Interview: Editor of "frankie", Jo Walker

Over the past few months, I have interviewed a handful of magazine editors about their work, experience and what advice they would give to a beginner like me. Seriously, if you want to know more about your dream job - the best and most honest response you can get is to actually interview someone in that position. Picture what it's like to walk a day in their shoes. And more importantly, step out and get some experience of your own.

Here is a quick Q&A interview with the editor of frankie magazine Jo Walker about her work experience and what skills every magazine editor should have. You'll find this in the 2010 issue of Burst magazine, out in March.

What made you want to get into magazine editing?

People think I say this as a joke, but it’s really true: I wasn’t any good at anything else! I got most of the way through a law degree at uni, tried PR and a few other things and found that I’m actually useless at everything apart from journalism and editing.

What qualifications and experience do you have?

I have an Arts degree (don’t we all) and a postgraduate diploma in journalism. I spent a few years freelancing after uni – writing for all different kinds of publications – while also acting as a section editor for a street press in Brisbane (that was my first ‘proper’ editing gig). After that, I spent a year as head of features at a London news wire called the Press Association, and I’ve been at frankie ever since then.

What sort of skills or attributes do you need to become a wonderful magazine editor?

Being creative and an ‘ideas person’ is super important. Being good at things like organisation and negotiation. An anal retentive approach to grammar and spelling. Being able to handle stress is a big one, since your whole working life is spent under the pump, in fear of deadlines and such. A dash of practicality and the ability to take charge of a situation. Being constantly curious and generally interested in people and the world.

What’s the best part about being a magazine editor?

The groupies! Hah – no, that’s a joke. The funnest thing is actually spying on people reading frankie in public – at a café or on the bus – and knowing you’re bringing enjoyment to all these thousands of people you’ll never meet.

And the most difficult part?

I’m not in love with doing the accounts. It is a big pain that I childishly put off whenever I can.

How much can a magazine editor expect to earn? What are some of the highest paying work you can do?

Well, no one gets into journalism for the money. Some editors on big international titles (Vogue, Vanity Fair etc) can earn into the millions. But it’s a bit like Hollywood, the top 0.01% earn a whopping salary and the rest of us make do with what we can get.

What advice would you give anyone wanting to become a magazine editor?

Start doing it as soon as you can. Get involved with the uni paper, street press or whatever you can get hold of. Real-world experience is key. It makes you smarter, quicker and more attractive to potential employees. Also, media is the kind of industry where I think you’ve got to love it. You’ve got to prove that you can’t not do it. So get as much experience as possible, soak up as much as you can, make mistakes, learn from them and become as awesome as you can!