Last night I went to my first media party hosted by mediabistro.com, the New York company that provides classes, job listings and networking events for freelancers. About 30 of us sipped wine and shared business cards at Vino Paradiso in the Pearl District. Some highlights:
Stacey Wilson, associate editor at Portland Monthly and mediabistro’s Portland party hostess, is looking for pitches. She complained about the quality of pitches the city lifestyle magazine gets, saying many are not focused and sound like the writer doesn’t know the publication or the area. Study the magazine then send pitches to freelance@portland-monthly.com. I do not know what they pay.
Portland Monthly is looking for an editor in chief. If you know an EIC type who’s in the area or would love to be here, tell them to send in their resume. The magazine’s also looking for a food and drink editor. You can see both job listings on mediabistro’s Website here.
According to Wilson, since it was founded 5 years ago, Portland Monthly’s parent company – recently renamed Saga City Media – has started Seattle Metropolitan, Seattle Metropolitan Bride & Groom, Portland Bride & Groom, Spaces and an insert, NW Golf. The company has a custom publishing division that produces Travel Portland (formerly Portland Oregon Visitors Association) and Washington State Hotel and Lodging annual guides, plus other projects. John Patrick Pullen is senior editor of the custom publishing division. Puller says he assigns stories v. taking queries, but is always looking for new-to-him writers for projects.
Lots of people at the party expressed interest in taking mediabistro.com writing classes, which haven’t been offered in the city before. Let’s hope Wilson can talk the company into offering some. If the size of last night’s gathering is any indication, the freelance community here is big enough to warrant them and the interest is definitely there.