Newport Life Magazine Editor Speaks to Salve Students

By: Stephanie Turaj
Posted In: Campus News

Magazine editors are often displayed as vicious in movies, but the Managing Editor of Newport Life, Annie Sherman, spoke to students about what it is like to work for a magazine on Oct. 14, 2009.

Sherman’s daily tasks at Newport Life vary. She spends about 40 hours a week working for Newport Life in the summer, and 50 to 60 hours in the magazine’s busy season of winter. She is often working on more than one issue, and is in several different stages of production at once.

“We are planning an editorial for the issue in May that far in advance,” said Sherman. “You have to think two years in advance. What’s going to be trendy in two years?”

Sherman said she relies heavily on freelance writers for most of the magazine’s articles, who work part time about 25 hours a week. She said they have about a half a dozen of different writers, all with different deadlines.

“We assign them projects good for their strengths,” said Sherman “We give a good investigative writer an investigative story.”

Sherman explained it is a challenge when freelancers do not make their deadlines. She also explained that she has to edit everything.

“By the time the magazine is published, every single word is changed; it was too short, too long or too late,” said Sherman.

Once the copy is ready to be laid out, the designer plays magician, said Sherman. She explained layout is a juggle, of font selection, colors and placement of the text.

Additionally, full page ads are placed in the front of the magazine, and the upper right hand corner is a prime spot for other ads, since this is where everyone looks.

The sales staff handles advertising, events and promotions. Sherman said that while they make the money, she spends it. Newport Life Magazine has about the same budget for every issue, and she tries to spend as little as possible. Sherman tries not to spend over $1,000 on the fall fashion photo shoot that comes out in September.

Sherman explained that the fall fashion photo shoot is a lot of work. In can take a week to collect the clothing for the shoot. The magazine chooses local vendors such as Pink Pineapple and Portobello Jewelers for jewelry. There can be $80,000 worth of jewelry on set. Clothes are lent out for free, but are expected to be returned in perfect condition.

Two Salve interns, Brittany Lyon and Lauren Vitale, helped style the fall 2009 fashion shoot. Sherman stresses the importance of interns. Interns dabble in everything from writing short articles, book reviews, editing and assisting on style shoots.

“Brittany liked it so much, she wanted to learn more, and stayed over the summer to dig in a little more,” Sherman said. “It’s a whole lot of experience.”

Sherman finds interns from places such as Salve, University of Rhode Island and Boston University, but they must have some Newport connection. She looks for interns all the time, but usually two months before a new semester and hires juniors and seniors.

Sherman recommends a resume in PDF format that is no longer than a page. She likes to see a balance of academic versus extracurricular activities and focused on communications.

“Be flexible,” Sherman said. “Don’t be so focused only looking for certain jobs. Be patient, be working, freelancing, keep writing.”

Sherman received a Masters Degree in Journalism from the Boston University College of Communication, and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Sociology from Saint Anselm College in Manchester, N.H.

She spent time as an intern at Newport Life Magazine before graduate school. After graduate school, she explained that she stepped right into the managing editor role where she has been for three years.