wholoveswords,
Inthisissue,wedrawthecurtainontherealitiesofprofessionalwriting throughaseriesofinterviewsrevealingthejoysandstrugglesofmakinga livingwithwords.
Whetheryou’reanaspiringwriter,aseasonedpro,orsomeonecurious aboutthecraft,wehopethesestoriesresonatewithyou.Writingisoften seenasasolitaryact,butthiszineisareminderthatwe’reallpartofa muchbiggerconversation.
Happyreading,
MadelineRosales ChiefEditor
Editor’sNote
M.S. Blues is a multiracial, queer, versatile writer poet, playwright, shortstory-ist,lyricist,andnovelist.Herworkrevolvesaroundthedarker pieces of humanity society tends to neglect. When she isn’t bound to paper,pencils,orthecomputer,sheenjoyscostumedesigning,reading, playingguitar,watchingoldfilms,andstudyingasteroids.Shehasbeen published3xbyLiteralImpact,2xbyTeenInk,TheTrailblazerReview, Eber & Wein, Pa'lante!, and 5x by Wingless Dreamer. She currently residesintheBayArea,Californiaandislookingforwardtobeginning hercollegejourneyintheFall.
editingor side of the industry?
Do you prefer the Blues:“...Both.Ilovecreating,butI also love helping people. The world needsmorewritersanditisimportant that I, a writer myself, use my platformtonotonlyadvocateformy work,buttheworkofothercreatives too!Writingandeditingequallyhave myheart.”
Blues: “Time management and understanding your capabilities. The thingis,weallstrivetodosomuchandusuallydon’tfollowthrough, because we ’ re under the notion that we simply don’t have the time however, that is not true. Maximizing your 24 hours is a hard skill to develop, but it comes with time and experience. Prioritize your commitmentsandyourself,andofcourse,explore.Takeariskhereand there.”
Blues:“IrecentlygotownershipofamagazineIwasonceaneditorat andthoughIdon’twanttogivetoomuchaway,here’sasnippet:blog.A blogforthepeople.”
JessicaSeigelisanaward-winningmagazinewriter,radiocommentator, and editor who has excavated ancient bones at the real Armageddon, generatedelectricitybybicycle,andranwithwildhorses—alltogetthe story. Herfeaturesonculture,health/science,travel,andcelebrityhaverunin The Atlantic, The New York Times, Smithsonian, Washington Post, TheIndependent,KnowableMagazine,Nautilus,ChicagoTribune,Los Angeles Times, National Public Radio, BBC, National Geographic Traveler, Los Angeles Magazine, Reader's Digest, Salon, and Village Voice.CriticsattheDailyNews,ChicagoTribune,andNewYorkPost.
Siegel:“WhenIgotoutofcollege,Ididn'tknowwhattodo.
My mother, Judy Seigel, was at a local protest and met a reporter from a “local weekly” called the Chelsea Clinton News. She mentioned my recent degree in journalism and inquiredaboutapossiblejobopening,andherespondedthat therewascompetitionforanopening;allthecandidateshad to do was cover a community board meeting. I had never coveredsuchanevent,soIdidmybest.However,Ihada secretweapon–mymother,anartistandeditor.Igotthejob! Itwassoprofoundlyimportant,asitwasasmallpaperbut waslocatedinthebiggestcityinthestates–NewYorkCity.”
Siegel:“Itissoexcitingtobeinthecenterofnewsthatisof great importance to the entire world. With the Chicago Tribune,Icoveredthebiggeststoriesoftheday,suchasthe OJ Simpson murder trial and the Waco massacre. As a magazinewriter,Iwasabletopursuemyinterestswhenever I liked, traveling internationally to explore archeological sitesforNationalGeographic.”
Siegel: “Writing is really, really, really hard. Staring at a blank page is so difficult, and it always has been. I go through at least 25 drafts–so much work goes into producing stories.Thejournalismindustryiscollapsing in a freefall and is becoming extremely difficultprofessionally.”
Siegel: “The most important thing is building relationships.Editorsaresobusyandundersomuch pressurethattheymayignoreemailpitches.Startby followingthemonsocialmediaandinteractingwith their content. Every time your name is in front of them, it gives you a chance. Go to events where editors congregate and go to publication events to network or socialize. Practice and perfect your elevatorpitch!”