Golden Oldies, Vol. I
The senior demographic is evolving into a much different demographic than it used to be: just check out any retirement commercial that features rock music. There are plenty of publications that are aimed at and about seniors, which many writers find to be a fulfilling and profitable market.
I know nothing about this genre myself, so I wanted to talk to some freelancers who do. The writers and editors I spoke with who have experience covering senior issues include: Eve Tahmincioglu, who has written for pubs like the St. Petersburg Times, Women’s Wear Daily, Salon, Time, Business Week; Mary Kay DeVore, who has covered senior issues for publications like New York’s The Citizen and Wendy Meyeroff, owner of WM Medical Communications, which provides health information materials/strategies to customers nationwide. She has been writing for and about the senior market since the mid-80′s.
How did you begin writing for/about seniors?
Wendy Meyeroff: I had moved from magazine editorial (first a reporter, then an editor) into public relations, and one of my first clients was a company called Futuro. At the time, they were making wheelchairs, crutches, canes, and various home safety products. They were also sponsoring a book called “The Family Caregiver’s Guide”. This was the mid-1980s and caregiving was an almost unheard-of term. It was through this client that I started becoming aware of America’s aging population, the issue of caregiving, and what we were going to be faced with as a society in 20 years–all of which has come true. And it was that which got me started writing about so-called “seniors” issues, like “How to Buy a Cane”.
Mary Kay DeVore: I used to work for a non-profit that had a lot of seniors as volunteers and I wrote some press releases on their volunteer work. Part of my job was to recruit volunteers so I went to a lot of senior centers and senior housing facilities where I became quite familiar with some of the interests and issues that are important to seniors. I was freelancing part-time at the same time and started to write for a local weekly paper on the importance of
senior volunteers in the community, scams that target seniors, and health related topics.
Eve Tahmincioglu: I was working for a local newspaper, The News Journal in Wilmington, Delaware when I realized no one was covering senior citizen issues. This realization came about because I kept getting calls from seniors in the community looking for resources. They needed answers to questions about everything from Medicare to reverse mortgages. So, I took it upon myself to add the beat to my other beats, which at the time included the auto industry and the economy. I just started reading everything I could get my hands on that had to do with seniors — government reports, trade publications, etc. And I would keep my eye on any trends I thought would be of interest to seniors. It wasn’t really a beat any one had focused on so I could pretty much follow my own path.
What do you think are the easiest ways for freelancers to break in to this market? (IE newsletters, web, magazines)
Tahmincioglu: I would try to build up an expertise in a certain area that is of interest to seniors…insurance, housing, lifestyle, etc. There are a lot of freelancers out there trying to figure out how they can cash in on the growing senior citizen population so you have to distinguish yourself. Write for anyone that will have you at first..newsletters are a good start but don’t disregard your local newspaper. They don’t pay great but a couple of informative, well researched clips will help you when you try to break into magazines. Go hang out at senior centers. There’s a wealth of ideas there. And believe it or not it can be fun to talk to the people there that have already gone through life’s ups and downs. It always made me feel good to talk to them, gave me a good perspective on what’s important.
DeVore: I think newspapers and local magazines are the best bet. Once you get some clips then you can approach national magazines and prominent websites with story ideas and have a much better chance of being published with prior experience.
Meyeroff: That’s a tough question, ’cause when I do see avenues specific to the older market, many are written in-house–or they’re very poor paying. When I teach “Succeeding as a Magazine Writer” I always urge my students to walk before they try to run. Don’t try to write for AARP magazine or The Erickson Tribune (a national newspaper for people age 62 over) right away. Instead here are some ideas:
• Try to contribute to your local newspaper–and don’t forget the weeklies. Take a look at the calendar of events; e.g., the local hospital’s giving a talk on coping with breast cancer. Then see if the newspaper would be interested in you covering it. Bear in mind that breast cancer rises after age 60…so go to the meeting prepared to ask questions relating to that.
• Look for other print outlets, even if it’s your PTA’s newsletters, and do the work for free…just to get some clips for your portfolio. Same thing when it comes to writing for a Web site.
• Understand I’m not saying always settle for no pay or substandard rates, but keep such opportunities in mind as a way to get in the front door. One of the ways my colleagues, a teacher, went to being a six-figure medical writer, was through agreeing to write complex health stories for a piddling $150 a shot to some of the major trade publications. $150 may sound like a lot, but trust me in medical writing it’s beans.
• Forget the “senior” label and just write a good story for any media outlet you can find. Build a portfolio of clips in health care, travel, technology–whatever interests you. THEN you can approach AARP, The Tribune, and other outlets as a seasoned professional.
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