5 Hot Tips For Those Interested In Magazine Publishing Careers

Many people dream of working for a magazine in a glamorous position that gets to travel, attend exclusive events and get wonderful free gifts. Unfortunately, magazine publishing isn't just about glamorous events and freebies; it is about writing articles that the readers will appreciate and relate to. This can be very challenging, especially if the events you are covering are not interesting to you.

Every page you read in a magazine is the result of staff writers who work very hard to write articles and news items that you want to read. They are not attending events to have fun. They must take notes while they are there, follow up with interviews, write out a good article and be prepared for rewrites and editing.

Before you begin applying for that glamorous magazine job, there are some things you should know. Read the following tips. They may save you the time and trouble if you find out magazine publishing really isn't for you.

1. Hard work

You may think magazine publishing is glamorous, and the cool freebies are enticing. Are you prepared, however, for staying up all hours to meet deadlines? Do you handle stress well? It can be very stressful when the article on which you worked so hard is suddenly sent back to you for rewrites with only a couple of hours to go before it is sent for printing. Stress may not be worth the little freebies and other perks that trickle your way.

2. Additional expenses

It may seem like fun to be arranging the clothing for a fashion shoot. It's just like shopping, right? Before you imagine all the fun you'll have, think about the hard work in carrying entire wardrobes of clothing, shoes and accessories all day long from one place to another. Or perhaps your job will be to find that perfect unique accessory and it eludes you until you are exhausted. You need to be careful that none of the clothing is damaged in any way, or they may come out of your paycheck. Magazine writers don't usually get paid enough to afford high fashion. One item may cost more than you make in a year.

3. Socializing with people you don't know

If you are lucky, you'll get to attend some events and parties. If you love the party scene, good for you! This will not be a fun time, though. You're working, remember? You need to take notes and do interviews. If you are not a party person, it may in fact become very stressful. Even if you are partying with the stars, if this really isn't your idea of a good time, it will come across. This can only harm your career and the reputation of the magazine that sent you.

4. Overlapping deadlines

Deadlines will be easy... you just work on your assignment until it is done and then go on to the next, right? Think again. Most writers work on multiple projects at a time. You'll be running all over doing research, interviews and attending events and still need to write about each one individually.

5. Boring events

Not every event you need to attend will be interesting. You are sure to attend more than your share of events that don't interest you in the least. Regardless, you still need to pay attention, take notes and do your job so you can write about it. If you can't do this, magazine publishing is not for you. You need to be able to make even the most boring event interesting to the reader.