This month’s Behind the Byline topic is Sean Collier, an editor for Pittsburgh Magazine.
Sean gave us an insight into how Pittsburgh’s most respected lifestyle magazine works and how we can support it. With that in mind, we also talked about how Sean became a writer and some of his favorite hobbies outside of work. And if you think he sounds familiar, you might have seen him on stage, on TV, or even in one of the drive-in theaters in the area.
Learn more about Sean below.
Where did you grow up and go to school?
I grew up in Ross Township and went to college in Penn State. I was originally a theater major and later added English.
How did you become a writer?
I kept writing until I became a writer. In high school and college I thought I wanted to be an actor in the theater business, but during that time I never failed to write. I started writing for magazines including Verbicide Magazine, a Boston-based music and culture magazine. I wrote album reviews, wrote for my high school newspaper, and kept writing in college. I’ve tried many things at the same time, but as a writer I’ve had the greatest attraction.
How did you get into Pittsburgh Magazine?
After college, I became a freelance writer and wrote for many publications including Pittsburgh Magazine, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Pittsburgh City Paper, and the Pittsburgh Sports Report. I worked full-time at Pittsburgh Magazine in 2011.
As a contributing co-editor, I do a little of everything since we’re a medium-sized publication. I spend half of my time doing freelance work and setting up larger projects and functions. I spend the other half writing my own stories for the print magazine and website. Since we’re a general interest magazine, we’re specifically interested in local stories about Pittsburgh.
What’s one of your most memorable stories?
I wrote a feature called “For the Love of the Game” that features a series of profiles about people who are very passionate and very talented at something that is absolutely not their job and doesn’t pay the bills. I interviewed an improviser, burlesque performer, novelist, professional wrestler, and musician, to name a few. I loved talking to these people and writing about these vibrant subcultures.
Read one of the articles here.
How has the pandemic affected Pittsburgh Magazine?
The media is in big trouble right now. Media companies across the board have been cutting back for years, and the pandemic only made it worse. These companies were also built on advertising, which created a major financial crisis for the media industry.
At the same time, there is a lot of suspicion and misinformation that undermines people’s beliefs and understanding of what writers do and what is and isn’t journalism.
It is important for the community to see the media not just as something they can use but also support. There is no guarantee that media will exist in 5 years. If you value media relationships and the role media plays in your business, support them.
How can people support Pittsburgh Magazine?
Subscribe to. Subscribe to. Subscribe to. And parts. If you see our content appearing on your social media feeds, share it! It helps us enlarge our readers.
There is also a return on your investment when you advertise. We can tell you who’s reading the magazine, what stories they’re looking for, and other demographic information. Don’t discount the role of advertising in your media strategy.
Do you still do theater?
Yes, my passion project outside of work is the Vigilance Theater Group, which I co-founded and for which I have written some plays. We are an immersive theater company dedicated to creating intimate, experimental productions. Our first production was in 2018 and with the pandemic we had some virtual events this year. It’s my favorite thing to do.
What else do you like to do for fun?
I’ve always been passionate about movies. I’ve spent my life talking about them and now I love reviewing them as a writer. I’ve always wanted to be in the cinema since I was a teenager. This year I went to the drive-ins three to four times a week. There are actually 10 drive-ins within 50 miles of Pittsburgh. Check out my list here.
What advice do you have for those seeking coverage in the magazine?
Instead of asking the editors to cover a specific company, instead ask them what types of stories they are working on and see if they fit. Also note the production plan of the print magazine. We assign stories two months in advance and finish issuing one month in advance.
Don’t take it personally if your email or voicemail isn’t returned. We get a barrage of messages, no less than 100 a day, which is why one contact at publication is infinitely more effective than just sending a press release. I find that press releases are only relevant to writers with certain beats. For example, I write about movies every week, so I keep an eye on movie-related press releases. If I don’t cover it I’ll erase it in a second.
So my advice is if you open a story, know what I’m covering, and tell me why you think it’s a good story for me.
– Robin Rectenwald, WordWrite
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