I’ll let you in on a secret: I never thought I’d land a job as a writer.

My interview was mortifying. My future boss asked if I had any samples of my writing and I actually stuttered: “No - I don’t have any on me right now!” I sounded like a complete dork!

I was hired. But if I could turn back time, here are three things I wish I’d known from the start.

#1. BEFORE THE INTERVIEW: BE A “WRITING WHORE” 

I once asked a celebrity photographer how he got a foothold in the business. He immediately said: “I was a photo slut in University”.

What he meant was, as a photography student in an arts college, he always volunteered to take photos for his classmates’ advertising projects. They needed original images, he wanted experience. It was also a great networking exercise - his classmates remembered him and when they landed jobs in the advertising industry, he was the first photographer they’d call for commercial assignments!

The same principle applies to writing. While you’re still in school, write as much as you can, even if it isn’t for your first-choice publication. Your aim is to get exposure and connect with editors and other industry people whom you can tap on for advice and referrals. 

In my final semester of Uni, I interned at a small publishing house - non-existent pay and I had to cut paper frieze patterns for a photoshoot (yes, it was all DIY). But I got my first taste of what it’d be like to be a writer and I loved every moment of it.

My only regret: I wish I’d started writing much earlier, like in my freshmen year, so I could’ve built up a better portfolio. I would’ve been able to talk more confidently about my experiences during the interview as well - AND have proper writing samples to show! 

#2. DURING THE INTERVIEW: KNOW YOUR STRENGTHS 

When I applied for my job, I had minimal experience but wanted to sound like a wildly-versatile writer.

So, I breezily told my interviewer that I could write just about “anything”. You name it. Fashion, skincare, the latest makeup trends (though I didn’t even own eye liner). She stared at me and said: “No offence, but you don’t look like a ‘fashion person’ to me.” Ouch!

She later explained that if my heart wasn’t in the subject, I would soon find the writing tiresome and “frivolous”. I didn’t listen. 

Later on, I was assigned to cover a topic I didn’t quite understand or enjoy. The interviewer’s words came back to haunt me. While I could perform the functional aspects of the job (writing, chasing newsmakers, filing stories on time), I wasn’t enjoying it immensely. 

I later switched to features writing, which I found was more my cup of tea. I love it and haven’t looked back.

I’m not saying you should limit yourself by insisting that you can only write about subject X - at the start of your career, you should be open-minded and adaptable. But I feel it’s important to have a sense of where your strengths and interests lie and to package yourself accordingly instead of being a wishy-washy, “anything-goes” writer.   

#3. AFTER THE INTERVIEW: READ. A LOT. 

Getting the job is only the beginning. As a new writer, I struggled for a while to come up with story ideas that I didn’t think were poor, bland or predictable. 

The turning point came when my editor told me - “Read beyond the genre you write for.” Why? You want to be different from your competitors. You don’t want to be chasing the same ideas, stories and angles.

I used to only read titles like Cosmo, Glamour and Marie Claire - because I wrote for a women’s magazine. The problem was the ideas I pitched sounded exactly like something straight from Cosmo, Glamour and MC! Yawn. 

Now, I supplement my women’s glossies with Wired, Fast Company, GQ, Esquire and Psychology Today. They give such a different, refreshing perspective on things and they’ve inspired some good, slightly-kooky ideas.

As a writer, it never hurts to have broad interests and to follow trends outside your field - I dare say you’ll sound smarter and more well-informed too.

Now, who doesn’t want that?

It’s one of those days when I’m filled with new love for my career. In that spirit, here’s a post dedicated to all things great about working in a magazine! 

1. You’re a girl-about-town I love being out and about. My restless nature suits the job perfectly because as a journalist, you get wind of cool events, new trends and product launches before anyone else. Last month, I attended an exclusive showcase of Dita von Teese’s famous “Martini glass” dance in Singapore. Too. Cool!  

2. You’ll never get bored Every assignment is different and I never know who I’ll meet. Will I interview a CEO? Stake out a seedy bar? Undergo laser skin resurfacing? For the record, I’ve done all. 

3. You’re always buzzing with ideas Every conversation and encounter becomes a possible story. You start to unconsciously think about angles and package the entire article in your head. The mental rush is exciting.  

