National Geographic editor uses storytelling to unite and educate
Starlight Williams utilizes her love of science, travel, history and people to tell diverse stories from cultures around the world.
By Alyssa Malyon
First, Starlight Williams set her sights on becoming a doctor.
Then, a wedding magazine editor.
Now, Williams is a multi-media travel editor for National Geographic.
Before Williams secured her position as an editor, she bounced between the pre-med and journalistic worlds in college. Her days consisted of chemistry labs, newsroom meetings, fueling her caffeine addiction, sleeping under desks, waking up early and staying up late.
But Williams had an epiphany during her junior year of college and realized she didn’t have to become a doctor to cover science-related topics. So she fully embraced journalism, seeking internships wherever possible: lifestyle magazines, wedding magazines and local newspapers. Williams has since traveled worldwide, using her unique passions to strike up conversations and tell important stories.
Q: How did you land your current position?
A: After I graduated, I applied for an internship at the National Geographic Travel magazine and almost made it to the finish line, but it didn’t work out because internships weren’t offered to graduating seniors at the time. So I got my first job in Texas as a beat reporter — exactly what I didn’t want to be. For a year, I covered government, education, business and fun features I could squeeze in for leisure. And then I got a phone call from a former professor saying there was a job opening at National Geographic Travel.
I applied and was hired as an assistant for the editor-in-chief of the Travel magazine. I was in that role for about two or three months before I started doing more work on the actual magazine. I became the editorial researcher and worked in production, helping transition from print to digital and vice versa. Between all my other tasks, I was trying to squeeze in stories where I could, and after a while, I was doing more editing than anything else, so I got promoted to assistant editor. Then during the pandemic, I got promoted to editor, which is where I am today.
Q: What initially drew you to National Geographic?
A: I’m not gonna say I was one of those kids who read the National Geographic magazine or watched the TV shows. I knew the yellow border. That was about it. The appealing part of the job was asking questions: Who exactly is our audience? How can we reach more readers who look and sound like me? How do we move from our readers thinking of National Geographic as run by a bunch of old men sitting in a room, talking about how they have all this money to go on wild adventures?
It’s for every person — people who are interested in history, culture, science, travel and adventure — but in a digestible way that is creative and inspiring. So I think it was a great opportunity to be part of the journey the magazine was taking to rebrand itself.
Q: What is one of your favorite projects you’ve worked on?
A: I like working on projects that are off the beaten path and a little quirky. So I had an opportunity to write a story that I kept talking about for two years — the rise of pagans and witches. One day a writer (I guess she heard my brain somewhere in the universe) pitched me that exact story. Helping to shape the story in a way that fit both our expectations and got different voices across was a fun experience because it didn’t fit the typical National Geographic story mold.
In the same way, I did a story on Bigfoot. It had nothing to do with whether Bigfoot was real or not — it was all about how Bigfoot helped with conservation. People created “Sasquatch protection areas,” meaning nobody could hunt or harm specific environments where there had been “sightings,” and because of that, scientists were able to find animals they thought were extinct. So it was cool to merge my interests with National Geographic’s interests to form these stories. I think that’s one of my favorite parts of this job.
“I also remind myself that I don’t have to do this — I get the opportunity to do this. I have a cool job where I get to see the world and hear about people’s adventures.” — Starlight Williams, editor
Q: How do you unwind after a long day or week on the job?
A: Does anyone unwind in these days? I’m someone who’s always on the go, so unwinding for me looks a bit different. I’m also a yoga teacher and a weightlifting coach, so hitting the gym or the studio or doing a solid core pilates class sparks a lot of joy for me. I’m a big nail fan too, so I’ll go get my nails done. And if all else fails, I’ll watch a TV show with my partner and my cats. Vibing on the couch with no thoughts, no expectations, and my phone tossed to the side is a great way to relax.
Q: How do you maintain consistency in this type of work?
A: I always like to say, “I’ve got mouths to feed and bills to pay.” The world could be falling apart but those two things will never change. That’s really what gets me out of bed in the morning. I also remind myself that I don’t have to do this — I get the opportunity to do this. I have a cool job where I get to see the world and hear about people’s adventures. It’s something that I’m grateful for because I could have no job, or I could be doing something that makes me miserable. So I like to wake up and remind myself, Alright, sure I’m tired, sure I have a lot to do, but at the end of the day, someone’s got to feed these cats. And I just keep going forward.
Q: Do you still enjoy reading and writing for fun despite editing all day?
A: I do love to read. Physical books? Not so much. I’m a big audiobook fan. But I do love creative stories, fan fiction, literature and stories with a good plot twist. I actually never enjoyed writing, which is a funny thing to say as an editor. I do feel for writers because it’s hard to give your project and the words you chose specifically to someone else and have them tear it apart and put it back together. They have such strong and credible skin which I don’t have. But I do miss writing stories because I love interviewing people and learning about their areas of expertise.
Q: What makes a good editor in your eyes?
A: A good editor is someone who listens to the writer and helps shape the writer’s ideas and words the best they can. Editors should ask themselves, Am I changing a word because I think another fits the story better, or am I changing it because it’s going to make the story better? So I think taking away your perspective and making sure the writer’s voice comes through is helpful.
If I wanted my voice to come through, I would have written the story. But I paid someone else to do it, so I want to hear what they have to say — I think that’s something editors tend to forget. Those who aim to keep the life and authenticity of the original narrative make the best editors.
Q: What are some expectation vs reality moments you’ve experienced on the job?
A: People expect the story to perfectly line up with the pitch, but it’s rarely ever like that. The writer goes home with an assumption or a theory, then interviews the sources, does the research and realizes the pitch is not what the story is about at all.
The biggest unexpected realization for me was how subjective editing is — I’ll edit a story one way and another editor will edit it a different way. There’s not necessarily a right or wrong answer unless it comes to grammar or content editing. And not one person, even in leadership, has the authority to say yes or no to something. There are so many different steps to come to a definitive answer. That threw me for a twist.
Q: What do you think is the greatest barrier for editors who are just entering the field?
A: It’s not what you know, it’s who you know. You can know the whole world, but if you don’t know anybody, then you’re kind of gonna be stuck in place. The biggest hurdle is for people to get their foot in the door and show they have the skills and the talent.
For people who are starting out: Make sure you set yourself up for success. Start getting internships, working for your school newspaper or doing something that relates to your field.
Q: What’s the best way to get your foot in the door as a freelance journalist?
A: Start reaching out to local outlets and start pitching stories like crazy. You’re gonna get a lot of nos, but after all those nos, there are going to be yeses. And while you’re working on getting your content and pitching stories, I would start up a blog or social media — some type of presence where people can start looking at your work — regardless if you have someone paying for it or not.
Last but not least: read. I hate to say it because reading can be very exhausting, but read as much content from your desired outlets as possible. You need to read everything you can get your hands on to see the style and tone of stories they’re looking for. Having that knowledge is a lot of power.
Williams is always looking for ways to improve her internal and external worlds — whether it’s in the newsroom or on a yoga mat. She strives to uncover the interconnectedness among people from cultures across the globe, one story at a time.
