This week's 5 Q's subject is Leslie Pepper, an editor-turned-freelance writer who has contributed to magazines including Women's Health, Parade, Good Housekeeping, and Parenting. Here are Leslie's insights into winning over your editor, finding a niche, and other tricks of the writing trade...
Urban Muse: Since you've worked as an editor, is there anything that a freelancer should or should not do in their query and initial communication with an editor?
Leslie: Um, can we start with spell my name right? It’s infuriating that when my name is printed on a masthead, some bumbleheads can’t copy it down correctly. If you can’t get that straight, you’re going to have a very difficult time getting your facts straight on a story. I won’t read anything further. And read back issues of the magazine – if we’ve covered your idea in last month’s issue, I’m going to have a tough time believing that you have actually even read a copy of the magazine ever.
UM: How do you stay focused when you're working on a project?
L: Focused? Me? Ha! I’m usually working on four to five different stories at a time, and I have three children, so I don’t think you can say the words Leslie and focus in the same sentence. I sometimes work in 10-minute time chunks – email someone here, interview someone there, then write up a few lines later. It’s actually a miracle I get anything done. I don’t think that’s helping your readers much, is it?
UM: Well, I don't have kids, but I'm glad to hear I'm not the only writer who struggles with that! What writing clip are you most proud of? Why?
L: That’s tough because there are a few I’m proud of, but I’m probably most proud of a piece I wrote for Child, about how kids are no longer allowed to fail. We, as parents, think our kids must be happy happy happy all the time, and we’re constantly trying to bolster their egos by telling them how wonderful they are. And with that, we never allow them to fail – we give every kid a trophy on the soccer field, we don’t let kids play musical chairs at birthday parties anymore, for fear that the kids that get out will be upset – so we’re raising a nation of children who are ill-equipped to handle the real world. The piece was originally my idea, and it was a great collaboration with my editors. Child was a great magazine. I’m crushed that it folded.
UM: How important is finding a niche?
L: I fell into my niche – health, because the health and fitness editor was leaving New Woman (the magazine I worked for) and they offered me that spot. I lucked out because I just loved it. After I went freelance I got even luckier – I hit it off with the then-executive editor of Marie Claire, and she offered me a monthly health column. So health (and by extension diet and nutrition) just became my beat. That’s not answering your question, is it? My friend Kelly James-Enger is big into this – finding your niche. I do think it’s important to have a specialty for a few reasons. First, it can make you an editor’s go-to gal – when an editor has a health story to assign, I hope I’d be at the top of her list. Second, it makes your job easier. I have a Rolodex full of health experts that I can call on when I need interviews. I know what websites to go to when I’m researching a health story. So I’m essentially starting with a base of knowledge already, which makes my job easier. That’s not to say that I don’t do stories outside my niche. I also do parenting articles - I recently wrote a piece on dealing with kids who are different than you for Family Circle. And I do articles that are completely out of my realm - I had piece last month in Parade about extended warranties. Those pieces do take longer, because I’m starting from scratch with each one. But it’s fun to stretch my brain a bit.
UM: What are your interests outside of writing?
L: Is it cliché to say my kids? Free time is pretty much non-existent in my world! These days I’m addicted to Scrabulous, but that’s about all the time outside of writing and my kids that I have!
UM: I'm not going near Scrabulous, because it sounds highly addictive. Thanks for sharing your insights on writing, Leslie!