Category Archives: Writing

Write What You Love

Posted on May 31, 2012 by | 12 Comments

I loved this advice from authors from the LA Times book festival.

Read a lot, write a lot, and don’t expect to make any money.

I heed this advice as I dive back into a genre not generally known for being lucrative: playwriting. When I was in high school, I was lucky to attend a public performing arts school. I was in the creative writing program and in my senior year, we wrote plays. Our teacher submitted them to a state-wide contest and my play was chosen to be performed in New York City. I met a director, talked to actors, and watched an audience react to my work. And that’s when the playwriting bug bit me.

So I applied to New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, got accepted into the Dramatic Writing program, and wrote plays. I was praised, won contests, interned at theaters, and loved it all. I got my BFA and MFA in playwriting and wrote a thesis play to graduate.

I sent my thesis play about adopted daughters to 10 of my favorite theaters and got rejected by all of them. The weight of rejection completely paralyzed me and led me to stop writing plays even though I loved the theater. I tried everything else under the sun—short stories, fiction, non-fiction—but my best feedback ever on those pieces was that my dialogue was great (ah, theater!).

Then I thought back to when I was a kid and what I loved reading—Sassy magazine, Sweet Valley High, and The Baby-Sitters Club. So I started pursuing magazine writing and YA books. And you know what? I found success and rejection in those areas, but the main difference was that I kept going and pursuing both, despite being told “no” initially.

So now I’m slowly tiptoeing back to playwriting. I’ve been seeing plays at Berkeley Rep and other Bay Area theaters and I realize how much I miss it. And whether I “make” it or not, theater makes me happy.

What makes you happy? What would you write if money were no object?

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Posted in Writing, Writing Advice & Exercises

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Why Indie Magazines Matter

Posted on May 19, 2012 by | Leave a comment

I’m excited to share that my first feature article, “Indies Rock,” for VegNews magazine is in the May+June Media Issue currently on newsstands! While I love all magazines, I love supporting my favorite indie magazines, starting with Sassy when I was a teenager and now writing for publications such as VegNews, Bust, and others. I interviewed the amazing women at Good, Dwell, Mother Jones, Bust, and Hyphen magazines about how and why they publish their stellar publications. You’d be surprised to learn just how much work goes into this indie mags! We also have a truly heartbreaking account of an undercover investigator at a factory farm—I still get choked up reading it—and how six vegan media companies are putting a new spin on veganism.

If you can’t find it on your local newsstand, you can pick up a copy here.

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For Writers—5 Simple Rules for Pitching an Editor

Posted on March 6, 2012 by | 1 Comment

As a writer and editor, I’ve been on both sides of pitching. I’ve made mistakes and I’ve seen other writers make mistakes too. Hey, we’re human, after all. From an editor’s point of view, I’d like to share some tips so that you don’t make the same mistakes I’ve made.

1. Read the magazine before pitching. At least 3 issues. One mistake I’ll never make again is that I pitched an editor at Body & Soul (now called Whole Living) without ever picking up an issue off the newsstand and READING it. The editor wrote back and told me that my pitch was too evergreen. In editor speak, that means it’s not timely, trendy, or interesting. I never pitch without reading the magazine. Ever. Read the cover lines, the table of contents, read every article. Pick up back issues, which you can find at your local library. How do they write? What do they write about? What is interesting to their audience?

2. Don’t pitch over Facebook or Twitter. A few people have contacted me over Facebook and I kindly direct them to my work email and our website (both of which are readily available pieces of information). I never contact an editor of Facebook to pitch. I’ve had conversations with editors I know but I never cold pitch an editor through social media. Contact them via their work email.

3. After a month, move on. I try my best, when someone pitches me, to get back to them in a timely manner (2 weeks) and let them know if I’m interested or not. As a freelance writer, I’d give the editor I pitched 2-3 weeks with a story idea, then I moved on. I check in first before I move on. Something like, “Dear xx, I’d love to know if you’re still interested in X idea before I pitch the idea elsewhere.” If you don’t get a response, don’t hound the editor, just move on with the pitch.

