“Writing Out of the Box,” a panel discussion held on Monday, May 14, 2007, as part of the Week of Writing, informed young writers of some professional and personal aspects of the writing business. The panelists included Gary Allen Sledge, an editor at Reader’s Digest; Gayle Ronan Sims, the chief obituary writer for the Philadelphia Inquirer; Jason Wilson, a travel writer and Editor-in-Chief for Drexel’s newest multimedia project, the Smart Set; and Jen A. Miller, a freelance writer. Paula Marantz Cohen, a bestselling author, moderated the discussion.
“There’s a lot of research involved [with writing as a career],” Miller said. A writer cannot write about just one topic, but rather be an expert in every assignment. “It’s very important to ask questions, and ask the right questions.” With substantial facts and knowledge, a writer can better represent a thoughtful and accurate account.
Miller also talked about the problems she has encountered with voice in different writing venues. Although every writer has a unique style and subject matter, writers must exceed the demands of the industry in order to succeed.
“You don’t always write flowery prose—you write the truth,” Sims said.
However, writers should still try to do what is best for them. “You have to be engaged in what you’re working with,” Wilson said. “You put a personal investment in it.” Wilson had attempted to write a fiction novel but found that travel writing was easier. But marriage and fatherhood kept him from traveling as much as he would have liked, so he decided to write about food and beverages. Wilson now visits many restaurants and clubs and uses his experiences as writing material. “You end up writing whatever and trying to make it work,” Wilson explained.
The nature of the business, and its fast pace, make multi-tasking and organization key skills. “Deadlines and time constraints create a lot of pressure,” Sims said.
At the Digest, Sledge works with a variety of different writers and topics. He usually is working on three issues at once while editing three to four stories a day. Sledge must do all this and still keep the style and standards of the magazine.
Writers also have to learn how to take rejection and criticism.
“I got flack on a story anytime I wrote something not 100% positive,” Wilson said. In Wilson’s case, a chef got fired because of a review he wrote at a restaurant. Miller, on the other hand, received the worse criticism of her career as the editor of her college newspaper.
The panelists suggested to the audience to find editors that they work well with. “I hate how everything sounds exactly the same,” Miller said. “Everything is over-edited.” Miller tries to find topics where she can really express herself, such as book reviews. Wilson developed his own voice and looks for editors who want him for that. Sledge, however, advises new writers at the Digest to study the magazine and learn its style and story development.
Despite the industry’s tough demands, many writers are satisfied with where their careers are going. Miller and Wilson both confessed to having a short attention span and enjoy that they have a variety to write about.
“God is my assignment editor,” Sims joked. “I have found that the most ordinary people live extraordinary lives.” In obituary writing, she can talk about the lives of people and the history of the city. She explained that her colleagues at the Inquirer are ethical and feel strongly about their work.
The panelists each shared the hardships and struggles of the literary business, but like many writers, they could not imagine how any other career could be as fulfilling.