Editor Profile: Beckie Fox, Garden Making

THE BIO

WHO: Beckie Fox, editor-in-chief and co-owner, Garden Making

WENT TO SCHOOL FOR: Journalism, Michigan State University

FIRST MAGAZINE JOB: Freelance copy editor, Canadian Living (in the early ’80s). “Editing craft and food stories is good training for the step-by-step and how-to stories integral to any type of service journalism. Before that, I was an editor at a community newspaper in Etobicoke, Ont.”

SUBSCRIBES TO: Fine Gardening, Gardens Illustrated, Organic Gardening, Garden Design, The English Garden, Horticulture Magazine, Cook’s Illustrated, The New Yorker, Country Living, House Beautiful, Martha Stewart Living, Maclean’s, Better Homes and Gardens, Canadian House & Home, The Walrus, Saltscapes, Vines. “There are probably about a dozen others I occasionally buy on the newsstand. The magazines I still miss are Gourmet and House & Garden.”

SO BECKIE, TELL US...

WHAT MAKES A GOOD EDITOR?

• The ability to deliver content your readers want.
• The intuition to deliver content your readers didn’t know they wanted.
• Having a solid partnership with an art director who understands the stories you’re conveying to your readers.
• Respectful relationships with freelance writers, editors and photographers.

Reading List, Oct. 24

A weekly roundup of job-hunting tips, career advice and interesting articles relevant to the magazine industry and being an editor.


• "How to Manage a Perfectionist" by Amy Gallo on Harvard Business Review. If you have a perfectionist on your team, their attention to detail may slow down everyone else. Some good suggestions here. (It's also a good read if you're a perfectionist yourself."


• "Treat Your Employees like Neighbors" by Art Markman on Harvard Business review. If you create a community within your company and everyone pitches in, your employees and your magazine will do better.


• "What Every Magazine Media Company Needs: A Chief Dream Officer" by Samir Husni on Mr. Magazine. Chief Dream Officer = my dream job. Anyone want to hire me?

Reading List, Oct. 17

A weekly roundup of job-hunting tips, career advice and interesting articles relevant to the magazine industry and being an editor.


• "Why Tina Brown, Chris Anderson, David Remnick and Others Are Upbeat Despite Media Tumult" by Matthew Creamer on  AdAge. Finally, people are starting to talk positively and recognize opportunities, instead of whining about the death of print.


• "FOLIO:'s 2011 13 Under 30." For those thinking they'll be 50 before they get to be editor, here are 13 young folks in top positions to inspire you.


• "How to Bounce Back From a Big Mistake" by John Caddell on The 99%. You're going to make mistakes; how you handle them is what matters.

Reading List, Oct. 11

A weekly roundup of job-hunting tips, career advice and interesting articles relevant to the magazine industry and being an editor.

• "Salary Negotiation Missteps: 6 Mistakes to Avoid" on How. Whether you're accepting a job offer or it's time for your annual review, negotiating a salary is tough. A few tips to help you get it right.

• "Think Carefully Before Accepting a Counter Offer" by Lindsay Olson on U.S. News' On Careers. Have you tried to quit and your boss offered you more money to stay? You may want to decline the offer.

• "What to Do if You Think You’re Getting Fired" by Alison Green on U.S. News' On Careers. Some very pragmatic advice on preparing yourself.

• "10 Reasons Why People Get Fired" by Tim Tyrell-Smith on Tim's Strategy. You can do something about a few of the things on this list. If you do, you might be able to avoid getting fired.

Reading List, Oct. 3

A weekly roundup of job-hunting tips, career advice and interesting articles relevant to the magazine industry and being an editor.

• "It’s a Fun, Fun, Fun Fun Magazine: HGTV Magazine. The Mr. Magazine™ Interview with Sara Peterson, HGTV magazine Editor-in-Chief" by Samir Husni on Mr. Magazine.

• "Editors Share Twitter Best Practices" on Folio:. Four magazine editors dish on how they use Twitter.

• "7 Good Reasons To Turn Down A Reasonable Job Offer" by Mark Swartz on Monster. Just because you're offered a job doesn't mean you have to say yes.