This was a webinar presented at the LDS writers conference. The two editors were Josh Perkey (LDS church magazines) and Jannalee Sandau (LDS Living magazine. Any misinformation is the fault of the note taker.

Q: What is a day like for a magazine editor? The LDS church magazines.
– We have morning editorial meetings of news articles. Will do an interview. Review what every9ne is working on.
– Editing for church magazines is broken up into audience groups.
– Magazines are concentrating more on digital content.
– Getting articles to print and editing each other’s material.
– Will work with marketing teams to put things on social media
– Church magazines: they are planning things a yr. out.
– Follow up on deadlines.
– We have longer hours due to corvid 19 and working at home.
– The adult team has a lot of online content. Hard copy and electronic are coordinating more closely.
– Our design department is about five people. Layout and create and publish

Q: Needed skills?
– We have different audiences to reach.
– We need to determine visuals that will prompt people to want to read.
– Learn how to write for your audience.
– Sometimes content needs to be modified as influence as to where it will be published. Our content ranges from podcasts to research articles that fit our voice.
– Interns have practice in different writing ranging from a magazine article or personal style. etc.
– We write, edit, and conceptualize.
– When hiring people> One staff got hired because he had experienced in marketing. Developed our skills by looking at how things are presented in different platforms.

Q: How to get into the industry?
– One editor started as an intern. An intern is a great way to gain skills and establish relationships. If you have a network of people that you can find stories from that can help you. Taylor your skills for those who you want to work with.
– We like people with editing and writing backgrounds. You need to craft and recraft someone else’s work that does not destroy the author’s voice.
– Some staff came from the broadcasting industry.
– Looking for people who want to learn and grow on messaging and communication. Learn how to interact with each other.

Q: What does it take to be a good intern?
– Looking for interns who have school training who have taken classes. Make sure your coursework has honed your skill to include the ability to communicate.
– Want interns who want to learn. Want to show voice. During the day you will work with people and work alone. The transition between the two needs to be fluid.
– The type of things that you submit will show you. Be familiar with what the magazine does. Cater your subs to fit what the magazine does. Be willing to learn. Love interns with new ideas and stories but also need an intern that will learn from us.
– Other magazines are utahvally360, Blog on the church website, Follow the site or magazine you want to be involved with.

Q: How to be a contributor?
– Modify an article that specifically fits for the market you submitting for
– Choose a piece that would be interesting to our target audie3nce.
– We want things that are comparable to what we have already run but different. One example is of a teen that was watching a movie and was uncomfortable and asked to stop it. That done too often can drive the audience crazy.
– When submitting something that is timely will influence which market you submit to. Church magazines are one yr. ahead.
– Sending in contributor articles is an alternative way to get involved with the magazine when not able to be an intern. Magazines prefer interns fresh out of school
Q: challenges and benefits:
– The church magazines are for active members but also read inactive and nonmembers. There needs to be a certain dignity of the gospel that we want to maintain. Our work gets reviewed by other departments of the church including general authorities.
– We have to consider how content will be perceived by people not favorable of the church
– We like to stimulate conversations that are uplifting and positive.
– In LDS living is a culture magazine. We support the church and Desert Book products.
– Try to provide spaces that can have conversations.
– One article shares what church leaders said about tattoos.
– Magazines have a space to influence people for good.