Hi Ed,
I’ve been fortunate enough to have gained a good amount of published clips from my internship/editorial assistant position. I’m now searching for a full-time editorial job (there doesn’t seem to be a lot of those in Los Angeles, where I live), but I haven’t the slightest clue how to organize and present my writing samples. Should each clip have the cover of the issue in which it appeared attached to it? Do I just make color copies and put them in a binder? I would really appreciate your advice.
Thanks,
Emily, Los Angeles, CA
Hi Emily,
Congrats on earning lots of clips! When Ed was starting out, he presented his clips in a folder and had the cover of each magazine attached to each clip. Ed’s seen lots of whippersnappers present their clips in leather portfolios, but as long as the stories are good, and the presentation is neat, you don’t need to go out and buy a fancy binder. But a simple binder is nice! You don’t need to have the covers of the magazines with your stories, either, as long as the name of the publication and issue month (or date) are visible on the page of your story. If not, include a copy of each cover. And if you’re listed in the masthead, include a copy of that, too!
As for L.A. jobs, some national magazines, like Bop and Tiger Beat, are based there, so if you’re into writing for pre-teens, those would be good magazines to consider. Some food magazines, like Bon Appetit, are out there, too. There are also plenty of regional magazines, like Los Angeles, Angelenos, and Los Angeles Weddings, so you can try those, too. And entertainment industry mags, like Hollywood Reporter and Daily Variety. And you can try working for local Web sites like CitySearch, AOL city guide, DailyCandy, and Metromix.
Love,
Ed
