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Topic: San Francisco writing prospects
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| Author | Message |
| Victoria-E | Posted – 9/15/2005 8:37:52 AM | show profile Hi everyone, As a writer, it is common knowledge that NYC is the perfect place to beginning your career, especially if you long to write for magazines (which I do). I currently live just north of NYC (by 45 minutes) & in May 2006, I will be moving (after my lease is up). My difficult decision to make is where to go. The good thing is I only have 2 locations that I am going to choose between :: Brooklyn, NY & San Francisco, CA. What is the San Francisco writing market like, if anyone knows? Victoria E Model, Writer, Environmentalist http://victoria-e.com/ |
| belinda | Posted – 9/15/2005 10:07:30 AM | show profile >>As a writer, it is common knowledge that NYC is the perfect place to beginning your career, especially if you long to write for magazines<< Common knowledge? Sensible people know better! Good luck. I know a lot about the SF market. As with NYC, it's a market you can crack from anywhere. |
| Victoria-E | Posted – 9/15/2005 2:52:39 PM | show profile | email poster Hi Belinda, Thank you for taking the time to reply - I'd love to know more about the San Fran market, if you would be willing to chat with me (via email). I have officially decided (for more than just writing reasons) to move to San Fran. My favorite magazine, Self, is based here in NYC, but this city is just far too much for me right now. I plan to work on my writing career, as well as my modeling & environmental goals (if I am ucky, I'm going to find a way to combine all 3!). ------ Model, Writer, Environmentalist http://victoria-e.com/ http://victoria-e.blogspot.com/ |
| belinda | Posted – 9/15/2005 5:05:18 PM | show profile Victoria -- You need to talk with someone who isn't me. We are not a good fit. Apologies! |
| Victoria-E | Posted – 9/15/2005 6:00:48 PM | show profile Why do you think you are not the right person; I don't understand ------ Model, Writer, Environmentalist http://victoria-e.com/ http://victoria-e.blogspot.com/ |
| roxannekkb | Posted – 9/15/2005 6:04:10 PM | show profile Victoria, from your post it is unclear if you want to actually work on staff at a magazine or just write for them. If you are looking for a staff job, then there is less opportunity in SF than you'd find in NY. However, if you just want to write for magazines, then you can live anywhere. And no, you do not need to have a NY address in order to begin a freelance writing career. You can write for your favorite magazine, Self, and live on the moon. ------ www.nabeepchen.com |
| Victoria-E | Posted – 9/15/2005 6:20:19 PM | show profile roxannekkb, working on the staff at a magazine would be great, but since my interests in writing are so varied, I doubt that will happen. I am also working on helping environmental organizations, as well as doing commercial modeling, so a 9 to 5 job at a magazine wouldn't work right now. Any advice one the best way to submit to major magazines such as Lucky, Shop Etc, Self, Organic Gardening ... etc. I have sent submissions to smaller & new publications, but nothing so established. ------ Model, Writer, Environmentalist http://victoria-e.com/ http://victoria-e.blogspot.com/ |
| belinda | Posted – 9/16/2005 1:29:50 PM | show profile Victoria, I'm not your person because I don't coach hobbyists. Sounds like you're asking for Freelancing 101. A good start might be a book, or checking out tips and how-tos at www.asja.org (they're listed on the left-hand side of the home page). |
| Victoria-E | Posted – 9/16/2005 2:02:39 PM | show profile belinda - I find that to be an rude thing to say; I do not write as a ''hobby'', I do this full-time, every day. I am freelancing with 4 different publications at the moment, very soon to be more. I have a # of books about freelancing in my possession & they are a wonderful reference. I'm sorry that you see me as just a ''hobbyist'', because that is nowhere near what I am ------ Model, Writer, Environmentalist http://victoria-e.com/ http://victoria-e.blogspot.com/ |