4. Develop & research your pitch. Nothing thrills me more than someone who has written a good pitch with a beginning, middle, and end. One to two sentences is not a pitch. A full paragraph with a fleshed-out idea and supporting examples is fantastic. Remember the rule of threes. For a story idea on vegan doughnut shops, find 3 stores across the US that are doing this. Not 1, not 2, but 3. Something isn’t a trend until there are at least 3 instances of it happening.

5. Have faith. In pure numbers, a magazine like VegNews is published 6 times a year. That means there are 6 food features a year and only 6 ideas that I’ll need. Unfortunately, I can’t take every single one. But keep pitching, have faith, execute numbers 1-4, and you’ll get there.

Source: google.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

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When You’re Deadline: How NOT to Panic

Posted on February 27, 2012 by | Leave a comment

As my readers can see, I’ve been MIA since November. To put it bluntly, I’ve been in a panic (read: deadline) with a manuscript due April 2. Before I became an editor at VegNews magazine, I was the features editor at Rangefinder magazine, a photography trade publication. Through my work at Rangefinder, I met Bambi Cantrell, an extraordinary photographer. Bambi asked me to collaborate with her on her next book, so we worked together on a book proposal, and now the full manuscript is due in about 5 weeks. Hence, the panic. I’ve pretty much put off social dates, anything fun, and worked every weekend to get this together.

But you know what I realized? I was killing myself. The manuscript wasn’t getting any more fun and I was stressing myself out.

I keep a tight schedule and I’ll be 100% honest, every day that schedule changes. What I thought would take 2 days to finish a chapter (who am I kidding?) takes triple the time. So I started meditating to help me get restful nights of sleep. (I highly recommend The Meditation Podcast–the Falling Asleep meditation works for me every single time.) I started taking it day by day. I give myself one night off. Your brain needs to recharge. Or maybe it was the fact on the most recent Parks & Recreation, I related to Leslie Knope working two jobs and when Ron Swanson told her to cut back, I’m pretty sure he was talking to me.

Plus, I think this quotation I have posted on Pinterest Quotes board pretty much sums it all up.

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Posted in Photography, Writing, Writing Advice & Exercises

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How to Be a Full-Time Freelance Writer: An Interview with Laura Hooper Beck

Posted on November 16, 2011 by | 7 Comments

Laura Hooper Beck is one of the funniest writers I know (and I live with a TV comedy writer). She’s smart, sassy, and honest. When I first read her “Ask Laura” column in VegNews magazine, before I even started working there, I looked forward to reading it every issue. Fast forward to present day, I am working at my dream job AND working alongside Laura, who is Editor-at-Large at VegNews. Plus, I found out that Laura and I are both NYU alum from Tisch School of the Arts, so we know nothing about sports and everything about TV shows. Go Violets!

Laura is also a successful blogger at Vegansaurus, the web mistress behind VegWeb.com, and a freelance writer for The Huffington Post, 7×7 magazine, SF Weekly, SFist, San Francisco Magazine, SF Appeal, The Bold Italic, and others. Girl has got it going on.

So I asked Laura to share the secrets behind her success and dish about her favorite vegan meals. Enjoy!

Q: You have a fascinating story of how you got your start in freelance writing. Please share.
A: In 2005, I was working at a kind-of soul sucking job, and used to write Yelp reviews for fun. Yelp introduced this feature where you could “fan” people, and I started accumulating a lot of fans, and became the “mostpopular” person on the site, which was kinda awesome because all of my self-esteem was being stomped into the ground every day at work. At least people on the internet liked me! And that’s what really matters, right? I thought it was pretty cool that an opinionated vegan could be the most popular person on this site that was mostly meat mouths. So THEN, Yelp started bitching about my reviews having too many swears and other stupid infractions, which is totally fine because it’s a privately owned website and they can do what they want, and so I started a local vegan blog, Vegansaurus, to take the show on the road. Then, from there, I met other local bloggers, writers, editors, and a bunch of jobs came my way. I feel super lucky that I’m able to make a living this way, and I’m still very grateful to Yelp, even though it’s pretty much unusable these days and every review starts with, “I wanted to like/hate this place, BUT…”

