Last weekend I sat curled up on the sofa for two hours, devouring Red magazine from cover to cover. Including their Twitter section in which my tweet praising Rosie Green's column was included - and it's not the first time my comments have been featured.
I'm beginning to feel like a bit of a Red mag groupie, truth be told. Since reading my first issue I have tweeted through it, Instagrammed my favourite quotes and shoots and generally overshared my adoration for it to anyone who'll listen. But as a writer, and as a reader, I think it's good to share praise of what is the downward spiralling mag industry. Though the fact it's SO worth commenting on is perhaps most telling of all; before the Internet would we have been as complimentary when discovering a good read? I'd argue not.
The ABC figures recently revealed the stark truth of today's print media; most mags are plummeting, most surprisingly including the likes of Company who have had massive design and content overhauls. Though actually, I'm one of the readers who has abandoned them; an unread pile of subscription copies leading me to guiltily cancelling because their new web and blog-friendly content didn't feel like anything I would miss if I just, say, went on their site.
Red, if I can act as a groupie again, is different. I don't care much for their website; it doesn't grab me but to be honest, none of the mag sites do. But the magazine is packed full of writers I respect, whether I've read them before or not; it has well written, lengthy features on subjects I am interested in and have to mark with post-its to make sure I look up a site, a book, a writer when I'm done. It has interesting cover girls and plenty of humour; it doesn't assume you have babies but it also doesn't talk to you, Single Woman, in a way that suggests you are either madly career driven or desperate for a man. It assumes, without pretentiousness or patronisation, that we can and should have it all.
And it's for these reasons that I don't think the mag industry will disappear. Those two hours were the most calm I'd been all week; it felt indulgent but was also inspiring, I learned, I enjoyed it, and best of all it wasn't on a screen. Yes, other people will want different things from a mag - I know smart businesswomen who love their Grazia fix and I know journalists who will always look to Vogue as their bible - but that's why I think a lot of the mags out there can survive.
From the Internet, I want niche destinations - like the site I work for where health and beauty is our expertise - because if I'm going to read something short and fast I only want to read from the experts. Who has time to filter (Google) through them all? That's why mag sites have never really captured me; there's too much being covered and not in a particularly good way. There's often far more celeb content than is in print (I'm not a fan) and there's rarely thoughtful, inspiring content.
The numbers obviously disagree with me but though I think some will inevitably fail, the success stories, I hope, will be the likes of Red who understand their changing reader in the era of the internet, careers, feminism and general life today, but who don't change what ultimately they always stood for: good writing and engaging content. That's all we really want, no matter where we read.
Showing posts with label media. Show all posts
Showing posts with label media. Show all posts
Today I watched two women sit with Kate Garraway to debate whether it was selfish for a woman to choose not to have children. Apparently having your own life that doesn't involve squeezing out some sprogs and wiping up after them for 18 years is something to be ashamed of.
It amazes me that this is even a question in today's society. Just as with the question of 'should gay people be allowed to marry' and such like, I don't understand why we care quite so much about other people's choices. So long as their choices aren't, say, to murder someone, then why do we need to debate it? I don't know about you but I'm far too busy getting through my own life to worry about whether a woman has six kids or jet sets around the world on her tod (and personally, I know which one would be more annoying on an aeroplane).
I think Daybreak (and others) needs to wake up and smell 2013. In my generation choice is the order of the day - thank god. Call it feminism, call it whatever you like but the point is women can almost do what they like these days - they just can't seem to do it without judgement. Have a baby too old, you're deemed selfish. Have one too young and you're immature and probably scrounging off benefits. Don't have one at all and you get the pity head tilt and idiots on Daybreak whose only argument for saying you simply must have kids or else miss out is because 'It's just an amazing experience'.
Well you know what? People say that about skydiving. People say it about holding a tarantula. People say it about eating a spicy curry. Not everyone likes to do those and nor should they have to just to make society shut up and think they're a good, well rounded person who has lived their life to the full. People are fulfilled by different things and having kids shouldn't have to be an opt-out option.
I probably sound like I am one of the children-hating (because clearly if you don't have children or want them in your future, you MUST have evil witch-like thoughts towards them) independent women that society so fears. Actually, I'm not sure what I am yet. The thought of kids neither appeals to nor disgusts me but I know for certain I'm not ready for them and am also somewhat missing one of the ingredients considering I'm single, so this works out rather well. Unless you take society's view that is, in which case I might never experience life to the full if I choose the wrong option. Society, frankly, should mind its own business.
It amazes me that this is even a question in today's society. Just as with the question of 'should gay people be allowed to marry' and such like, I don't understand why we care quite so much about other people's choices. So long as their choices aren't, say, to murder someone, then why do we need to debate it? I don't know about you but I'm far too busy getting through my own life to worry about whether a woman has six kids or jet sets around the world on her tod (and personally, I know which one would be more annoying on an aeroplane).
I think Daybreak (and others) needs to wake up and smell 2013. In my generation choice is the order of the day - thank god. Call it feminism, call it whatever you like but the point is women can almost do what they like these days - they just can't seem to do it without judgement. Have a baby too old, you're deemed selfish. Have one too young and you're immature and probably scrounging off benefits. Don't have one at all and you get the pity head tilt and idiots on Daybreak whose only argument for saying you simply must have kids or else miss out is because 'It's just an amazing experience'.