| Lotus665 | Posted – 9/16/2005 2:04:26 PM | show profile The way to pitch name magazines is the same as pitching smaller ones. That is, the principles of querying are what they are. If you belong to Avant Guild, you can get specifics of each pub in their How to Pitch series. Since you already read the mags you want to write for, you have a good start. I lived in SF a long time ago and it is very environmental-centric. On that score you'll have a lot of opportunities for volunteering at the least. Sierra magazine is there -- you could get their writers' guidelines and pitch them freelance stories. But you'll need some clips first. SF has a chapter of the National Writers Union. Join up, go to meetings, meet people, ask for coaching. A good book: The Renegade Writer. It has a lot of pitching tips and both spells out the conventional wisdom and encourages you to break the rules. ------ Lotus665 |
| Lotus665 | Posted – 9/16/2005 2:05:54 PM | show profile Oh, didn't see your last post, Victoria. You have clips. Well then, target your markets and go for it. And say hi to SF for me-- I miss it! ------ Lotus665 |
| SFElisaW | Posted – 9/16/2005 3:02:47 PM | show profile I spent four years freelancing from the SF Bay Area and perhaps 10% of my work and 5% of my pay came from local publications, and the rest from NY publications. There aren't many, and they pay very, very, very badly. If are OK living very cheaply (and the cost of living is higher here than in Brooklyn) and working contacts out of town you should be OK. What is here is fun, but there aren't many magazines here and the staff jobs pay poorly as well from what I've seen. It is, of course, a great place to live! My advice would be to be open about living in the East Bay -- Berkeley, Oakland, Alameda. Better weather, cheaper places to live, easy transport. |
| Victoria-E | Posted – 9/16/2005 4:05:14 PM | show profile Lotus - thank you for the words of wisdom. I did just join the AG last night, so I am looking forward to reading up on a # of publications and their pitching advice. SFElisaW - I'm definately more of the freelance type, so I'm not worried about finding a staff job at ay of the local magazines. I do, however, plan to try and get an internship for a few months to gain extra experience. I currently live north of NYC, and the city I live in is pretty similar to Brooklyn as far as the cost of apartments ... etc. I know the sales tax is higher out in CA, so that will be the major adjustment with most purchases (I don't own a car, so that is a big savings there). Otherwise, I'm sure that most of my work will come from NY publications; that is just the life of freelancing. Once I am more established & have some clips from major publications in NY, I plan to try and get some freelance work with European publications as well. I have been looking into all of the organizationd and companies out in San Fran that are environmentally-oriented and it is hard to keep track of all of them! I've been looking at staff jobs with organizations and the fashion and beauty companies to gain even more knowledge in those areas as well. ------ Model, Writer, Environmentalist http://victoria-e.com/ http://victoria-e.blogspot.com/ |
| belinda | Posted – 9/16/2005 5:27:18 PM | show profile Didn't intend to raise your hackles Victoria. When you mentioned having two other careers and longing to write for magazines, it came across on the receiving end as very green. |
| observer | Posted – 9/16/2005 7:52:28 PM | show profile the publishing industry in SF is very small and very hard to break into. i would focus on non-profits that are environmentally focused. the sierra club is here in SF and they publish sierra. you might also look into sunset magazine (menlo park, ca) which is more of a california lifestyle magazine. also, via magazine (publication of AAA) has a travel section. honestly, think twice about SF and be ready to face that the market here is very small and extremely competive. i jumped from a magazine to a non-profit environment medical publisher after the dot-com crash. the economy here is better than it was but it's still a small market. it's all about networks and who knows who. |
| Victoria-E | Posted – 9/16/2005 7:53:02 PM | show profile belinda - I can easily see how you would get confused. No, by no means do I write just to make money; I do it because I love it. I have a natural interest in many different things, so those are just other things that I enjoy doing & happen to make money at the same time. Writing is my main career & it always will be. My environmentalism is something that can be easily combined with my writing skills. I enjoy doing what I can to make the world a better place & I like to volunteer with a # of organizations to hep with that. I know the eco-community is quite big out in San Fran, so it would be a great place to go and expand my love. I've been a model since I was6, so it is something that I do naturally. Now-a-days, I only do print and commercial work, so it is something that is not steady and easily put on the backburner & done for fun. ------ Model, Writer, Environmentalist http://victoria-e.com/ http://victoria-e.blogspot.com/ |