Q: What tips would you give to freelance writers who want to be writers full-time?
A: You gotta hustle! I know you know, freelancing is not about laying around naked eating bonbons, although that is always my end goal. It’s near constant pitching, writing, or editing, and on top of that, you have to network so that you can find future jobs. As gross as it is, like most things, little of it is based on actual ability, it’s just about who you know. Find out if there’s local networking events or readings, and go to them to get to know other people who are living your life! Strength in numbers! If there’s a writer you admire, send them an email and ask some questions, and maybe they’ll offer contacts right away? People who are stingy with that shit are stupid because if you’re right for the job, you’ll get it. If not, might as well let someone else take a stab at it. Oh, and look up to see how to pitch publications you’re interested in, lots of people get jobs from doing that, just make sure your pitches are professional. Almost every editor I know is looking for new writers and new voices, so put yourself out there!

Q: You’re a passionate vegan and you write a hysterical advice column in VegNews (I seriously can’t stop laughing when I’m reading it). What would you tell someone who says, “I would love to go vegan, but it seems so hard.”
A: Thanks! That’s super nice of you to say! It’s all the good editing, though! Love that VegNews crew! OK, so, I guess I’d say that being vegan is an exciting ethical opportunity that many of us (not all of us!) have the ability to act on, so why not do it? Like, I loved eating dead animals, I did, I used to break open chicken bones and suck out the marrow. I was hardcore. I was like, the white friend at dim sum who WENT THERE. I’d eat ANYTHING. But when I learned how that stuff got to the table? It’s so freaking gross! It’s the GROSSEST and the SADDEST and I didn’t want to have anything to do with it, especially when there are so many great vegan meats and vegan foods, in general. Also, I’ll say, my palette has grown so much since becoming vegan. I try foods I never thought I’d try, and just the other day I actually MADE injera. Bam!

Q: You run a successful vegan group community blog. How did you start Vegansaurus and what would tell would-be bloggers who want to get started but are scared to jump in?
A: Just do it! You can even just start with just you and then get new writers from commenters. One of our most prolific, best, funniest, greatest bloggers on Vegansaurus was a commenter back in the beginning. I don’t really know anything about anything, this is just my guess, but I think the thing to having a successful(ish) blog is consistency. Like, don’t give up after a few months if nobody is reading, they will come! And comment on other blogs, offer to do guest posts on more popular blogs, be active on Facebook and Twitter, and it’ll happen. It’s just a commitment, and I’m not sure the commitment is for lots of people, because they have lives they enjoy.

Q: OK, now we’re getting to the tough stuff. What’s your absolute favorite vegan meal of all time?
A:Ugh. Can I choose a few?? Thanks, Jenn! Veggie Combo at Cafe Colucci in Berkeley, anything at Saha in San Francisco (as long as the fried avocado salad is included!), the reuben from Locali in Los Angeles, and a mega feast at the Veggie Dim Sum House in NYC.

Special thanks to Laura for taking the time out of her busy schedule to answer my questions. Got more questions for Laura? Post them and maybe if you buy her dinner at Cafe Colucci, she’ll answer them.

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Posted in Interviews, Magazine, Vegan, Writing, Writing Advice & Exercises

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Winning and Losing as a Writer

Posted on September 19, 2011 by | 10 Comments

When my husband, Brendan Hay, told me that he was nominated for a Creative Arts Emmy for Outstanding Short-Form Animation Program for his writing on the Christmas Special for Robot Chicken, I nearly busted a gut. I pretty much told everyone on the planet that my husband was up for an EMMY (!!!) and got all dolled up for the occasion, which for a girl who never wears makeup, is a big deal. I rented a dress and sparkly earrings from Rent the Runway (designer dresses!) and happily walked the red carpet with my amazing, super talented, humble husband.

