The Right Ways To Write Having The Voice That Many Vie To Hear

Being a good writer does not necessarily mean one can be deemed as a good editor. However, a successful editor is someone who exudes a commendable knack for writing just enough to know how to break the rules, without losing a publication’s vast readership. An editor encapsulates qualities of a talented writer and also grasps the identity of the magazine well enough to be able to guide writers to imbibe the same.

A good writer is acknowledged in how they articulate themselves across their written pieces. The work of an editor, however, lies in the cohesion of various pieces in order to voice a brand image. As an editor in today’s present scenario, it is vital to be able to effectively bridge the gap between print and digital magazines. Also, if an editor still continues to contribute written pieces to a publication, nothing can make them better-rounded than that.

Graphical Representations of the Amount of Steps taken and Sleep an Editor and Writer Receives during a Typical Fashion Week

I honestly find the field of writing a platform to be one with the most creativity of expression. According to personal belief, a writer should be artistic in way. Being able to weave stories into their writing is a talent that is much adored. Off beat magazines for fashion outsiders such as Dazed and its digital counterpart Dazed Digital, along with other magazines such as Bullett and i-D follow writing that ensues a strong voice and also emulates the artistic expression that I find attractive as a reader.

Emma Hope Allwood, Fashion Features editor for Dazed Digital, also publishes articles that immediately attract readers in its blunt and humorous fashion. Notable articles like, “Why can’t women be inspirational and naked?” talks about the recent photoshoot for the Annual Pirelli Calender that featured women such as Amy Schumer, Serena Williams and Tavi Gevinson. Allwood uses a casual tone of writing and also includes factual descriptions to the story without losing the old British humor that she’s known for. Also her article “I spent £250 on a Yeezy t-shirt and all I got was regret” perfectly sums up how important it is to allow readers to feel a sense of relatability with the writer. She exemplifies that in most cases you don’t need a fancy hed to get people reading and even fashion editors can make some wrong sartorial choices.

Humor apart, the trend seen in many such publications today voices rebellion and empowerment of the youth. Bullett magazine does just that. As an editor, Idil Tabanca succeeds in being a risk-taking voice that serves as a form of sarcastic critique that reiterates tumblr like photography and brave method of expression. Bullett's online magazine bullettmedia.com houses contributors like Justin Moran who also applies simple ways of writing. His articles such as "Should Fashion Trade the Term ‘Genderless’ for ‘Genderful?" shows a brave biased approach to a rather touchy subject. He ends his piece with a strong kicker, "Genderful is making the binary your bitch, paving the lane for a more accepting future in fashion; genderless reads more like a reactionary term—something negative, like an outdated response to an equally outdated social structure."

On the other hand, being an editor requires a lot of responsibility as opposed to that of a writer. They are required to play the role of a parent, somewhat in terms of heading massive publications. Perhaps, this is why editors rarely participate in writing. Editorial marvels such as Aishwarya Subramanyam of Elle India, is one such example. Having made the jump from her job at Vogue to lead one India's major fashion magazines, rarely does one see her own written pieces. However, others such as Bandana Tewari, Fashion Features editor for Vogue India, often dabbles in writing with her strong Op-Ed articles. Her piece "Op-Ed | Making 'Made in India' Matter" shows textbook quality journalism and has a more formal voice in expressing national campaigns.

Perhaps this is what differentiates an editor from a writer - the ability to use your personal voice to write stories that people in fashion want to read. Yet, each task has its ups and downs. Journalism is a massive task and results come to fruition when the editor and writer work towards achieving similar goals, which is ultimately to have readers say, "Well, that is a good story".

Sources -

Kat Stoefell, "Youth in Revolt: Bullett Reinvents the Magazine–and Their Masthead", 28 Sept 2011, Observer.com, Web, 12 Dec 2015, http://observer.com/2011/09/youth-in-revolt-bullet-reinvents-the-magazine-and-their-masthead/

Justin Moran, "Should Fashion Trade the Term ‘Genderless’ for ‘Genderful?", 1 Dec 2015, bulletmedia.com, Web, 12 Dec 2015, http://bullettmedia.com/article/should-fashion-trade-the-term-genderless-for-genderful/

Michelle Persad, "Want To Be A Fashion Editor? Here's What You Should Know", 27 May 2014, Huffingtonpost.com, Web, 12 Dec 2015, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/27/fashion-editor-career-advice-eva-chen-_n_5372007.html

BOF Team. "Bandana Tewari | #BoF500 | The Business of Fashion." The Business of Fashion. The Business of Fashion, n.d. Web. 12 Dec. 2015.

BOF Team. "Aishwarya Subramanyam | #BoF500 | The Business of Fashion." The Business of Fashion. The Business of Fashion, n.d. Web. 12 Dec. 2015.

Bandana Tewari, "Op-Ed | Making 'Made in India' Matter", 17 June 2015, businessoffashion.com, Web, 12 Dec 2015, http://www.businessoffashion.com/articles/opinion/op-ed-making-made-in-india-matter

Emma Hope Allwood, "Who Works The Hardest In Fashion?", 10 Dec 2015, Dazeddigital.com, Web, 12 Dec 2015, http://www.dazeddigital.com/fashion/article/28661/1/who-works-the-hardest-in-fashion-jawbone-wearable-tech-experiment