So...Anything You'd Like to Ask Me?
I'm on a working road trip at present, representing Horse & Rider at the 52nd annual convention of the American Association of Equine Practitioners in San Antonio, Texas. Last night, while at one of those "working dinners" where the job du jour is to entertain advertisers, corporate partners, veterinary contributors, etc., one of my "new best friends"--a longtime H&R reader, it turns out--grilled me with a gazillion questions.
Where did I grow up? How did I get into horse journalism? What's it like to BE in horse journalism? What advice did I have for someone who'd like to do what I do? Did I actually own and ride horses, or did I just write about them? What were some of my favorite behind-the-scenes stories about famous trainers and events? What does my middle initial S. stand for? What did I like to do for fun when NOT all wrapped in in horse stuff?
I was somewhat amazed to be asked about such stuff, mainly because it's usually me who's asking all the questions. But afterward, back at my hotel room, I got to thinking: Maybe some of the other people who read H&R and my blog would like to ask me some questions, too. Maybe I should turn the tables and let YOU be the ones to satisfy curiosity. Now that I have this blog, it's more possible than ever for that to happen.
So here's your chance. I'll be here at the convention all day, at the Cyber Cafe sponsored by H&R's sister publication, EQUUS. I'll pop over to a computer kiosk from time to time, checking to see whether any questions surface. If they do, I'll post back in the Comments section.
It won't be exactly the same as going to dinner together, but it's sure closer than I ever dreamed might be possible when I was a girl who dreamed about becoming a horse writer.
posted by Juli Thorson @ 11:04 AM
12 comments
12 Comments:
Hi Juli
i am a 48 year old woman who has been working with and loving horses all my life. I have wondered what it takes to do articles for horse magazines. Obviously some skill in writing is necessary, but how do you get a "foot in the door." I am now facing disability and mobility problems and thought now is the time to maybe try???
Merry Christmas Julie ! Have you had many surprises when you went to interview a ' special ' horse ? Have you been taken aback by farm or horse conditions ?
Anonymous:
Hey, thanks for your question. It's a good one.
There are many levels of horse magazines, and some are easier to break into than others. Unfortunately, the ones that are NOT easy to break into are the only ones that pay anything! (Wouldn't you know it....)
One of the first things you need is an area of expertise within the horse world, because loving horses and wanting to write about them isn't enough to set you apart of the huge pack of others who fit that same description. Then you need to cultivate a relationship with an editor (becoming a regular letter writer is a good way to start), so that he or she gets to know how you think, how you write, and what would make your voice valuable to the magazine. And, you need to study the particular magazine intensely, in terms of what it publishes, how stories are packaged, what tone they're told in, etc., because until you know that, you won't stand a very good chance of pitching an idea that'll get accepted. Most editors simply don't have the time to teach this stuff to aspiring writers. It takes all their time and energy just to get an issue out every 30 days!
By and large, editors don't buy your WRITING ABILITY so much as they pay for you to make their jobs of obtaining good content easier and more efficient. Getting a magazine out for a publisher is a lot like building a house for a client. The contractor does not need many fine word carvers, but he needs plenty of expert carpenters who don't need a lot of supervision!
--Juli
Mary Ann:
Oh yes, lots of surprises...where to even start?!
A few of the more memorable moments:
* Going to a farm to do a story on a Miniature Horse stallion, having the owner telling me he was "the gentlest horse that ever lived," and having him kick me in the shin and break it.
* Arriving to do a story on the Quarter Horse stallion Major Bonanza, and seeing this seemingly ordinary, rather tired and old-looking equine fellow standing in a stall--only to watch him utterly transform himself into a SHOW HORSE the instant he heard the camera clicking. It was like he shed 20 years and grew three hands as soon as he knew he had an audience. I still get chills thinking about it.
* Visiting the facilities of a couple of big-name trainers early in my career, and seeing the discrepancy between the fancy rigs and setups they brought to shows and the rundown trailer houses and falling-down arenas they actually trained out of.
* Meeting Secretariat in person at Claiborne Farm in Kentucky, and actually getting to pet him and feed him treats! I'll never forget that!
Thanks for asking!
--Juli
Thank you for your response Juli...it certainly makes sense. If this is something I would like to try I will follow the steps you suggested. I do have the experience and knowledge but I may lack the confidence to "sell" it. By the way, at the risk of appearing to fawn, I have enjoyed reading YOUR cotributions in the various magazines over the years. Your style is inviting and professional. Truthfully I have NEVER responded to columnists before, not because I didn't have anything to say but I think because most of them seemed out of reach I guess. Your blog is in my favorites.
How long have you been a journalist? Did you intend to do horse related journalism?
Hi, Holly,
I've worked in the field of journalism since I was in high school; I went to college on a journalism scholarship I earned by winning a state newspaper contest with an article I wrote on high school rodeo. I went into the field fulltime after graduating from college in 1975. My first post-college job was with Appaloosa News.
I didn't start out with the idea of working in the equine field, though--I pictured becoming a newspaper foreign correspondent and therefore got a double major in Russian studies as well as journalism. Initially, I thought of my horse-magazine job as "the really fun thing I'll do until my real career happens." Eventually, I figured out that equine-based journalism WAS my rear career!
--Juli
You know, I never thought about one of your "new best friend's" questions before: What DOES the S stand for? Smith?
Your long-time readers know you've reached a place in equine journalism occupied by a mere handful of elite wordsmiths. You've been involved in some superb magazines, wrote a great book, and now educate horse owners with lectures and presentations. What's next? If there's one thing in your career you haven't accomplished yet that you've always wanted to do, what would that be?
Boy, now THERE'S a question (and thanks for the nice PR.)
Next dream achievement: Getting on Oprah or The Today Show to talk about horses!
--Juli
About that S that's my middle initial: It does stand for Smith, my maiden name. My original middle name is Dawn.
Juli
Hi Julie,
Are you the same Juli that was in Oregon in the mid 1980's. If so, I taught with your cousin. I have
written a couple articles for newsletters for my Hunt Clubs and
it was more difficult than I thought it would be to make the action come alive. I have had the
privilege of riding good horses in gorgeous country. As Vice President of my current Back Country Horsemen group, I would like to hone that skill to assist
our newsletter lady.
Happy Trails,
kathy a. johnson
Kathy,
Yes, I am the Juli Thorson who lived in Oregon in the '80s, and if you taught with my cousin, you must be thinking about Stephanie Johnson. I see her more often now, because she and her husband bought a cabin in the same little Idaho town where we have ours.
As for writing things...it's usually not as easy as it might appear! Sounds like you landed in a great horse-action place, though.
--Juli
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