But he didn’t win.

He took the loss graciously while I was more bummed than he was. Of course, being nominated is a HUGE honor. So why was I so bummed? I am admittedly my husband’s one-woman PR team and I was ready to take his pic with a gold statue in tow. What most people don’t see behind the award is how hard he works and just how much funny he can cram into one page. Besides being talented, he is super supportive of other writers, loves the craft of writing and storytelling, and worked his way up from his first days as an intern at The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. So I wanted him to win just so he knows how much he’s appreciated by his own peers. But of course, I can’t vote in the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.

Being a writer isn’t all glam and awards shows–in fact, staying up until 1am rewriting is hardly magazine-cover worthy–and some times you just don’t get what you want. Brendan and I have both had story ideas rejected, been told that we weren’t funny or would never sell anything, been berated online for what we’ve written, and wrote entire scripts or novels that never saw the light of day. Before we ever started dating, I told myself I never wanted to date a writer. They are so crazy (true) and did I really want to spend my life competing with my partner? But truth be told, he understands the ups and downs of the creative life sometimes better than I do. It helps to have someone who understands why you have to plug away at odd hours and why every time I turn on my laptop, I face the age-old fear that this story might suck (and yes, the first draft usually does). And most of all, what I can learn from my husband’s Emmy nomination is that sometimes hard work really does pay off, even if it means going home without a statue.

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Balancing Work & Writing

Posted on August 31, 2011 by | 3 Comments

I recently was fortunate enough to be interviewed by Hyphen, a San Francisco-based Asian American magazine, about being a full-time magazine editor and writer. Hyphen online Q&A editor Rachel Filipinas asked how I balance my time to juggle both careers. And often, my blog readers ask me the same thing. I wish I could say that I have a clone who helps me out with these projects, but I haven’t perfected that science yet. I wanted to expand on my answer to Rachel and give you a little more detail here.

What I do is schedule. I use my handle iCal on my iPhone and set dates for myself to write. Since I’m balancing outside projects such as a photography book with top photographer Bambi Cantrell, working on a new young adult series, and freelance, my calendar is my best friend. Since I work 9am to 5:30pm most days, I work at nights and during my lunch hours. I purchased a MacBook Air so I could lug my laptop to work without killing myself. (A great investment if you can afford it.) It is a bit crazy to work during a lunch hour but it really forces me to get work done. You have 60 minutes, go! I go to a nearby café and churn out as much as I can.

Talk it out. My husband is a great sounding board. He works full-time while balancing outside projects such as his graphic novel, RASCAL RACOON (out this December 2011, Oni Press), so he understands what it means to work on multiple projects. I like to talk out my work schedule with him. He tells me honestly if I’m tackling too much in one night or week. Find a person in your life that you can discuss work with and your goals. Sometimes it’s hard to see what you’re working on from the outside.

Love what you do. I love magazines, young adult novels, photography, and being creative. I might be working until midnight to finish an article, but I love it. I can’t stress this enough. Don’t kill yourself for something that doesn’t matter to you. It’s not worth it.

Most of all, take some time off. I’m a perpetual worker. Every minute of the day must be filled. But when I do that I burn out. I either get sick or get cranky. That’s no way to live. I’m trying to remember to take a night off and relax. Work will always be there.

How do you juggle multiple projects?

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Posted in Freelance, Magazine, Writing, Writing Advice & Exercises, Young Adult

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To Write for Free or Not

Posted on July 13, 2011 by | Leave a comment

As a working writer, it’s hard to work for free. I get it. But some times it’s good to write for free and some times it’s terrible. How do you know when it’s right to write for free? Here’s been my experience:

When I first was starting out as a magazine writer, I had no published clips so I wrote for a small and now defunct women’s online zine. From there, I gained confidence and started pitching more, and actually getting paid gigs. So for a novice writer, free gigs can help.

