Meet a Journalist

A journalist's profile, stories and career in the field of journalism. Know a journalist who should be profiled here? Send an e-mail to Janet E. Bardon

October, 2003
Kira Vermond
Freelance writer and editor
Toronto, Ontario

Why did you choose journalism?

I think I've always known I was going to have a career in the media. I know that sounds boring, but it's true. I remember reading teen magazines when I was about 12 or 13 and deciding that I was going to be an editor or writer for Seventeen and live a very chic life in New York. That never happened, but that's OK. My goals have changed.

I also remember writing a book about dinosaurs in grade two (Unfortunately it opened right to left) and getting a total rush from creating something the other kids could read. But I learned that day never to plagiarize. I had carefully copied out a paragraph from a book we had at home when I'd run out of things to write about. The teacher picked up on this immediately and asked me where the paragraph came from. I told her the truth and she was very nice about it, but I remember thinking I'd better use my own words from now on. I think that lesson still helps me today.

What was your second career choice?

Firefighter. Well actually, that's what the career test I took in high school told me I should be. That or a journalist. I chose journalist and went on to edit a firefighting magazine for a while. That helped me realize I made the right choice. I've got better hours in this job - and no one calls me to get a kitty out of a tree.

Where did you complete post-secondary education?

J-School at Carleton University in Ottawa.

What experience best prepared you for the job of journalist?

Turns out journalism school really didn't do much for me in terms of teaching what I needed to be a working journalist. I always felt like we were pretending to be journalists while we worked on community newspapers and hosted fake television and radio shows. I prefer real life and as soon as I was out of school I blossomed. There were some good professors I worked with towards the end of my time at school, but ultimately I found journalism school stifling.

Not long after I left Ottawa and moved to Toronto I landed a job at what I like to call, "The puppy mill of publishing." It was a publishing company that churned out association magazines. I remember reading the average magazine editor in Canada edits 14 issues a year. I was editing upwards of 70 at my peak - alone. It was crazy, but I did it and now I'm efficient - something you have to be as a freelancer to make a good living.

I also owe a lot of my success to the book On Writing Well, by William Zinsser. Fantastic read. I keep two copies of it - one to keep and one to share with people I think should read it. I learned more from that book than I did in four years of journalism school. That's not to sound harsh. It just demonstrates how valuable the material is. Zinsser taught me to relax when I write. Before I read the book I fretted over every word. Of course my copy was flatter than a preteen in a training bra. Now when I sit down to write, I feel pretty confident. I think that shows in the work.

 

Tell us about a highlight of your career, a story you have covered or an interview you have conducted.

A couple of months ago I sold two essays for a book being published March 2004 called Balanced Parenting. Since becoming a mom last year, I've discovered I really love writing about how parenting changes people. Your world becomes much more intense, sometimes brighter, sometimes darker. Always teetering on the edge of both. It's a fascinating subject and I'm glad I've found my way there.

I think the biggest highlight of my career, however, has been walking into my publisher's office and telling him I was quitting to become a freelancer. I knew I would be good at it and I liked the idea of being my own boss. I heard through the grapevine that he thought I'd come back to him and change my mind - after all, I wasn't leaving my job for another one, just a big abyss of the unknown. But I knew I wanted this life. It's been five years and I wake up every single day knowing I've made the right choice.

What assignment/interview most inspired/terrified you?

The National Post called me a couple of years ago and asked me to profile 17 companies for its 100 Best Private Companies awards supplement. I had just over two weeks to research, interview, transcribe, outline and write 17 articles. I worked day and night. No kidding. I think I got a couple hours sleep in there somewhere. In the end I got every single one of them in on time - and they were hardly edited at all.

After that I knew I could do anything.

Who was/is your mentor?

Marjo Johne. She used to write for me when I edited the association magazines and I realized from watching her how I could make a living as a freelancer. She's a fantastic writer. Her copy just sings. She also helped me get my start by putting me in contact with the National Post. Now we often work in tandem with many of the same clients. It's really important to have an advocate you can rely on when things get rough. I'm hers and she's mine.

What do you recommend to young people considering a career in journalism?

Learn as much as you can and really listen to what people have to say when you interview them. I always tape my interviews and transcribe them later. This means more work, but it's worth it. You can concentrate on your interview and turn it into a conversation. Most sources are much more comfortable if you are looking them in the eye and act like you're really interested in what they have to say. Transcribing also helps you uncover things you didn't hear while listening the first time. By hearing the conversation again, without the emotional garbage we often carry while we communicate, you'll often discover little tidbits of fantastic information you missed before.

What is the biggest challenge facing journalists today?

As a freelancer I'm appalled that what publications pay today is the same as it was when I was a toddler. In the 1970s magazines paid a dollar a word. That's still the top end today for most consumer publications. Many pay far, far less. Something in this industry has to give. You can still make $50,000 to $100,000 per year as a freelancer, but be prepared to take on a whole lot of top-paying corporate gigs and work very, very hard.