Well you know what? People say that about skydiving. People say it about holding a tarantula. People say it about eating a spicy curry. Not everyone likes to do those and nor should they have to just to make society shut up and think they're a good, well rounded person who has lived their life to the full. People are fulfilled by different things and having kids shouldn't have to be an opt-out option.
I probably sound like I am one of the children-hating (because clearly if you don't have children or want them in your future, you MUST have evil witch-like thoughts towards them) independent women that society so fears. Actually, I'm not sure what I am yet. The thought of kids neither appeals to nor disgusts me but I know for certain I'm not ready for them and am also somewhat missing one of the ingredients considering I'm single, so this works out rather well. Unless you take society's view that is, in which case I might never experience life to the full if I choose the wrong option. Society, frankly, should mind its own business.
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| Pic from http://icanhas.cheezburger.com/ |
And when I say playground I mean full on, bitchy little kids' playground. Like primary school stuff. Attention seeking, bickering and - much worse - bullying; not to mention the far more serious and vile threatening behaviour that led to the police getting involved. Let's not go there.
It's not that this stuff shouldn't be talked about. It's not that this stuff shouldn't get us #ShoutingBack and shutting down those 'trolls' (worst term ever, trivialises the whole thing… sigh) when they act up but can we please, maybe, at some point, give it a rest? Every day it feels like someone's got their pitchfork ready to do battle and is just waiting for something to leap on. Anybody mention feminism? YELL AT THEM. Someone mention interns? YELL AT THEM. Journalist say the word 'blog'? YELL AT THEM. Someone say they like the Blurred Lines song? YELL AT THEM. And repeat. This is what Twitter's like at the moment and it's really bloody boring. Enough of the drama. Drama is for Facebook.
So instead, I've devised a list of the stuff we should go back to that Twitter is good at:
- LOL cats
- Louis Walsh jokes (at him, not with him)
- Tranzizzling shizzle on Gizoogle and sharing dem crazy ass shizzle
- Telling Katie Hopkins to shut up, Holly Willoughby style
- Praising Willoughby's boobs in that dress
- More cats
- Cats dressed as sharks on hoovers
- Drunk tweeting emotional rubbish
- Telling commuters how to commute like a good commuter, just like you
- Asking inane questions that Google was actually built for
- Posting photos of meals you didn't even make yourself
- Friends quotes
- Tweeting through <insert any TV programme here> and spoiling it for anyone who's planning on watching on +1
- Retweeting a picture of Kate Middleton holding a baby just in case the other million RTs didn't get through
- Ripping X Factor contestants to shreds (metaphorically speaking, obviously) then doing it all again a week later
- Complaining about the Daily Mail
- Breaking news that's already been broken a gazillion times
I could go on. Twitter used to be a happy place full of distraction and fun and in-jokes against those people who think Facebook is the best thing on the internet and that selfies are what Instagram was built for. We need to get back to that brilliant, sarcastic, hilarious place that Twitter used to be.
Until then, I'll rely on Tweetdeck and my list of 'friends' aka 'nice people who don't argue with power users and always make me laugh' to keep me sane.
Today I unfollowed Vagenda Magazine after they tweeted in celebration of the fact More magazine has officially been suspended. They crowed at the fact that another brainless, preaching, make-women-feel-like-crap magazine had bitten the dust, so to speak. Being a journalist and someone who writes in health and beauty (which no doubt means I must fail at being a feminist, for how can one possibly want equality AND a good concealer?), I found this distasteful and stopped following their tweets straight away.
I've looked back on their account and to give credit where it's due, they handled the amass of criticism well - proof of a good social media manager who stands by their point but puts it across clearly and concisely. They even apologised. Cor.
But what bugs me is that they're supposed to be standing up for modern feminism and yet they are criticising women who work hard at what they do (I don't know any More workers personally, but I know many who do) and publicly revelling in the fact they no longer have a job.
They did correct this and point out that it's possible to be happy a mag has gone under yet sad at the job losses, but clearly they weren't so sad or respectful about the latter that they could keep their tweets shut and not boast about the former.
And the former is what is getting to me. They seem to think that women's magazines are oppressive and telling women they're fat, telling them to get on the scales and eat less and cut their hair more and wear these clothes, etc. What I find odd about that, and the fact that they're f-e-m-i-n-i-s-t-s, is that they seem to assume we women have no mind of our own. We just swallow whatever we read.
I'm not a huge fan of weekly mags myself; they tend to have too much celeb content and I couldn't care two hoots whether Jennifer Aniston's got a wrinkle or if Amanda Bynes has done something even more stupid than last week. Pointing out a spot on a celeb and circling it in big red marker and screaming OMG LOOK! THIS SLEB CAN'T EVEN LOOK AFTER HER SKIN! is not, to my mind, interesting. But that's not the point; there's an audience for it and why shouldn't there be?
The point is, the majority of women think for themselves. Yes, really! Most of the women I know are smart, into health and fitness, keen to know more about nutrition, holding down a career in something they love, and generally more health conscious than, say, my parents' generation who grew up reading the Daily Mail and thinking that red wine and red meat is wholeheartedly good for you.
