Sarah Hutchins | Feb. 11, 2010
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| Photo by Sarah Hutchins |
| Emily Hendricks Turnier, BAJ ’04, talked to students in several classes about working in the magazine industry. She urged students to get published in preparation for the job search. |
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The 2004 graduate emphasized the importance of internships and student publication experience to hone writing skills during a talk with adjunct lecturer Laura Lane’s J200 Reporting, Writing and Editing I class.
"Class work is important," Turnier said. "But it’s important to get published somewhere else."
Turnier said she worked for the Indiana Daily Student and Arbutus yearbook during her time at IU. She also wrote articles for her hometown paper in Terre Haute and interned with Ladies’ Home Journal through the American Society of Magazine Editors (ASME) internship program.
However, Turnier said it was the strong relationship she maintained with an editor that helped her land a job in the magazine industry. Keeping up with contacts in the industry shouldn’t feel forced, she said.
"It needs to be organic, a back and forth,” she advised. “You guys should be in a relationship."
Turnier also talked to several magazine reporting classes while visiting campus.
Right after graduation, Turnier interviewed with All You in New York. She got a job in the features department and, over the years, moved up the ranks to assistant editor and associate editor.
All You is a Time Inc. publication sold exclusively at Walmart stores, she said. The magazine targets women looking to save money.
"It’s OK to be cheap," she said, discussing the magazine’s content. "We’re giving you more ways to be cheap."
The magazine also features more coupons, a distinction from other lifestyle or Time Inc. publications.
"Coupons drive sales," Turnier said. "More people will pick it up, but it also lines up with the reader."
Turnier said that coming up with story ideas tailored to the magazine’s audience is an important part of her job. It’s also an important skill for job candidates and freelancers.
When pitching an article idea, journalists need to know "why that story will help the reader and what do the readers want to know."
To come up with fresh story ideas, Turnier said she reads newspapers, blogs and competitor publications. She also subscribes to Google Alerts on topics pertaining to her publication. Talking with co-workers, friends and family is another way to see what topics and trends are noteworthy.
But her job is more than generating ideas and content.
"When I started out, I would do a couple of features and a couple front-of-the-book pieces," she said. "But now we do much, much more than that."
Turnier said she works on the Web site, blogs, writes and edits for the print publication; helps on special publications; and updates the Twitter account.
While Turnier said her workload has increased over the years, the opportunity to write compelling stories about real people has kept her motivated.
"It reminds you why you’re doing all the other stuff," she said.
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