Faith and family
THE POWER OF SERVANT LEADERSHIP AT THRIVING FAMILY
By Laura Kost | Graphics Editor
Andrea Gutierrez is a senior associate editor of Thriving Family, a magazine about marriage and parenting published by Focus on the Family. Andrea has been with the organization for nine years in various capacities. She lives in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Although she spends most of her time at a desk, she loves doing anything outdoors, including hiking, biking and exploring garage sales. Andrea gave me a glimpse into what editing looks like in her workplace.
Q: To begin, would you share how you became interested in editing?
A: Throughout high school and college, I loved being a part of the yearbook and newspaper staff. When it came time to declare a major in college, I picked journalism. I really enjoyed it and did well in my classes. I thought maybe all aspects of school were this easy, so I changed my major to exercise and sports science. Because I am so English-minded, I immediately began to struggle in my science courses. I learned my lesson and appealed to get back into the journalism department. They placed me on academic probation, but I got my grades back up and enjoyed my classes again. I graduated and moved back home to Colorado to look for a job. At first, I worked in customer service. I knew about Focus on the Family, but I didn’t know much about their various ministries. I applied multiple times to work as a receptionist for them but never got an interview. Finally, I applied for an entry-level position with Thriving Family and was hired! My boss knew my heart for writing and editing, and a year later she offered me the opportunity to begin editing for the magazine. I had to pass an eight-hour take-home exam, and I didn’t do so well. My boss worked with me in some areas and allowed me to take a different four-hour exam. I passed and have been working my way up through the company ever since!
Q: Have you had any experience editing for a non-Christian organization? If so, how has that been different from your experience at Focus on the Family?
A: My only real experience editing specifically non-Christian material was in my college classes. Colorado isn’t really a hub for publishing companies, so I am lucky to be able to edit for Focus on the Family. There are only a few other magazines in town. My other option here would be to work for a newspaper, but they have much stricter deadlines. I love using AP style without the pressure of those deadlines.
Q: For you, what does it look like to be a Christian editor? How does your faith inform your work?
A: It’s an opportunity to be immersed in content that comes from a biblical perspective. Our material isn’t overly spiritualized or rich in theology, but all our topics touch those areas. Our readers look to God every day in their families and marriages. It’s important to see life through that lens of faith. And it’s a part of me; it inspires my work.
Q: Could you tell me a little bit about what a typical day is like for you? How do you spend your time?
A: Honestly, I spend most of my time in front of a computer. I don’t do interviews or fieldwork too often. Some of our other editors will interact with experts who have come to speak on our radio broadcast. They might interview them for the magazine or make a video for our digital magazine and website. I mostly do second and third edits for our articles. The lead editor champions their story and gets it almost ready for publication; my job is to be a second set of eyes. I look at it over the course of several days (our deadlines are much more flexible than a newspaper’s) and try to look at it from different angles. I review the broad picture, like whether or not it’s a good fit for our magazine and if it’s communicating what we want to say. I also research the author to make sure we support his general views. Then I look at the finer details, like grammar and sentence structure. Once I’m done, the story goes to the copy chief; then it’s titled, (and) then it goes to the design artists. My part isn’t too active.
Q: How does modern media fit into your job? Do you interact with your readers via Facebook or Twitter?
A: Yes! We use Facebook and Twitter to bring our readers resources. We also use them to promote other aspects of our ministry, like family-friendly movie reviews. Sometimes we conduct surveys through social media to find out who our readers are and what they want to read. We have an entire group of people hired primarily to interact with our readers. We post content two or three times per day and use their responses to deepen our relationship. For example, if we post an article on blended families, people may comment on our story and tell us about their own experience in a blended family. Sometimes it’s positive, and they tell us what has worked for them. Other times they are struggling, and we connect them with helpful resources. I also love receiving emails from our readers telling us about a timely story or article that inspired and encouraged them.
Q: What part of your job do you love the most?
A: Believe it or not, I like the picky details of editing! I’m not as strong at the big picture parts, like determining if a story is a good overall fit for our magazine. However, I actually enjoy aligning each word and sentence with AP style and looking through the articles before they go to mock-ups. I enjoy the process of creating an entire piece. For me, it’s fulfilling to start with a Word document and follow the progress all the way to print, and then to see the personal reactions of our readers.
Q: What is your least favorite part of your job?
A: I don’t like being at a desk and computer all day. I don’t have a lot of interaction with people, and I miss the sunshine. But I knew that’s how it was going to be, and it’s just part of the job.
Q: What is something that surprised you or forced you to grow when you first became an editor?
A: I’m getting better at this, but initially, brainstorming for upcoming issues was difficult. Creating a vision and considering the early parts of developing an article are not my strengths. I would rather carry out a vision someone else has given me. Others in my department are good at finding trends and new ideas for leads. I used to like that aspect in college, but now I prefer the production side. You have to find what drives you and fits you well.
Q: Do you have any words of advice for me as an aspiring editor?
A: Don’t be afraid to get out there and try things. If you think you know what you want to do, try it for yourself! Take an internship or volunteer with a company to get a sense of who they are and what they’re looking for in an employee. It also helps you get a feel for your own interests and strengths. It’s always good to make connections while you’re there – it’s much easier to get a job with an “in.” If your first few tries don’t work out, don’t worry; God may have a different idea. Seek Him in prayer, and He will faithfully lead you.
Andrea was gracious and kind, pausing in the middle of her busy day to answer my questions thoroughly and thoughtfully. She is experienced and articulate. Speaking with her gave me a clearer picture of what a magazine editor does to create each publication. Unlike many people in the editing industry, Andrea knew she loved to edit when she was in high school, and she pursued her dream during college and beyond. She is tenacious and worked hard to earn her current position. She isn’t afraid to admit her failures, but she also acknowledges her hard work and success. She gives credit to her coworkers for their contributions and speaks highly of her boss. It is also clear that her faith strongly influences her work, pushing her to deliver the best content possible for her readers. She feels responsible to provide resources and help for struggling Christian families across the nation. It’s exciting for me to hear how someone can impact so many people and share so much encouragement simply by editing a manuscript or an article. I often feel that I have to have my name in the byline to make a difference, yet she is changing countless lives by spending hours in her office poring over grammar and syntax. It gave me a new appreciation for the power of servant leaders.
I also learned how organizations can use social media to foster critical conversations and offer resources to those in need. As a social worker, this is my heart, and I love knowing I can connect people with resources through my words as well as my actions. She also reinforced my ideas about strengths and weaknesses. Andrea knows her own strengths, and she freely admits that she lets various coworkers compensate for her weaknesses. For example, she understands that establishing and sharing a vision for the magazine issue is difficult for her, so she allows others to do it and uses her attention for detail to perfect the final copies. I admire the fact that she knows herself well and uses that knowledge to perform at her best. She is clearly passionate about what she does, and it was encouraging to hear her openness and wisdom. She has many of the attributes of a good editor, including strong communication skills. I learned so much from our short conversation, and it’s easy to see why she is a leader in her workplace.