So, contrary to popular belief, we don't pick up these magazines and then look in the mirror and cry at how chubby our thighs are. We read them and learn from them. Yes, some are far better than others; though the most expensive mags in the industry are pretty exclusionary in my view, so quality doesn't always come with a higher price. I went into journalism because not only did I love writing, but I grew up reading mags that taught me a few of the things I needed to know growing up. I wanted to wear eyeliner, but how? I wanted to feel more confident, but how? I wanted to become a journalist, but how?
All questions, whether you think they're trivial or not, answered by writers for teenage girls like me who had crap glasses, bad skin and a slight complex about being so tall. I wanted to be a journalist as I got older because I can answer questions that perhaps I never quite got the answers to. I like to learn. I find that saying I'm a beauty journalist often gets sneered at, and yes, I know I'm not saving the world or writing about politics. But women are interested in this stuff - I should know, I'm one of them. And I'm not ashamed to admit I bloody love writing about makeup. So sue me.
The web has made it even easier to read good content; I'm proud to work for a site that is well researched, chock full of experts and run by people who know what they're talking about and will only talk about it if they deem it worthy of a mention. That freedom is how the journalism industry is evolving and perhaps why mags such as More end up closed, but either way it's a sad day when a publication is cut. *side glance to Vagenda*
I consider myself a feminist (I consider anyone who thinks women are equal to men, full stop, feminist) and yet I write about health and beauty. Shock horror. It's not putting women down to write about how to lose weight, because, newsflash: some women would like to lose weight. And that's not because a magazine told them to, it's because they'd quite like to be their healthy size ten, or look their best on their wedding day, or because actually, the doctor says they kind of need to.
The media has a responsibility to treat men and women equally but whinging that they write about certain content is not the way to go. How about whinging when political writers bang on about what female MPs are wearing instead of what their views are? We don't need so-called feminists like Vagenda protecting us from the big bad wolves of the mag industry; we can read one and still have our own opinions just like we can read the Daily Mail and know it's a pile of twoddle. What we need is feminists who actually believe in equality, which is why the fact they retweeted this confirms they're not someone I want to follow: "I agree with@VagendaMagazine. I find quite troubling the idea that to be a 'real' feminist, you have to support all women unquestionably."
I think feminism should be about women being entitled to do what they want to do just as men are; about equality, pure and simple. I don't see anyone criticising the men's mags for constantly using muscular models and suggesting you go to the gym. I don't see anyone pitying the poor male readers who must be so ashamed that their arms aren't burly enough because a picture in a magazine is telling them that's what Ryan Gosling looks like. How about you back off the women who write for a living (like you do, VM) and happen to write about health, beauty and body issues? Who are you to say they shouldn't? Equality and respect shouldn't be conditional. That kind of kills the point.
I've looked back on their account and to give credit where it's due, they handled the amass of criticism well - proof of a good social media manager who stands by their point but puts it across clearly and concisely. They even apologised. Cor.
But what bugs me is that they're supposed to be standing up for modern feminism and yet they are criticising women who work hard at what they do (I don't know any More workers personally, but I know many who do) and publicly revelling in the fact they no longer have a job.
They did correct this and point out that it's possible to be happy a mag has gone under yet sad at the job losses, but clearly they weren't so sad or respectful about the latter that they could keep their tweets shut and not boast about the former.
And the former is what is getting to me. They seem to think that women's magazines are oppressive and telling women they're fat, telling them to get on the scales and eat less and cut their hair more and wear these clothes, etc. What I find odd about that, and the fact that they're f-e-m-i-n-i-s-t-s, is that they seem to assume we women have no mind of our own. We just swallow whatever we read.
I'm not a huge fan of weekly mags myself; they tend to have too much celeb content and I couldn't care two hoots whether Jennifer Aniston's got a wrinkle or if Amanda Bynes has done something even more stupid than last week. Pointing out a spot on a celeb and circling it in big red marker and screaming OMG LOOK! THIS SLEB CAN'T EVEN LOOK AFTER HER SKIN! is not, to my mind, interesting. But that's not the point; there's an audience for it and why shouldn't there be?
The point is, the majority of women think for themselves. Yes, really! Most of the women I know are smart, into health and fitness, keen to know more about nutrition, holding down a career in something they love, and generally more health conscious than, say, my parents' generation who grew up reading the Daily Mail and thinking that red wine and red meat is wholeheartedly good for you.
So, contrary to popular belief, we don't pick up these magazines and then look in the mirror and cry at how chubby our thighs are. We read them and learn from them. Yes, some are far better than others; though the most expensive mags in the industry are pretty exclusionary in my view, so quality doesn't always come with a higher price. I went into journalism because not only did I love writing, but I grew up reading mags that taught me a few of the things I needed to know growing up. I wanted to wear eyeliner, but how? I wanted to feel more confident, but how? I wanted to become a journalist, but how?
All questions, whether you think they're trivial or not, answered by writers for teenage girls like me who had crap glasses, bad skin and a slight complex about being so tall. I wanted to be a journalist as I got older because I can answer questions that perhaps I never quite got the answers to. I like to learn. I find that saying I'm a beauty journalist often gets sneered at, and yes, I know I'm not saving the world or writing about politics. But women are interested in this stuff - I should know, I'm one of them. And I'm not ashamed to admit I bloody love writing about makeup. So sue me.
