editors speak

True Girl Editor Brandi Lee

Teen and tween magazines are busting out all over, and this month we bring you an editor interview about a terrific new magazine for teen girls: TRUE GIRL. The brainchild of two committed Catholic women, TRUE GIRL’s mission is to encourage young women in their love of God and of the church – while providing practical advice on fashion, real world skills, and service. It’s fun, it’s lively, and it serves an important section of the teen market. So we’re delighted to chat with TRUE GIRL editor and co-creator, Brandi Lee.

KMW: I like your website; it's a nice design, and your February cover has a very "teen girls" look -- what things about the magazine will be similar to other teen magazines? What things will the reader recognize as "teen content" (like fashion, beauty, profiles, etc) though with a decidedly different approach?
BL: We know how important it is to appeal to teens on their level and provide features that are both visually appealing and appealing to their sense of entertainment and enjoyment. We are working with an amazing graphic designer who is newly out of college, and her young perspective lends a fresh look to the layout of the magazine. We will feature many of the same departments that girls may be familiar with from other teen magazines: entertainment reviews including books, movies, and music; an advice column; beauty and health tips; quizzes; fashion and accessories layouts.

What sets our coverage of these teen features apart from other magazines on the market is our belief in the inherent beauty and goodness in young women. We want to encourage healthy bodies, not skinny bodies; healthy skin, not perfect skin, etc. Makeup and hairstyles and fashion can still be fun; the fun doesn’t stop just because you have a strong faith life! We’re so excited about teaching girls to balance all of the parts of life that come along with a being a teen and eventually a woman.

KMW: Will you be open to quizzes (I know so many teens love them)?
BL: Every girl loves a good quiz! We will feature one in each issue, but will avoid topics like, “Is he the one for me?” and replace them with questions like “Are You a True Beauty?” and “Are You a Doormat” and “Are You a Good Friend?”

KMW: How about humor?
BL: We will try to strike a balance between heavy hitting topics and more light-hearted ones. We have an article scheduled that discusses the real life experiences of a former model, a piece that is both humorous and informative.

KMW: How about social awareness -- maybe getting involved in the community or even in politics?
Social awareness is so important in developing social conscious young women. We want to educate and inspire our readers to get involved and make a difference. This is one of the ways our Teen Editors will be involved. By writing their own “True Story,” girls will share their experiences, such as attending the March for Life and volunteering and raising money for the situation in Darfur. What an awesome way to let the whole world know what Catholic girls are doing for their faith while offering our readers real role models.

KMW: Is TRUE GIRL going to have bookstore distribution? Maybe Catholic/Religious bookstores? Or are you strictly subscription? How do we get a sample copy?
BL: We are currently working on placement within Catholic and religious bookstores. We have had bookstores contact us, so this is a great opportunity for all involved. We currently offer subscriptions through our website and are circulating flyers and subscription cards through the dioceses, youth ministers, schools, youth groups, etc. We also sell individual copies for the cover price of $3.99.

KMW: How will your years teaching Catholic high school translate into your approach to editing? And how did this magazine come about -- I know it's the "brainchild" of you and Stephanie but what triggered the passion for this magazine? I know starting up a magazine is no small thing.
BL: Although I taught upper level English courses in Catholic high schools, my concentration in college was Professional and Technical Writing. My love of writing always translated into the classroom, and I always challenged my students to strive for perfection in their writing; they thought I was very hard on them! I tried to instill in them an attention to details, a love for words, a desire to put the comma in just the right place for just the right effect. These are standards that I apply to my own writing and to the articles submitted by my freelance writers. We want to provide a clean, clear product that is easy and enjoyable to read, while at the same time, raising the bar. I guess, in some ways, my job hasn’t changed all that much; I still get to use my red pen!

Stephanie and I met when I was teaching with her husband. Our Catholic faith was a common denominator, and we were all fast friends. Her husband mentioned Stephanie’s idea of a magazine for Catholic teens, and I had always wanted to be the editor of my own magazine. Around the time I decided to stop teaching full-time, Stephanie and her husband felt called to put their previously homeschooled children into the local Catholic school. Our idea finally had time to get fleshed out. We know that TRUE GIRL is really God’s project, and we are just so blessed to be carrying it out. What started as a way to help young girls has been such an amazing blessing to us in return. We have met some of the most amazing people, and working with the Teen Editors is so rewarding and inspiring.

KMW: I see you're looking for Teen Editors -- what kinds of role will teens play in the creation of the magazine?
BL: My Teen Editors will respond to questionnaires and surveys on a variety of topics. These topics may vary from what’s their favorite band or fashion trend, to what one skin care item they think every girl should have, to what their parish or youth group is doing to help strengthen the faith of young people in their community. In every other issue of TRUE GIRL, a True Story Page will feature a full-length story highlighting one girl’s real life experience. I am also counting on my Teen Editors to give me ideas and suggestions to make TRUE GIRL a better magazine. It’s so important that we get our readers involved in the creation process so that it truly is their magazine and not just what we think our readers might like to see.

KMW: How can a freelance writer impress you? Voice? Spiritual approach? Clips?
BL: Freelance writers can impress me with a genuine passion for writing, for their subject matter, and for helping our audience reach their potential as young women. They must have a working knowledge of and understanding of our mission statement that guides the tone of the piece. We walk a fine line between educating and preaching. Writers should not try to impress their personal beliefs upon our readers, rather guide our readers in discovering the truth for themselves.

KMW: What's been the best part of starting a new magazine? What's been the most challenging? What are your hopes for the future of TRUE GIRL?
BL: The best part of starting TRUE GIRL is knowing that Stephanie and I have been chosen and called by God to do this. He just keeps putting people in our path to help us, and we have been so richly blessed by the response we have received. Knowing that we are providing something that doesn’t exist but that so badly needs to exist is a great feeling. Knowing that we are going to provide girls with the support they need to be true to God and true to themselves inspires us when the days get long and the funds run low.

Our hopes for the future of TRUE GIRL include growing our numbers so that we reach as many girls as possible. We will be expanding to include international subscriptions in time for our second issue, something we never even considered until the requests from other countries started pouring in! We hope that we can create a magazine that our readers can share with their friends of different faiths, that can appeal to all girls, that can serve as a communication tool between parents and their daughters, that can encourage and inspire a whole new generation of young women to find beauty in what they do and the decisions they make, not in the way they look.

KMW: Thank you so much for sharing all this with us. For writers interested in TRUE GIRL, you’ll find more great stuff at their website.

This page last updated on 01 March 2006