Introducing the Former Graphic Designer Turned Pro Celeb Blogger

I was dragged into writing kicking and screaming, fighting it the whole way down to the registrar’s office. Okay, well, not literally. But I definitely did not think in a million years that I would be staring down the gaping black hole of my senior year with this crazy idea that I was going to make a living off of writing words, and maybe somebody would be nice enough to pay me for it.

It didn’t start out that way though. In elementary school I was the queen of Accelerated Reader. (Anyone else remember that program?) I actually just cashed in two savings bonds that I won through the AR rewards system in 3rd and 5th grade in order to pay for my Metrocard this month. Thanks, little self!

In 4th grade I wrote a 20-page fiction piece on the Iditarod that left my English teacher speechless. The next year, my parents bought me this book for Christmas called So, You Wanna Be A Writer? and I was like YES.

But then something went weird. In high school I had that quintessential teacher—you know, the one who will leave an impact on you for the rest of your life. She was my English teacher and the advisor for the high school yearbook, which I reigned over during my senior year. She encouraged me, challenged me, and told me that writing was worth pursuing. But it seemed like the more papers I wrote, the more A’s that I got, the higher the pressure was to be some kind of brilliant writing machine.

Finding A (Virtual) Needle In A Haystack

Hi Edsters,

Things are starting to wind down at my internship.  Now as the summer draws to a close, I’m reflecting on my experiences from the past several weeks. While looking over the saved files on my work computer, I’ve singled out all of the projects I’ve completed for various staffers around the office. Some have directly resulted in bylines, but most have ended up as background filler for stories in the magazine.  The question is:  How did I come across this information? 

How Do You Share A Byline?

Hey Edsters!

At this point I’m over halfway through my internship.  I can’t believe how much time has passed since I started working at the magazine.  In the brief time that I’ve been here, I’ve gotten the opportunity to try a couple of new things, including transcribing and uploading articles to the online content management system.  Although these are valuable editorial skills, the best part of all has been the chance to earn writing credits.  I’ve cherished seeing my name appear in print, viewing all my hard work pay off.  But there’s something else more important to being a successful intern than just striving to stockpile clips:  Collaboration.  I recently had two situations where it either helped or hindered to have a helping hand.

My First Real High-Profile Interview

At first, I was excited to be enlisted for a writing assignment that would be printed in the magazine.  I brainstormed a list of entertainment ideas. But with such a wide plethora of topics to choose from, I didn’t know which one to choose. My editor suggested I focus on a couple of popular shows with great moments in television history. I thought I had plenty of time to decide, but then he reminded me that I needed to get started right away due to the long process that went beyond the actual writing component:  

requesting a photo from the art department and having it vetted by three separate editors in charge of the final look of the page.

I finally settled on a popular cable show that I could write a short yet meaningful piece on; the show was close to my heart since I had watched it through most of adolescence and identified with the protagonists. I even managed to find a compelling photo (with the help of one of my fellow interns)  with a review of the show. Then, my editor encouraged me to take the next step and utilize one of his contacts in order to get quotes for the story. Amazed, I called the individual, who directed me to email someone else before I was able to get a hold of the right person to set up an interview. While I waited for a response, I penned my first draft and emailed it to my editor before I left for the day.

Intern Invasion: Sizing Up the Competition

In the beginning, I prided myself on being the first intern this summer at the magazine, especially since my supervisor mentioned they hadn’t had any interns in quite a while. Although not all the staffers knew my name, they identified my status based on the location of my desk, in the isolated middle section of the office.  Over the past couple of weeks, they’ve solely relied on me to complete their research or transcribing tasks.  My supervisor has even recognized my willingness to go the extra mile, whether it means working through my lunch break or staying well past the time I’m supposed to leave.

Just when I’ve started to feel more comfortable in my role at the magazine, I realized I wasn’t the only new kid on the block.  Evidence in the form of new post-it notes tacked to my bulletin board and past issues strewn on my desk was proof that other interns have arrived on the scene.  It was inevitable that others would have to pick up the slack on the days when I wasn’t scheduled to be in the office, but I could rationalize that it was OK since I didn’t interact with them.  Out of sight, out of mind…right?

Boy was I wrong.

How I Landed My First Byline

Hey Edsters, 

Things have been steadily progressing, with the workload increasing in small waves.  Although I’ve had to postpone researching my assignment until the editor approves an eye-catching photo to match, I’ve been involved with other projects that have proved to be quite interesting. I worked on different research topics for various feature stories, some involving combing through old records online and others for the business side of the entertainment industry.

One day,  an editor asked if I watched a popular TV show. Even though I admitted that I didn’t, she surprised me by asking me to write about it for the website. 

Putting Everything On The Line To Achieve My Dreams

After college, things haven’t turned out the way I envisioned. 

By now, I thought I would be living the dream: a thriving career at an award-winning magazine and my own place. Instead, I’m living at home, juggling two part-jobs to make ends meet and (barely) pay my bills. It might seem crazy to take on an unpaid internship at this point in my life, but I feel like it’s now or never. Better to take a risk and go out on a limb instead of playing it safe and daydreaming about the life that I want for myself. So, here I am, putting everything on the line to learn the ropes again and have a second chance to achieve my dreams.

I came pretty close this week.

Introducing..The Post-Grad Entertainment Intern Ready To Pay Her Dues

This past Monday was unlike any other Monday before it. It marked the beginning of a new, positive change in my personal evolution: I started my summer internship with an entertainment magazine. For as long as I can remember, I’ve always wanted to work for one. When I was growing up, instead of learning makeup tips from Seventeen, I was absorbing pop culture analysis from Entertainment Weekly.

I began my day at the crack of dawn for the long trek across town to my internship. Rather than heading to the freeway to journey into the heart of Los Angeles like other commuters, I boarded the early morning light rail train. I want to arrive on my first day not only on time, but also early enough so that I can scope out the amenities of the area. Luckily, I found a Starbucks in the same vicinity as the office.

Fortified with invigorating caffeine, I held my head high as I entered the building. The magazine office is sparse, yet trendy. The space reminds me of a converted art gallery, with wide airy windows and bare concrete floors that echo everyone’s footsteps. The lady at the front desk (not sure if she was the receptionist or just someone filling in) instructed me to have a seat while she summoned my editor. Waiting in the lobby, the seconds felt like hours.