The web has made it even easier to read good content; I'm proud to work for a site that is well researched, chock full of experts and run by people who know what they're talking about and will only talk about it if they deem it worthy of a mention. That freedom is how the journalism industry is evolving and perhaps why mags such as More end up closed, but either way it's a sad day when a publication is cut. *side glance to Vagenda*
I consider myself a feminist (I consider anyone who thinks women are equal to men, full stop, feminist) and yet I write about health and beauty. Shock horror. It's not putting women down to write about how to lose weight, because, newsflash: some women would like to lose weight. And that's not because a magazine told them to, it's because they'd quite like to be their healthy size ten, or look their best on their wedding day, or because actually, the doctor says they kind of need to.
The media has a responsibility to treat men and women equally but whinging that they write about certain content is not the way to go. How about whinging when political writers bang on about what female MPs are wearing instead of what their views are? We don't need so-called feminists like Vagenda protecting us from the big bad wolves of the mag industry; we can read one and still have our own opinions just like we can read the Daily Mail and know it's a pile of twoddle. What we need is feminists who actually believe in equality, which is why the fact they retweeted this confirms they're not someone I want to follow: "I agree with
I think feminism should be about women being entitled to do what they want to do just as men are; about equality, pure and simple. I don't see anyone criticising the men's mags for constantly using muscular models and suggesting you go to the gym. I don't see anyone pitying the poor male readers who must be so ashamed that their arms aren't burly enough because a picture in a magazine is telling them that's what Ryan Gosling looks like. How about you back off the women who write for a living (like you do, VM) and happen to write about health, beauty and body issues? Who are you to say they shouldn't? Equality and respect shouldn't be conditional. That kind of kills the point.
Isn't the web great? You can shop on it, date on it, talk on it... who knows what you'll be able to do next. Eat on it? Sleep on it?
Who cares, because there is plenty more to keep us entertained pretty much forever. Here's a little round up of websites that I forget about easily, but shouldn't because they are just so brilliant it hurts. Or maybe I am just easily pleased...
Gizoogle
Because why would yo ass wanna read normal English when yo ass can have phat English?
http://gizoogle.net/
Intellisult
If you're going to insult someone, do it properly.
http://intellisult.com/
Emergency compliment
Because everyone deserves a compliment, at least once a day. Or just keep clicking until you feel better, because your hair really does look great today.
http://emergencycompliment.com/
Fuck I'm in my 20s
If you are in your twenties, or at least remember them well, you'll 'relate'.
http://fuckiminmy20s.tumblr.com/
Oatmeal
Everyone knows this one, but it's always good to remember their best bits. Their recent comic on working online is my favourite.
http://theoatmeal.com/comics/making_things
Draw a stickman
Who doesn't want to create their own man? Draw one and see him come to life.
http://www.drawastickman.com/
Any others I should know about?
Who cares, because there is plenty more to keep us entertained pretty much forever. Here's a little round up of websites that I forget about easily, but shouldn't because they are just so brilliant it hurts. Or maybe I am just easily pleased...
Gizoogle
Because why would yo ass wanna read normal English when yo ass can have phat English?
http://gizoogle.net/
Intellisult
If you're going to insult someone, do it properly.
http://intellisult.com/
Emergency compliment
Because everyone deserves a compliment, at least once a day. Or just keep clicking until you feel better, because your hair really does look great today.
http://emergencycompliment.com/
Fuck I'm in my 20s
If you are in your twenties, or at least remember them well, you'll 'relate'.
http://fuckiminmy20s.tumblr.com/
Oatmeal
Everyone knows this one, but it's always good to remember their best bits. Their recent comic on working online is my favourite.
http://theoatmeal.com/comics/making_things
Draw a stickman
Who doesn't want to create their own man? Draw one and see him come to life.
http://www.drawastickman.com/
Any others I should know about?
Being a geek really is a bit cool these days. No, really. Did Glee teach you nothing? Other than how not to mime, that is. Anyway, being a stationery-loving, web-savvy, bloggerati type is actually the in-thing in my world, and so some great women decided to throw a special event for other women who blog, to celebrate all things geek and chic - and so, Cybher was born.
As I said in my 'meet and greet' post, my ticket to the all day event was courtesy of the lovely Emma Cossey who won free passes through The High Tea Cast. I have to say, venue-wise this was the best event I've been to - held at 8 Northumberland Avenue, just off Trafalgar Square, it had the right amount of space, great staff and gorgeous decor, and it's easy to get to for Londoners and out of towners alike. Plus the lights were pink in the main corridor we started in. Awesome, no?
The good stuff
Without sounding like a total freebie slut, I have to say the goodies at the event really were fantastic and quite the highlight for me (other than the fab people obviously, which I'll share more about below). A leather satchel - we could choose the colour, so naturally I went for neon pink - greeted us all as we registered and I think everyone was suitably impressed; it really was a nice touch considering the audience. Of course, it was filled with stationery which never fails to please me, and then we went through to downstairs for a quick drinks reception where various stalls were set up.
The ones I took a quick look at were Freya's lingerie (gorgeous, but usual spin of 'you're wearing the wrong size bra' - actually, pretty sure I'm not, but glad they were offering measuring) and Palmer's, the well-known cocoa butter brand who actually have a huge range of products - I had no idea! They gave away a very generous goody bag - again, not bragging, just think it really was brilliant and very much worth a mention (I'll blog the products later).
