In less than two years, Jenny Rough has gone from lawyer to freelance writer, contributing to Self, Whole Life Times, The Washington Post, and the newly launched ezine Portovert. On top of having an impressive resume, Jenny is a sweet, self-effacting California gal who blogs at Roughly Speaking. What's the secret to her success? Read on...
Urban Muse: Could you share a little of your strategy for breaking into publishing?Jenny: My strategy was to quit my legal job out of the blue and announce that I was becoming a freelance writer. I don't recommend that route! I mistakenly thought switching industries would amount to a lateral move, but I had to dig a basement for myself in the journalism field and work my way up from there. When starting out, I do recommend the old adage: write what you know (for me that meant legal articles). I also recommend taking a job as an intern or assistant editor at a magazine. I accepted a part-time position at a sustainable living publication, and it made my transition to freelancing so much smoother because it allowed me to meet editors, build clips, and carve a niche for myself in a new area.
UM: You have a JD from when you practiced law. Do you think successful writers need an advanced degree in publishing or a specialty area?
J: The upside – and the downside – of freelance writing is that there are no barriers to entry. You don't have to earn a JD, pass a bar exam, or pay a license fee. It's a free-for-all frenzy! Law school sharpened my writing and research skills and taught me to work hard. Other graduate programs would do the same. But I don't think an advanced degree is necessary. Successful writers need two things: the ability to write and the ability to build good relationships with editors. At least, I think that's what it takes – I'm still new at this, so ask me again in ten years.
UM: It can be tough to find a market for personal essays, but you've done really well in that area. Any general comments about querying/publishing personal essays?
J: Whenever I come across articles offering advice about personal essay, the piece almost always mentions the same three columns: "Modern Love" in The New York Times, "My Turn" in Newsweek, and "Lives" in The New York Times Magazine. These are wonderful venues – I certainly hope to break into them one day – but the editors for these columns receive tons of submissions each month. There are other personal essay markets looking for good work. Check every magazine you pick up – you'd be surprised how many run first person pieces. Even my alumni magazine prints a back page essay, and my law school magazine prints a memoir column. In newspapers, the Style or Leisure section often prints personal essay, as well as the Travel, Home, and Food sections. Literary magazines are another idea, as are webzines. Sometimes online publications don't pay, but if you can publish in one that is respected and that gets a zillion hits a day, it can be a great way to get your name out there. I'm actually compiling a list of personal essay markets that I plan to post on my website (ed note: I'll be sure to link to that later). Finally, I treat personal essay different than standard feature articles in the sense that I usually write the piece in advance. Maybe that'll change as I become more established, but I tend to send a one paragraph pitch along with the essay pasted right into the e-mail.
UM: Congrats on your article in this week's Washington Post! Was it tough to sell yourself to a DC-based publication?
J: Thanks... While it's true I started my writing career in LA, I moved to the DC area a few months ago. But my bet is the editor didn't know where I lived when I submitted my piece. The challenge is not so much selling to a regional publication, but finding them (especially the ones with limited circulation). If a local publication does require its essays to specifically reference the area, you'll have to figure out how to work geography into the article, but the beauty of the genre is that those ties can be loose. The real focus of personal essay is moving people on an emotional level.
UM: And because I always include at least one totally irrelevant question: what is your favorite beach read?
J: Let's see . . . I'm going to Mexico on a travel assignment in a few days (ed note: lucky girl, she's missing the crazy Northeaster!) and I'm hoping to steal a little beach time. At the risk of sounding trite, I'll probably pack the 2006 edition of The Best American Essays, but I'm anxiously awaiting the release date of Rebecca Walker's Baby Love. When it comes to reading, I almost always gorge on memoirs.
Thanks, Jenny! Read the 5 Q's archives here.