Roles within the Magazine Industry: Staff Writer

What is a Staff Writer?

A staff writer is the person who chooses the name for an article and is often the main writer of that article, a Staff Writer is often given to someone as a permanent position rather than with some writers when it is given as a "one-time" position e.g someone writing one thing for a magazine then moving onto another etc etc.

What qualifications do you need to become a Staff Writer?

As with most jobs in the Media Industry, though qualifications may not exactly always be needed, they are VERY helpful and in a Staff Writer's case, most likely needed. To become a Staff Writer, a Bachelors degree in Journalism or English is preferred.

What experience do you need to become a Staff Writer?

To become an Staff Writer, more experience may be needed than other jobs as a Staff Writer has one of the more "complicated" jobs so to speak. Staff Writers should have strong communication skills as well as excellent writing skills. Three plus years of magazine and writing experience is needed. Again, with this job apprenticeships would be helpful in gaining the experience to get a job like this.

What are the responsibilities of a Staff Writer?

Staff Writers have many important responsibilities, they have to write a variety of different articles for each issue of whichever magazine they may work for so have the responsibility of making something interesting for the reader of that magazine and have it fit in with the Magazines "theme" so to speak. Staff Writers also have to pitch ideas for articles as well as preparing what they want to write in the pitch they do, so that is another responsibility they have - they have to ensure there pitch is good and represents there talents well etc.