The geek stuff
You can see a full list of the Cybher schedule here. I found the start quite interesting as I prefer panel-style talks, and they covered the neverending debate of sponsored posts, general thoughts on being a blogger and working with PRs. Of all the talks we attended, I found A Thrifty Mrs most inspiring, as it was useful info, it all made sense but wasn't necessarily stuff I already knew, and it was good to know the journey of her blog and its development. Wow that sounds cheesy, but it's true.
I also enjoyed the Ask a Blogger session at the end of the day with Big Fashionista and co because there were plenty of laughs, and thought that Zoe, of Girl With a One Track Mind fame, was fantastically honest about her terrible experiences of the media - I didn't know the whole back story and having followed her tweets for a long time, now think even more of her for it.
Anyhoo, I've put together a few of the tips and learnings that I took away from the day:
- Now that Picnik has left us (booo. It's how I used to create Polaroid-stylee images), Picmonkey is an even better replacement. Ok, this tip technically came from Emma, but hey she'll probably be on the Cybher panel in years to come so I think it's allowed. I used it for this post and love it.
- Not everyone can blog well. I was so pleased to hear this from Aigua lady Jess who pointed out what a lot of bloggers don't like to hear: you need to be able to write, and you need good content. Sure, anyone can set up a blog but quality is important.
- Even in this day and age, a woman can't be completely open about sex without being called names or losing respect. @GirlOneTrack's talk was really shocking in that sense and showed, I think, that you can never really be anonymous online.
- Be careful how you word your 'competitions'. A 'competition' requires some kind of skill to enter; a 'prize draw' or 'giveaway' is more likely to be what you're doing, where people just leave a comment etc.
- You can get fined for not disclosing that a post is sponsored. Plus bloggers might dislike you a bit if you're not open - honesty is the best policy!
- The general feeling (and mine too) on sponsored posts was that it's each to their own - surely it depends on your blog style. If you only ever write personal posts about your life, I wouldn't expect a random sponsored beauty post - it's fine if you do (we all need to eat, and it's your site!) but to keep your blog's identity or 'brand' intact you might prefer to set up a new one for more generic content. I think it's unfair to condemn those who hope to make money out of blogging - so long as that's not the main reason for doing it (that would be a shame I think, given the community feeling behind blogging) then why not make it a success? I'd love to afford to blog for a living, and I know plenty who do.
- Point out that a subscription to your blog is 'free' - people associate the word subscription with paying (as for magazines etc).
- Set Google alerts for the topics you like to write about so you can stay on top of them and be newsworthy - I hadn't thought of doing this but it's so obvious!
- To be cool, you must have an iPad. I mean really, I stood out like a sore thumb without one.
The got-to-do stuff
I wanted another word that began with G, couldn't think of one, sorry. So, some of the talks went right over my head as I felt like they were a bit too much about common sense rather than inspiration, but others got me thinking. There was a lot of talk about having a niche, and being an authority on the subject you blog about. That's a problem for me, as you can probably see that I like to write about different things from week to week - I cover health and beauty, film, TV, media, personal life, dating and lifestyle - and I can't choose between them.
I also know that I want to move from Blogger to Wordpress. Everyone agreed that it was better, cleaner and simpler (and far less bug-gy). Once I've worked out where I want the site to go content-wise, I'll be shifting it over - a painful process but hopefully worth it in the end...
Oh, and buy an iPad. Seriously.
So, big thanks to Cybher for an interesting event - and to Emma for taking me along! Here are a few Twitter names of the people I met/listened to on the day, I highly recommend you follow them: SallyToddPR, JessOSOYOU, GailDoggett, SOTMario, AThriftyMrsUK, BigFashionista, JoanneMallon, Rosalilium_, TheHighTeaCast, PoppyD, GirlOneTrack. Also, follow the #Cybher hashtag for more.
What do you think on the above topics - should I choose a niche? Is doing sponsored posts selling out? Were you there and did you love or hate it?
I knew I didn't want to be that kind of journalist, and subconsciously, in my mind I was always going to be a 'writer' - less Lois Lane, more Carrie Bradshaw; maybe becoming an author later on, fingers crossed. Again, this is a stereotype, and a bit of a romanticised one, but one I felt far more at ease with. Thankfully, I was learning at a time when suddenly everything was online.
Web of writing
Once out of uni, I could see that working in print for one of the glossies I'd grown up reading was unlikely (I couldn't just tweet the editor back then), and applying for remote online roles such as my freelance job reviewing for View London was less intimidating, more attainable, and the kind of thing I could enjoy. It was the equivalent of sending an email instead of making a phone call for me - I felt more confident about it. And so my online career began.
Online journalism has changed things, and blogging has changed them even more. There are so many blogs out there, brilliant blogs full of inspiration, great photos, niche topics, passions for anything from beauty to social media and everything in between. Anyone can set up a blog and put their thoughts out there. Bloggers can even call themselves 'editors', because given that it's their site, they are. Anyone can be a writer, or as people tend to quip cheerfully while metaphorically stabbing you in the heart, 'everyone's a writer these days'. So where does that leave... writers?
Blogger, writer, journalist?