One of the best non-paying gigs ever? My first travel piece for VegNews magazine. Why? It helped me land my full-time job! When a spot opened up for an editor, in my cover letter, I mentioned in the very first line that I wrote for them before and loved the magazine. My bosses liked that I already knew the writing style of the magazine. Now, not every free gig would lead to your dream job, but it just might.

But there are definitely some unpaid writing jobs that are NOT worth it.
What to look out for:

  • Content farms that ask you to write for a percentage of ad revenue. They just want content, you want a clip. In my opinion, it’s better to write for free for a publication you admire.
  • Beware of bizarre Craigslist ads. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
  • Any publication or website that has bad writing. Write for quality publications and websites. It will pay off as you build your portfolio. Quality is better than quantity.

What has your experience been writing for free?

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A Reader’s Writing Questions

Posted on June 8, 2011 by | Leave a comment

Recently a reader, Marlee Rubel, contacted me with some questions. Since I receive similar questions from readers, I thought I’d share my answers on my blog instead. Thanks Marlee for reading and asking some great questions! I’m always open to questions. Feel free to email me.

Q: I’m interested in writing for a living (or at least a part-of-a-living). I currently have an editorial internship at a publishing company, and spend a great deal of my time working on my vegan blog when I’m not in the office or at school. I was wondering if you had any suggestions or advice for someone who is looking to eventually write for a magazine such as VegNews.

A: My best advice is if you want to write for magazines, read magazines, love magazines, and figure out what you love about them. One of my favorite magazines is New York magazine. They have great feature articles and a great back of the book (I heart you, Approval Matrix!). As a working freelance writer and a full-time editor, I live and breathe magazines. I started as an editorial assistant at Rangefinder magazine and worked my way up to features editor so having an editorial internship is great. I was 28 at the time and I knew that the best way to learn was from the ground up. I had no qualms about being older than the editors above me. I learned from them and they learned from my crazy organizational skills. My second best piece of advice — do what you love. I have a passion for animals, writing, and magazines. VegNews is a perfect fit for me.

Q: As someone who is already in the industry, would you advise getting a graduate degree in writing/publishing?

A: Ah, I hear this question a lot. I pursued a masters degree in dramatic writing from NYU because at the time they offered a fifth year program so I figured why not get a MFA in one year. That being said, I don’t think everyone needs a graduate degree in writing. This is what it will do for you. It will give you time to write. You will meet greet professors and fantastic fellow writers. There are certainly amazing writers who never even majored in writing and there are writers who have a fabulous degree. Grad school costs a lot of money, but if you have the desire and the financial means, go for it. Just don’t graduate expecting that the writing life is easier.

Q: Or would you suggest just focusing on producing and submitting writing instead of going to school?

A: I think it depends on what type of writer you are. Do you need structure, discipline, and classes? Then going to school is a good option. The toughest part of being a writer is the writing part. People ask me how exactly I produce writing. Here is my simple trick. I give myself deadlines. I write it down on my calendar when I’m going to write, then I do it.

Q: What would you differently, and what would you keep exactly the same if you could do it all over?

A: Great question! This is the biggest life lesson I’ve learned — if I could go back to my 23-year-old self, I would tell her that getting rejected isn’t the end of the world. I stopped writing for a period of time because a YA manuscript I wrote was rejected after being a semi-finalist at the Delacorte Press contest. I cried. Then a manager in Los Angeles read it and told me my manuscript was terrible and that I’d never be able to sell it. And I listened to her. That was my mistake. That same exact “terrible” manuscript helped me land the best YA literary agent in the world (deserved hyperbole). I was too young to realize that not everyone is going to love my work and I was too precious with my words to ever self-edit. As an editor now, it is so much easier to look at my own work with a critical eye. You have to be able to self-critique and edit. Listen to your editor. They are usually right.

