What made you become an editor?
The short answer? Because I made a lousy waitress. Waiting tables is what struggling actors do when they’re between roles and need to pay the rent. But after spilling way too many cups of coffee on way too many irate customers, I concluded that I needed to find some other source of income that had nothing to do with hot liquids. A friend in acting class arranged for me to take a proofreading test at SPORTS ILLUSTRATED, and lo and behold I got hired.
From my vantage point in the proof room, the business of magazine production was highly intriguing. My interest was noted by certain higher-ups who thought I showed some aptitude for editorial work, and before long I was promoted to copy editor at FORTUNE magazine. This led to a succession of positions as copy editor for major consumer magazines including MONEY, FORBES, BUSINESS MONTH, NEWSWEEK, EUROPEAN TRAVEL & LIFE, and CONDÉ NAST TRAVELER.
An opportunity presented itself for me to get a foot in the door at BANTAM DOUBLEDAY DELL as editor of a new travel book series. The travel involved with the international titles I edited was a tremendous perk. Moving on to READER’S DIGEST GENERAL BOOKS as senior editor, I project managed and promoted key nonfiction titles through satellite media tours and guest appearances on media outlets including CNN and FOX.
Marriage took me to Toronto, and I took the helm of STYLE magazine, a fashion monthly. As editor in chief, I set the editorial calendar and represented the magazine at fashion industry events throughout North America and Europe. Upon returning to New York, I began working as U.S. correspondent for COSMETICNEWS.COM, a digital beauty industry daily, and as a contributing writer for ICN, a beauty industry print monthly. I also wrote a fashion and shopping blog called “Shop914” for WESTCHESTERMAGAZINE.COM and was a regular contributor to beauty blogs BUTTERFLYDIARY.COM and PERFUMECRITIC.COM.
As I transition into working life as a free-lancer, I’m open to serendipity sending me down unexpected editorial paths. Meanwhile I’m targeting opportunities in dramatugy and content writing/editing for behavioral and mental health news channels.
Sample Editorial Work
