next slot we have for a feature is July 7th (it will go live on thesite on 9th). So that would give you a while to put something together if you are interested? Let me know if you have any questions or other ideas that you would like to run past me.
Many thanks
N-"
Thanks for getting in touch, we really like your writing style and wouldlove for you to write features for us. At the moment we are looking for people to write for the features section http://www.whispermag.co.uk/features/.
I like both of your summer features ideas. We find that a list formatworks really well for this section. If you can keep the word count down toaround 800/900 words. Style wise light, informative and funny is what we go for. We also like to make sure there are a few pictures that go with it, if you find any on google images or other photo sharing sites that wecould use please send them over with your article.
The next slot we have for a feature is July 7th (it will go live on thesite on 9th). So that would give you a while to put something together if you are interested? Let me know if you have any questions or other ideas that you would like to run past me.
Many thanks
N-"
Wednesday 27 May 2009
More applications...
Been so busy with work and etc this week that I've only just got around to applying for work experience with my local magazines. I've just this second sent the emails out, so fingers crosssed......
Sunday 17 May 2009
The Demon - final article
Okay so I have been searching, searching and SEARCHING for the past few days, for jobs, internships, work experience, everything and anything. And I was beginning to give up, until I saw this:
Click for full size!
Wednesday 13 May 2009
Elle magazine
It's been a quiet few days on the journalism front - no reply from internships, no reply from jobs.... a give up all round.
However, my dream internship cropped up on Gorkana today, for a Fashion Intern. At Elle Magazine. And it sounds so amazing, but completely out of reach as six months previous experience on a magazine is essential, and seems as no one will give me any experience on their magazine, I'm screwed.
The internship is for a year and this would be the perfect step up of the ladder into the world of fashion magazines. Perhaps next year...
Monday 11 May 2009
Applications....
I applied for two things today:
1) Work experience at Reveal magazine
I was looking into applying for Cosmo, when I came over a forum with a couple of people saying it was quite easy to get work experience with Reveal magazine. So off I sent my CV with my cover letter and hopefully I'll hear back from them soon....
2) A JOB.
Yes, my first, proper, real journalism job. Scary stuff indeed.! There's a vacancy being advertised in Lutterworth for some Online Content Writers, so I applied for it straight away. I didn't even really know what to put in my covering letter, seems as everything I've been applying for lately are for magazine internships. But I tried my best, and it sounds as though the company is taking on a good few journos, so fingers crossed..............................
1) Work experience at Reveal magazine
I was looking into applying for Cosmo, when I came over a forum with a couple of people saying it was quite easy to get work experience with Reveal magazine. So off I sent my CV with my cover letter and hopefully I'll hear back from them soon....
2) A JOB.
Yes, my first, proper, real journalism job. Scary stuff indeed.! There's a vacancy being advertised in Lutterworth for some Online Content Writers, so I applied for it straight away. I didn't even really know what to put in my covering letter, seems as everything I've been applying for lately are for magazine internships. But I tried my best, and it sounds as though the company is taking on a good few journos, so fingers crossed..............................
Sunday 10 May 2009
2009
Here's to a fabulous summer of working hard, applying hard and, fingers crossed, some fantastic opportunities!
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