What would I keep the same if I could do it all over? I would keep my passion and love for stories. I’ve loved hearing stories since I was a kid and I had those books that came with records that would “read” stories to me. I’ve loved magazines since my first subscriptions to Seventeen, YM, and Sassy. I’ve loved YA since Sweet Valley High and The Babysitters Club. The reason I love This American Life (besides the delightfully charming Ira Glass) is the fact they tell amazing stories. Ditto on The Moth (seriously, check out their podcasts. I once cried while stuck in horrible 405 traffic in LA while listening to a gay solider tell his beautiful story). To be a writer, you’ve got to love the art of storytelling whatever genre you’re writing in.

Got more writing life questions? Post in the comments please!

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Interview with YA Author Kody Keplinger

Posted on May 3, 2011 by | Leave a comment


When I first read about THE DUFF, I loved the idea because I felt like the DUFF in high school (Designated Ugly Fat Friend) even though many years later, I realized I wasn’t. But at the time all my friends shopped in the size 0-2 department and I felt like a whale in comparison. Of course, when I look at high school pics of myself now, I think, wow, I was really skinny then.

So when I picked up the book, I was surprised to learn that the author Kody Keplinger wrote the book her senior year of high school. You go girl! I really enjoyed the freshness and the depth to the main character, Bianca, who reminds me of myself back then (but she is definitely way more outgoing!). I asked Kody if she’d discuss the book, her writing process, and what’s next with me, and she was nice enough to take the time to share.

Q: The DUFF was based on a term you heard and you felt like you were in your group of friends, and thus became the inspiration for your book. After the book came out, have readers shared their experiences of being the DUFF? What have you heard from fans?
A: Oh, yeah, I get lots of emails from readers about their own DUFF experiences. Some have said they were familiar with the word, some weren’t. But most of those who’ve written to me have said they feel better knowing that everyone else has felt like a DUFF at some point. It’s those letters that mean the most to me, I think.

Q: What was the process for you from writing the DUFF to selling it to Poppy?
A: Well, I wrote the first draft rather quickly—in just under two months or so. Then I spent a few more months revising it and having others read it. Once I was confident in a draft, I started querying agents. About a month after I started querying, I was signed by my agent, Joanna Volpe. After a few more revisions to the manuscript, we went on submission to publishers. And that’s how I ended up with Poppy! I couldn’t be happier.

Q: When will the DUFF be made into a movie? (So cool!)
A: It’s a little less “when” and a little more “if.” The option doesn’t mean it will definitely be made, just that Vast Entertainment has the rights to do so. So I can’t really answer that question because, as of now, I have no idea. But I’m flattered that they want to!

Q: What’s currently on your YA shelf of books you recommend to readers?
A: LIKE MANDARIN by Kirsten Hubbard, ANGELFIRE by Courtney Allison Moulton, anything by Elizabeth Scott or Simone Elkeles, and the VAMPIRE ACADEMY series by Richelle Mead.

Q: Tell us about your next book coming out this fall, SHUT OUT. It’s a modern re-telling of the Greek play, Lysistrata. Why did you choose a Greek play to adapt into a YA novel and was it hard to make the transition?
A: It’s more a re-imagining than a re-telling, I’d say. It’s very loosely based on the play. I chose Lysistrata because I read it last year, in class, and just laughed so hard. I couldn’t help thinking, “I’d love to see this as a high school comedy.” And, luckily, my agent loved the idea. So I started writing. I knew going in that it would be a loose interpretation, so the transitioning wasn’t too difficult. It was actually incredibly fun!

Q: What advice would you give to aspiring YA writers? What advice do you wish you could’ve given to yourself as a writer when you were 16 (not that it was that long ago!)?
A: My advice to aspiring writers is not to rush yourself. You might not get published before you graduate, or before you get married, or even before you are 50. That’s okay. Everyone is so different and everyone has a different path. Just keep trying and don’t rush it. I wish I could go back and tell my 16-year-old self to read more. I read plenty as it was, but still—I wish I had read even more then.

Learn more about Kody Keplinger on her blog. Pick up a copy of THE DUFF at your local bookstore and watch out for SHUT OUT in September 2011!

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