4. You’ll see people at their most vulnerable…I once wrote a story on nightlife in Singapore and had to interview a man (anonymously) on his not-so-honorable nocturnal activities. It was the first time we’d met and we spoke for two hours. I asked why he felt comfortable sharing so much with me. He said: “Well that’s the beauty of it, isn’t it? Pouring out all your secrets to a stranger.” You’ll be surprised at how some people aren’t willing to confide in their friends, but share their darkest secrets with a third-party. You listen and learn.  

5. …And when they relive awe-inspiring moments There are many unassuming people who do awesome things. For instance, I met three women who mentored a group of youth who wanted to raise funds for tsunami victims. Everyday heroes can be hard to find, but when you do, it’s the most awesome feeling knowing that you can share their story with others - and hope it inspires someone else.  

6. You travel the world I’m very grateful to have flown to Tokyo and Hong Kong for press events. Right now, I’m researching attractions in Milan to prepare for an upcoming story. Email me if you have any tips on what to do there!  

7. You’ll have lots of “coffee catch-ups” I get my best story ideas just talking to people over a good cuppa. Being out of the office, they’re relaxed, chattier and likely to share interesting anecdotes. So during lull periods, I try to meet someone new every other day. This past week, I’ve had tea with an airline stewardess-turned-career coach, feminist author and pastry chef who, incidentally, makes the best mango tarts in Singapore.

8. You create something new…every issue I always feel a rush of pride when proof-reading the colour layouts of my stories. This is when my text is brought to life with snazzy fonts, illustrations and beautiful photographs - basically, how the story will look like when it goes into print. And yes, I still get a thrill seeing my byline.   

9.  You’ll hate cliches I’ve struck the terms “whopping”, “at the end of the day” and “you can have it all” from my vocabulary - boring, overused and redundant. You learn how to express ideas in engaging and refreshing ways - and that includes all kinds of writing outside of work. Like my resume. It’s been purged of hackneyed phrases like “team-player” and “problem-solver”.

10. You flip through magazines for work What more can I say?

The most common question I get about my job is: “So is there a storeroom full of awesome clothes and shoes?”

They’ve obviously watched The Devil Wears Prada - y’know the scene where Stanley Tucci leads Anne Hathaway through this super-sized walk-in closet, flings some Dior at her before muttering “Mmm…Chanel, you’re in desperate need of Chanel.” 

I’ve always found this funny because as a junior beauty writer, I used to spend weeks in one such storeroom, itemising the hundreds of products we receive at the magazine. It was pretty humdrum work, and I used to put the radio from my iPhone on speaker while working. The storeroom’s located at the back of the office. You literally could get lost in there and no one would know until they opened the door and found your body impaled on a stray clothes hanger or something. 

So, yes, there is a storeroom. And sometimes you’ll find a rack of designer labels in there. But that’s where the similarities end and Hollywood embellishment begins. 

Firstly, ours actually resembles a real storeroom. A pokey space with cluttered shelves and an odd assortment of items - nearly-expired face creams, a mess of shopping bags and dusty champagne bottles from God-knows-which-photoshoot. Certainly not a gleaming, well-curated fashion library where you can breezily check out a pair of Louboutins.

Do we get to keep the clothes? No. If they’re for a photoshoot, they’re on loan. Once the model’s stripped off the last piece of garment, they’re packed up and returned to the boutiques - and if there’s a stain or tear, we foot the bill.

The only free piece of clothing I’ve gotten was a plain black t-shirt from an indie Haji Lane outlet. The owner was in a generous mood. (I still have the tee. It’s very comfy). 

But people still look skeptical after I’ve explained this - “Really? You don’t get to keep anything? Or even ‘borrow’ it for a party?” Listening to them, you’d think brands were throwing Chanel purses at us left, right and centre.  

I put it down to two things: one, people give the industry more glam brownie points than it deserves - sure, there’s the glam, but there’s also the mundane as with any job. 

Two, people really just want to believe that somewhere out there, a fantasy walk-in wardrobe really exists - a portal to a happy, shiny world of make-believe and dress up. Where the people are photoshop beautiful and Madonna’s “Vogue” plays in the background. 

Didn’t you cry when you found out Santa Claus wasn’t real?