While it's in part a generational thing, I've found there still seems to be the general misconception that if you write online, you're a blogger, while if you write for print, you're a journalist. When I tell people I'm a journalist, they ask what paper or mag I write for; when I say I'm a writer, they look at me like I must be penniless, whiling away my time in a dark room with a typewriter and endless coffees to try and crack out a novel. If I say I'm an online journalist, I feel like I'm already putting down what I do as less important than traditional journalism - do I need to add the 'online'? Referring to 'my blog', I feel a bit like a spotty student who hasn't made it yet, but when I say 'my website', I think they must imagine a huge online magazine which isn't right either.
Labels don't matter, and I'm certainly not criticising any of the media here because I work online and offline and love it; but in an industry where it literally is not about what you know (qualifications seem to mean less and less) and so much about who you know (name a successful journalist/intern/writer who isn't on Twitter and busily networking) and what you're already doing (successful blog? You might be the next big thing), writing seems to be almost so common that it's not valued as 'journalism' anymore. The web has opened it up to everyone.
Now, there's a new generation - my generation - so full of bloggers and writers that it's hard to see who the next Charlie Brooker, Caitlin Moran or Hadley Freeman is. It's no bad thing that so many people are now writing; but I do worry that the journalism industry is getting a little lost somewhere - not helped by these 'celebrity columnists' who are actually, er, TV presenters and such and are probably taking a job that a trained journalist could do better. Are they journalists too now?
Now, there's a new generation - my generation - so full of bloggers and writers that it's hard to see who the next Charlie Brooker, Caitlin Moran or Hadley Freeman is. It's no bad thing that so many people are now writing; but I do worry that the journalism industry is getting a little lost somewhere - not helped by these 'celebrity columnists' who are actually, er, TV presenters and such and are probably taking a job that a trained journalist could do better. Are they journalists too now?
What am I?
For me, it's not a question of fame, but of originality; my ultimate goal is for people to recognise my writing, to love my writing and to look out for it - how many people can you say that of? I follow hundreds of journalists, but only a couple spring to mind that have a real way with words that no one else has - and yes, I'm including bloggers in that. And no, I don't think I'm one of them!
Label-wise, I'm probably all of the above; I'm a journalist, which I feel more confident in saying thanks to my work in print (there I go again); I'm a blogger, because I'm here and elsewhere doing just that; I'm a writer, in that I write the odd little story (one day a novel, when real inspiration comes); and I'm a copywriter thanks to my main job because it's part editorial, part marketing.
Label-wise, I'm probably all of the above; I'm a journalist, which I feel more confident in saying thanks to my work in print (there I go again); I'm a blogger, because I'm here and elsewhere doing just that; I'm a writer, in that I write the odd little story (one day a novel, when real inspiration comes); and I'm a copywriter thanks to my main job because it's part editorial, part marketing.
So is there even a difference - are all online writers 'bloggers'? Are bloggers becoming journalists? Are journalists old news? What do you define them as or is a label just a label?
As further proof that a) I have awesome friends and b) the ones I've met on Twitter are extra awesome, I am very lucky to be joining the super-chic-geek Emma Cossey in my first ever trip to Cybher in a couple of weeks.
Emma won the tickets through The High Tea Cast, and knowing that I too was a bit of an online addict, invited me along for the big day. It's basically an all-female, all-blogger geekfest where we get to listen to some talented speakers, learn something, network and say things like 'What's your Twitter handle?' and 'Ooh, nice iPad'.
Cybher are just so obsessed with the web that they even suggest we do our little 'meet and greet' on our sites as an ice-breaker - so here's a little about me...
Name: Judy Johnson. Not Judy Jay, which I thought was a clever Twitter name which was created by spelling out the initial of my surname. Now people just think it's my actual name, but I'm happy with both.
Blogs: Obviously I am here on my own site, which is part blog, part portfolio. I also blog every week for Dollymix, and for Wahanda as part of my day job as their Site Editor. Beauty and TV seem to be my favourite subjects but I cover anything that's lifestyle related.
Twitter ID: @judy_jay
Height: 5'10 last time I checked. I don't like to check. Probably 5'11 but that's a scary thought.
Hair: Rubbish. Natural blonde. Should have been curly, so thank god for tongs.
Five things you should know about me:
1. I'm 26 and it terrifies me. I'm one of those idiots who grew up thinking somehow I won't really get old, or that if I have to, The Plan will all work out and I'll be married with kids by the age of 30. Turns out I was wrong on both counts! I fully blame Disney, FYI.
2. The nineties rock my world. Boybands, Dreamphone, Clueless... what's not to love?
3. Ibiza is my second home, or so I like to think. I work hard but party hard too.
4. I hate shoes. Which kind of kills my Carrie Bradshaw image, but hey, the money I'll save can go towards those Ibiza trips.
5. I am quite well known for my headbands (see crap hair comment). I'm rarely seen without one and I don't think it's a phase I will ever grow out of, much like my love for green eyeshadow which has been going strong since 2002.
Thanks for e-meeting and e-greeting me and I hope to see you at Cybher!
It's not like I needed a new social network to take up more of my time. Twitter is already a way of life for me now - I probably tweet even more than I text - and Facebook, despite my general dislike for it, is something I visit daily even if it is just to spy. So when my boss told me about Pinterest I wasn't in a rush to get involved - but then I pinned my first thing and it got a little out of control...
