Amanda Pressner has one of the coolest writing websites I’ve seen . The collage of images reminds me of cutting out magazine clips and pasting them to my locker (and many other surfaces) during middle and high school. She’s just returned from a fabulous year of travel with the “Lost Girls,” so I’m sure she’ll have a lot to talk (and write) about. Read on…
Urban Muse: First of all, your website looks fantastic and you have a really diverse set of clips. How do you brainstorm for story ideas?Amanda: Thanks for the compliment! A friend of mine helped me to build a very basic site which allows editors to view or print full sized clips quickly and easily. I believe it's important for all freelancers, both new and experienced, to establish an online presence. Even if you just post a few clips, a resume and contact information, that puts you ahead of the game. As for story ideas, well, I almost always get them through casual conversation with family, friends and colleagues. By asking questions about people's day-to-day lives and interests (and being a good listener), I often come across great bits of information that can turn into a story. For example, after listening to several girlfriends lament that guys they met were asking them out for the first time—or breaking up with them—using SMS text messaging, it sparked an idea: How is this relatively new digital technology affecting the ages old institution of dating? Once I'd done some preliminary interviews and constructed a pitch, I sent the idea to an editor at USA Today….and received my first assignment with that paper. Another example: I recently met a British man who worked for a dating website in Australia. It was his job to study the differences between what British singles consider important in a partner (good looks, financial stability, family values, etc) versus what Australians indicate they're looking for. I thought this would make an interesting idea for an article—how our romantic priorities differ between countries, and how that might influence a person's online dating success.
UM: You've freelanced for Cosmo, Self and many other markets that can be tough for freelancers to crack. Any hints on breaking in?
A: If you're just starting out and looking to break into the major women's glossies, I definitely recommend sticking to front of book pitches. Send those ideas to junior to mid-level editors, as they are often the ones who assign smaller items (and I've found a bit more open to working new writers). Since each magazine has a different FOB style, format your pitches to work with the tone and format. Most of the heath and fitness magazines rely on scientific research to fuel their pages, so try to send queries pegged to a brand new study. As most women's magazines subscribe to the major research journals, mining the smaller ones for new information can definitely increase your chances of an assignment. I personally prefer to send all pitches via email…paper queries often end up in a pile that never gets seen again! Send three highly-targeted ideas per email and don't forget to follow up. As an editor, I was truly amazed at how few people called or wrote to remind me that they'd submitted a pitch. Don't be afraid to give a gentle nudge.
UM: Leaving your friends and writing contacts in NYC to become a "Lost Girl" is a pretty gutsy move! Have you been able to keep writing or are you more focused on experiencing things in the moment? A: When I first left the US, I was determined to pitch story ideas via email and perhaps even break further into my dream market—travel magazines. I soon realized though, that trying to work from the road, especially from third-world countries can be a monumental and frustrating task! In the beginning, I found myself getting stressed out by the painfully slow internet connections, poor phone service and the difficulty in completing research. Since we were always on the move to a new place, I ended up spending a lot of my time running around trying to find an internet café where I could write up and send pitches. About three months into the trip, I realized that trying to freelance from the road was actually interfering with my enjoyment of my round-the-world trip—not to mention driving my traveling companions nuts! I decided to put down the computer and pick up the pen; rather than pitching, I took copious notes on the people I met and places that I visited. Doing this made a huge impact on the adventure—I felt like I was living in the moment rather than back home in New York. Now that I'm finally returning to the United States, I'm looking forward to sending out all of those queries…with a high-speed internet connection! UM: Any tips on staying connected while traveling? What places are the most (or least) Internet-friendly?A: Well, there's definitely something to be said for being disconnected. The internet in Myanmar is so heavily regulated by the government that you can't access your web-based email, so I ended up having a very enjoyable "forced" vacation from staying in touch while I was there. Most countries aren't so strict, though. Highly touristed spots such as Thailand and Australia, tend to have an internet café on every corner and you can check your email, pay bills on line and keep up with your life at home for as little as a buck an hour. Countries that are just developing their tourism structure, such as Peru and Laos seem to have just as many cafes, but be prepared for a slower-than-dial up connection. If you're planning to do a lot of work or writing from the road, definitely bring a small, lightweight laptop, such as the Panasonic Toughbook (it weighs just over two pounds). You can do your work offline on the computer, then transfer the work to jump drive/memory stick and send it out at any internet café. Just make sure you've loaded Norton Antivirus onto your laptop—it's extremely easy to pick up a virus via your jump drive and transfer it to your computer. Norton will help keep things clean and your work safe.
UM: What is your favorite place you've visited thus far?
A: Oh man…that's like asking me to pick a favorite kid! Well, the top three on my list were Laos (in Southeast Asia), New Zealand and Brazil . I absolutely loved how beautiful and friendly the locals were in Laos, and since it's not flooded with tourists like Thailand and Vietnam, you can actually get an authentic cultural experience. New Zealand is truly one of the most gorgeous places on earth and great place to do a road trip—every bend in the road affords a view more beautiful than the last. And we discovered that few people celebrate life like the Brazilians—there's always music playing, kids laughing and people dancing. And, never in our lives have we seen so many incredibly fit men flaunting their goods on the beach. No complaints here!
Thanks, Amanda. Also check out the 5 Q's archives .