Thursday, December 30, 2010

September 22 Recap: The Sun Magazine

The Sun Magazine
Tim McKee-managing editor


About the Sun Magazine:
• National Magazine with 70 thousand US readers, some subscribers around the world
• Began with Sy Sfransky. Felt that most publications were unsubstantial—lacked life, real stories
• In 1974 he began putting out a magazine made on a Xerox machine, stapled, sold on the streets of CH for a quarter.
• Ad-free as of 1990: intimate writing, advertising gets in the way of the relationship between the reader and the piece of art in the magazine. Editor feels the story deserved full attention
• Contains interviews called the “thinker,” essays, photo essays, poetry, etc.
• Editors marry photos submissions with story submissions.
• “The way you mix stories and images to make the most potent mix possible is really the hallmark of journalism”

About Editing
• Every piece has been through 5 rounds of editing to make the story as powerful and readable as possible. No distracting words or extra baggage
• “Are you telling a good story? Is it going to get in their [the readers’] hearts or minds?”
• “Every writer, no matter how good you are, needs an editor”
• Tip: Know the tools of the trade—learn the ins and outs of language. Mechanics and all.
• “Really be immersed in the trenches of language is the key”
• Editing is sculpting (microediting)
• Macroediting: seeing the big picture of how everything comes together (within the story and within the issue)
• Be interested. How do people tell stories? How is it put together? What devices were used? How could it be better?


About Tim McKee:
http://www.thesunmagazine.org/about/staff


Interns:
The magazine needs interns, but has not created an intern program yet.

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