Pinterest is essentially an online scrapbook, or mood board, of the pictures, photos, illustrations, whatever, that you love. Whoever came up with it is an utter genius. It is so simple; all you need do is drag the 'Pin it' button into your browser and you can pin anything, wherever you are on the web. A little like Tumblr, I guess, but faster, simpler, easier.
What I can't get over (and the reason I was on it until 1am midweek) is that there is just no reason to stop. I can pin for hours. Unlike Twitter or Facebook where once everyone's in bed or starting to talk utter rubbish it's time to close the laptop and stop, Pinterest doesn't require other people. They just make it better. So there I was last week, Googling my favourite David Downton illustrations so I could have them in one place; finding screenshots of Friends scenes that make me cry with laughter; looking up inspirational quotes and my favourite artists. I could have kept going, but the impending shrill of my alarm clock made me stop.
Of course, it is about being social, and other people's pins just make it even more addictive. Your homepage will be filled with the images that your fellow pinners have been discovering, liking and commenting on - a wealth of inspiration all in one place, all on different subjects which you can search within if you're looking for more of a certain topic. Follow people, follow specific boards - use it however you want to.
As much as I love writing, and I love tweeting, the problem with having a Tumblr or a Twitter account is that so many of the great things you link to get lost, as newer posts knock them back down the timeline. With Pinterest, it's all images - brilliant for those photos that speak for themselves, and more effective, with more immediate an impact, than reading something; and you can keep going back to it, admiring all those dreamy pictures you've found with ease. Like I said, genius.
Spoken like a true addict, eh? See my pins over at http://pinterest.com/judy_jay/ - and feel free to leave your username in the comments so I can follow yours.
So today's task in the 30 Day Blogging Challenge ('today' meaning day five, though I am well aware I am a week late) is to say something nice. Now I may be a bit of a grump but when I started brainstorming it amazed me how big a list of things I had to rave about (in a good way).
But, what did I want to commend most? My favourite blogs, that's what. I know how great even a little blog comment - hint hint - makes me feel, so I thought why not share the love and recommend a few fellow bloggers and their wordy greatness. I do have a long blogroll on the right hand side of this site of all the blogs I read, so feel free to take a look there too.
The Beauty Bloggers
In my day job I have the pleasure of contacting lots of brilliant beauty bloggers - there are so many out there and they all amaze me in their dedication to it (beauty can be hard work). It's impossible to narrow down but my shorlist of blogs to always check out would be: British Beauty Blogger, Product Placement, and Beauty Scribbler. All are witty, informative and of course, mad about makeup and the like - what else could you want?
The Dating Bloggers
I love catching up on dating blogs - after all, who doesn't have a story about the last guy or girl they saw? Whether you want tips about online dating or you simply love a good read, I highly recommend The Single Filez for honest, funny updates; Sex and the Cosmo Girls for Mullies' latest love-life news; and The Loves and Life of a London Girl for Sarah's try-anything-once approach to men!
The Funny Bloggers
Like laughing? Thought so. If you need cheering up (or even if you don't), have a proper giggle and follow some blogs by writers who can not only string a sentence together but can make it damn funny too. Top of the list is Luv & Hat, full of debates over everything from beards to fish pedicures and phrases that will give you the best mental images you could possibly ask for. Next, and yes this is slightly self promotional, but The Grumpy Young Women tend to make me laugh into my teacup (I actually only have mugs, but 'teacup' sounds much more Grumpy Woman-like) so go follow. Shoo.
The Helpful Bloggers
Ahh, the ones I couldn't live without. Not only do I love reading these blogs, but they post about content that actually helps me in some way - whether it's blogging, discovering new web tools, top tips that I can use at work... they are informative and easy to digest. Friend and fellow blogger Emma Cossey is first with her blog on everything from blogging itself to social media and shoes... it's all there and I always learn something new. There's also ABC Copywriting which, if you're a web writer, always has interesting posts on the industry complete with a handy how-to every so often.
Do you have a blog, or suggestions of blogs you never miss? Comment below and if it's up my street I'll add it to my blogroll!
This post is part of the 30 Day Blogging Challenge series - see all posts in the challenge here!
I've had a bit of a bee in my bonnet the past day or so, and felt I just had to blog about that age-old topic: internships. Not in an angry way - but as someone who has been an intern and now hires interns, I felt the need to share.
Why this week? Well, the debate surrounding unpaid internships has been floating about in the press recently - are they exploitation, are they necessary, are companies taking the mick by paying nothing but expenses... etc. All interesting questions but really, nothing new. Yesterday, however, I saw a tweet: 'Report claims unpaid internships are breaking the law'. Well, that's new.
According to a new report by the Institute for Public Policy Research, anyone who works in the private sector has the right to be paid minimum wage. As Press Gazette explains:
"Employers mistakenly believe there is a ‘grey area’ around internships in the National Minimum Wage legislation and that they are allowed to take on unpaid interns so long as both sides know it is a voluntary position – but they are wrong. The law is in fact very clear and this is simply not the case.