| Victoria-E | Posted – 9/16/2005 7:54:58 PM | show profile observer - as far as ''thinking twice'' I am already moving to San Fran; that is set. I am not surprised that the market is small and competative; it is that way in most cities. I do know a # of other creative people in San Fran already, so I am sure that will get me some connections. Otherwise, as mentioned, I am a freelancer and a full-time, staff/desk job isn't right for my personality or style, so it is not what I am working towards. ------ Model, Writer, Environmentalist http://victoria-e.com/ http://victoria-e.blogspot.com/ |
| mokolembembe | Posted – 9/18/2005 12:01:16 PM | show profile Victoria-E: wow! you're an environmentalist! and a model! and even a writer! did you just graduate from high school? |
| Lotus665 | Posted – 9/18/2005 1:52:25 PM | show profile Hey, leave her alone. What's wrong with multiple careers? It's an unlikely combo, admittedly, but it makes her kind of interesting. When I lived in SF there was very little media work; most of my $ came from NYC clients and I wound up moving back because of that. (In fact people kept suggesting I move to LA if I wanted a media career, ha ha!) If you have lots of savings and intend on freelancing, maybe you can make it. I will be interested to hear where you wind up living because the housing prices are beyond astronomical now... ------ Lotus665 |
| Victoria-E | Posted – 9/18/2005 4:14:24 PM | show profile mokolembembe - I knew that someone would ask that eventually. Yes, I did graduate from high school & I am currently in college. I finished high school independently, with no teachers, at home & got my official diploma in less than 3 years. I am currently getting a Associate degree via IU & then I will be getting a bachelor's degree from Berkley (San Fran) - majoring in Environmental Science, with a minor in Journalism. I've been a model since I was 6 & do mostly commercial & print work (the stuff that you see in magazines like Self, Fitness, Lucky ... etc). I've been a writer for just as long, having my work published in books and local newspapers in Indiana, where I grew up. Being an environmentalist came a bit later, but it now a full part of my lifestyle - from transportation, to food, clothing, and everything else. ------ Model, Writer, Environmentalist http://victoria-e.com/ http://victoria-e.blogspot.com/ |
| Victoria-E | Posted – 9/18/2005 4:17:18 PM | show profile Lotus665 - doing all 3 is by no means easy, but I am a Gemini (for those that are astrology buffs), so it comes with the territory. The housing prices are pretty similar to what I am dealing with now, so it won't be too much of a change. Going from what I have now to a place in San Fran will only be about a $200/month increase. Otherwise, yes I do plan to do freelance work, but I will also be getting a part-time job with an eco-company as well. Modeling, via a professional agency, will also keep money coming in. My boyfriend also has a professional career & we pool our money together to keep things going :) I would rather move anywhere else but LA; I hate it there - I've never had good luck or a good experience there. ------ Model, Writer, Environmentalist http://victoria-e.com/ http://victoria-e.blogspot.com/ |
| Yam | Posted – 9/18/2005 4:38:52 PM | show profile Hi Victoria, don't know if this will change your plans at all, but just so you go prepared: you won't be able to minor in journalism at Berkeley. The journalism department is graduate level only. |
| Victoria-E | Posted – 9/18/2005 7:31:49 PM | show profile Thanks for the info Yam; no worries, I'll still take some journalism courses, but if I don't minor in it, that is ok. Gaining the knowledge is what is important to me, not what label is put on it. ------ Model, Writer, Environmentalist http://victoria-e.com/ http://victoria-e.blogspot.com/ |
| Lotus665 | Posted – 9/18/2005 8:26:28 PM | show profile Yes I hated LA too that's why I laughed at people who told me to move there...after all, if I'd wanted to move to LA I would have in the first place, right? ------ Lotus665 |
| Victoria-E | Posted – 9/18/2005 10:02:49 PM | show profile Lotus, very well put! If I wanted to be in LA, that is where I would have gone, hehe. Glad to know that I am not the only one that uis into that place. ------ Model, Writer, Environmentalist http://victoria-e.com/ http://victoria-e.blogspot.com/ |
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