"Under, the National Minimum Wage Act 1998 anyone doing work for an organisation must be paid at least the minimum wage. This is regardless of how a job was advertised, what the job title is or whether there is a contract in place. Charities, voluntary organisations and statutory bodies are able to employ unpaid voluntary workers but private companies are not."
Yesterday, I also just so happened to interview a new intern for Wahanda, as we've been looking to replace one who recently left. The report even mentioned our advert (though spelt our name wrong), and included that we pay £10 a day expenses. (They left out that we accept part timers and throw in some pampering once in a while - but that's not for this post.) They kindly left out any remarks to what they thought of this but I don't imagine they were recommending it. Enter, my decision to discuss internships; not on behalf of Wahanda - these are my own thoughts - but based on my experience both there and at other media companies.
Working for nothing?
I can see both sides. I am on and have been on both sides. The thing is - until now (and that's quite possibly because of the recession), internships have just been what you do to get the job you want. They even start you off on them at school - my first 'work experience' post was in Year 10 where I went and joined my sister at a care home for the day. In fact, I'd completed three lots of work experience before my GCSEs were up. No matter what job you think about going into, right from the early stages it is drilled into you - experience is everything. Contacts are everything. The earlier you become a tea-wielding intern, the better.
In the media, this is obviously a hot topic. Internships are like gold dust, or at least they were when I was at uni (only two years ago, thank ye very much). Lately though, with the redundancies brought about by the recession we've seen more and more 'job-like' internships come up - I've even seen some which are listed as Editorial Assistant positions, and then you see the small print: "We are unable to offer any remuneration at this time....". This is frustrating, I know. But I do feel like there's been a change of attitude toward internships because of this change in the industry - and now graduates, even A level students are expecting more, whether it's paid internships or instant paid jobs. I may be wrong - that's just an impression I get. Young writers (and I'm sure other new starters in other careers) don't seem as willing to work for free any more - even if it does get them some valuable experience.
We've all done it
Here's my problem with that - I was an intern. We've all been interns. Even before my first internship, I was writing for a couple of websites for free, as and when I wanted to (which was a lot of the time). It just is and always has been the done thing - and it works.
I'm lucky, as I've never had a bad internship. In fact, I wasn't even chief tea-maker in any of them. I went from Inside Soap (loved it) to Wahanda (loved it) and then got hired, end of story. Inside Soap was full time, with generous expenses paid, and Wahanda was part time, with our standard £10 a day for expenses. I was happy with this - I'd graduated a few months back, was still finding my feet, was learning a hell of a lot and knew it was a start-up company. I also knew it was flexible, which was exactly what I needed.
Freedom
Flexibility is an important point, I think; I disagree with companies who strictly write their vacancy ad to say 'This is a six month, full time internship'. That's not fair. You have to accept that your interns will want to keep applying for paid jobs while they are with you, and are logically going to accept one should they get it.
What does this mean? It means an unpaid internship is not a ball and chain. You are doing the company a favour as much as they are doing you one (yes, they are remember - they are helping you gain valuable skills so you can become editor of Vogue later) - so if you can't make it in tomorrow because it's your mum's birthday or you want to jet off on holiday for a long weekend, you probably can. Give them the respect and give them notice, and they should respect you and understand that it's your right to do that - because they don't pay you so they don't really get a say.
Be reliable, but not relied on
Companies also shouldn't rely on interns for their business to stay afloat, in my opinion - I have heard about one events website which is pretty much run by interns; if they didn't work for free, the site would have very little content. This is not a way to run a business, not a way to treat your interns and not something you should do for too long - if a company relies on you, do it for however long you feel is right, learn what you can and then move on to somewhere with a better structure where you'll be appreciated.
It doesn't stop there
I'm not saying you should work for free forever - or that it's always the right thing to do. But bear in mind, the people who love that career are often working for free even when they don't have to. I write this blog because I enjoy it. I still write for a few websites on an unpaid basis because I believe in them, I enjoy the work and I want to help out. The many beauty bloggers I talk to on Twitter are mostly journalists or even accountants and 9-5ers who simply love beauty and want to share it with a readership, even if they don't get a penny for their efforts.
Still not convinced? Then my tips are:
1. Do it while you're studying. It may not feel like it, but if you're a student you're a hell of a lot richer than a graduate - milk that student loan and your job at the corner shop and use your spare time to do a couple of valuable internships whether they're unpaid or not. That way once you do graduate, you're in a better position to moan about still having to work for free (but still won't get much sympathy, as we've all been there before).
2. Don't just rely on set internships. Writers, the web is your oyster - there are so many websites out there that are new and lacking in funding, so they want writers to do the odd article, make their mark on the online world and give them some content. Contribute to these sites and it'll look great on your CV, while being flexible (there's that word again) and relevant, as you can pick your subject.
3. Write a blog. When interns apply to Wahanda the first people I notice are ones who understand and use the web - and this is instantly recognisable in someone who creates and maintains a blog. It's also a great way to get your writing style up to scratch and in the public eye.
If you want to get into journalism, don't expect too much and if you are able to, then do a couple of internships. They will make your CV stand out, teach you more than you'll ever learn at uni and will get you some useful contacts along the way. Know your limits, know your rights, but most of all, enjoy it - in some ways, it'll be one of the best parts of your career.
That's my rant over - would love to hear your thoughts. Do you agree or disagree with unpaid work experience?
